DASMA TDS 168 - Wind Loads on Garage Doors FAQ

Wind load requirements for garage doors generate more confusion than almost any other technical topic in the industry. DASMA TDS 168 collects the most common questions and answers them in plain language, making it a useful starting point for homeowners, contractors, and plan reviewers.

What this data sheet says

TDS 168 is structured as a question-and-answer document covering the key concepts homeowners and installers need to understand when evaluating a garage door for wind performance.

"TDS 168 addresses the most common questions about wind load requirements for garage doors to help consumers, contractors, and code officials understand how doors are rated and selected."

Key questions and answers addressed in TDS 168:

• What is design pressure (DP)? It is the maximum uniform static wind pressure, in pounds per square foot, that a door is rated to withstand without permanent deformation. A door rated DP+20/-20 can handle 20 psf pushing in and 20 psf pulling out.
• How does mph convert to psf? The relationship is not linear. A rough approximation is that wind pressure in psf equals 0.00256 times the velocity in mph, squared, multiplied by a pressure coefficient. At 90 mph, this yields roughly 19 to 23 psf depending on the exposure category and the door geometry.
• What does the label on my door mean? The permanent label states the door's rated design pressure. It is placed on the interior of the door per IRC R609.4.1.
• My door has no wind label. Is that a problem? Older doors may predate the labeling requirement. The absence of a label does not mean the door lacks structural capacity, but without a label you cannot verify compliance with a current code requirement.
• What should I do if my door is not rated for the local design pressure? TDS 168 recommends consulting a qualified door technician to evaluate whether reinforcing per TDS 153 can bring the door up to the required rating, or whether replacement is the right answer.

When it applies

TDS 168 is useful in any situation where a homeowner or inspector has questions about wind load compliance:

• Preparing a permit application and needing to document that the door meets the local wind load requirement.
• Shopping for a replacement door and wanting to know whether the listed DP rating is adequate for the site.
• After receiving a home inspection report that flagged the door for missing or inadequate wind load labeling.
• Following a wind event that caused visible damage and questions about whether the door should have performed better.

Denver's design inputs under the 2025 DRC are Vult 115 mph and Exposure C. Plugging those into the TDS 168 framework gives you the minimum DP rating your door should carry.

What this means for you

Find the label on your door before the next inspection or resale. It is typically on the interior face of one of the middle sections, near the top edge. If you cannot find it, TDS 168 explains how to evaluate options.

Understanding psf vs. mph prevents misleading comparisons. A door marketed as "tested to 120 mph" and a door labeled "DP 22 psf" may not be directly comparable without knowing the test conditions and pressure coefficients used.

A missing label on an older door is worth addressing. If you are selling a home in Denver and the garage door lacks a wind pressure label, buyers and their inspectors will notice. Replacing an unrated door with a labeled one removes that question.

G Brothers can read your door's existing label, look up the required DP for your address, and tell you whether the door meets current Denver wind load requirements.

Full text and source

Download DASMA TDS 168 from the official TDS index at https://www.dasma.com/technical-data-sheets/.

This entry summarizes the FAQ content in TDS 168 for residential applications. Commercial projects subject to IBC Chapter 16 and ASCE 7 wind load provisions involve additional engineering steps not covered in this residential FAQ.

Want to put numbers to this? Use the interactive wind load psf / mph converter below, or open the full wind load psf / mph converter with examples and notes.