The main difference between these two types of garage doors is the materials used and the manufacturing process. Generally, overhead roller shutter doors are made of 18-24 steel. The steel is made into 2 to 3 inch interlocking slats, which can be filled with dense insulating material. Commercial combination garage doors are typically made of 24 gauge metal and are often made of even lighter gauge materials for residential garage doors.

Sectional garage doors also have thermal insulation options, with styrene foam placed inside each section. A standard sectional garage door uses several 24-inch sections that are hinged together to complete the door. Side rails are the rolling track of the door.

Compared with sectional garage doors made of only 16 or 14 gauge metal, overhead rolling doors use 3/16 inch to 1/2 inch structural steel with a significant difference. Most sectional garage doors come in standard sizes, and roller shutter doors can be easily customized to any size. Unusual or unique garage door opening sizes will often benefit from the easy custom availability of overhead roller shutter doors.