ANSI/DASMA 108 - Structural Performance Testing for Sectional Garage and Rolling Doors Under Wind Load

Every wind rating label on a garage door traces back to one test. That test is ANSI/DASMA 108. It measures how much air pressure a door assembly can resist before it deflects beyond allowable limits or fails structurally.

What this standard says

ANSI/DASMA 108-2017 is the test method used to determine the structural performance of sectional garage doors and rolling doors under wind load, expressed as uniform static air pressure. The standard sets up test equipment, specimen mounting, load increments, and the acceptance criteria for pass or fail.

"This standard covers the method for determining the structural performance of sectional type garage doors and rolling doors by subjecting them to uniform static air pressure differences applied in both the positive (inward) and negative (outward) directions."

The test applies pressure in 5-psf increments on each side. The door is evaluated at a design pressure level (the rated value) and at 1.5 times that pressure to confirm a safety factor. Deflection is measured at mid-span. The door must not permanently deform past the allowable limit at the design pressure and must not collapse at 1.5 times design pressure.

The resulting rated design pressure appears on the permanent wind label required by IRC R609.4.1. It is expressed in psf (pounds per square foot). For example, a door rated at 20 psf has been tested per ANSI/DASMA 108 to withstand that level of wind pressure.

When it applies

Door selection in Denver. Denver has a Vult of 115 mph and Exposure C per the 2025 Denver Residential Code. For a typical 16x7 residential door in Exposure C at 115 mph, the required design pressure is approximately 20 to 22 psf. The door's ANSI/DASMA 108 rating must meet or exceed that number.

Reading a wind label. IRC R609.4.1 requires every garage door to carry a permanent label showing its rated design pressure. That rating is only valid if the door was tested per ANSI/DASMA 108 (or the alternative ASTM E330 method). A self-reported manufacturer claim without a test is not a valid rating for code purposes.

Permit submittals. Denver CPD may ask for wind-load documentation when you pull a permit for a new garage door. A spec sheet showing the ANSI/DASMA 108 rated design pressure satisfies that requirement.

Non-standard door sizes. DASMA TDS #180 covers how to determine wind ratings for door sizes not directly tested under ANSI/DASMA 108. The source test results under ANSI/DASMA 108 are still the foundation for those interpolations.

What this means for you

Check the wind label, not the marketing copy. A label showing "tested per ANSI/DASMA 108 at 20 psf" is a verified rating. A brochure saying "wind resistant" without a psf number from a test is not.

Match the label to your location. The design pressure required for your door depends on wind speed, exposure category, door size, and height above ground. For most residential locations in Denver, 20 psf covers the requirement. Hillside locations and Exposure D sites need recalculation.

For a new door with a permit: G Brothers can provide the ANSI/DASMA 108 test documentation for any door we supply, along with the calculated required design pressure for your specific address and door opening.

Full text and source

ANSI/DASMA 108-2017 is available at https://www.dasma.com/wp-content/uploads/pubs/Standards/DASMA-108-Web.pdf.

ANSI/DASMA 108 tests doors under uniform static air pressure, which approximates the design wind load for code purposes. It is not a dynamic hurricane-impact test. Impact-rated doors in wind-borne debris regions are tested under the separate ANSI/DASMA 115 standard.