Garage Door Spring Color Code Chart: Torsion and Extension Springs (75 Entries, 2023 DASMA Edition)

Uptime Dock & Door Research · Updated September 2026

In the garage door spring color code, torsion paint marks wire thickness (.2187 inch is white); extension paint marks door weight (100 lb is tan). In Uptime Dock & Door's September 2026 check, 4 of 5 selected pages still list entries absent from DASMA's May 2023 sheet. The fifth reverses the red/black winding custom.

Key garage door spring color code statistics

DASMA's official chart (Technical Data Sheet #171, dated May 24, 2023) lists 49 torsion-spring wire sizes, from .1200 to .6250 inch, marked with 11 colors plus black for sizes not on the list. (DASMA TDS #171, p. 2)
DASMA's current chart lists 26 extension-spring door weights, from 50 to 300 lb in 10-lb steps, using 10 colors; two extension springs are required for the listed door weight. (DASMA TDS #171, p. 3)
DASMA's May 2023 version dropped all 45 metric wire sizes and the four lightest extension rows (10, 20, 30 and 40 lb) that its January 2019 version listed, according to Uptime Dock & Door's comparison of the two versions (September 2026). (Edition comparison and both sources)
Four of five selected garage door spring color chart pages checked by Uptime Dock & Door on September 29, 2026 list entries absent from DASMA's 2023 sheet; none states its manufacturer-only scope. (Five-page audit and sources)
Since May 2023, DASMA's chart says it is intended for spring manufacturers and should not be used by homeowners or maintenance personnel to replace garage door springs. (DASMA TDS #171, p. 1)
In DASMA's torsion chart, six colors (orange, light blue, yellow, white, red and brown) each stand for five different wire sizes (Uptime Dock & Door count, September 2026; source table).
No two torsion sizes that share a DASMA color are closer than 0.0717 inch apart, yet two neighboring sizes with different colors, .2950 inch (white) and .2970 inch (red), are 0.002 inch apart (Uptime Dock & Door calculation from DASMA TDS #171, September 2026; values and calculation).
In DASMA's current extension chart, each of the 10 numbered color groups stands for two or three door weights, 100 lb apart; red means 50, 150 or 250 lb. (DASMA TDS #171, p. 3)
DASMA says color coding gives only partial identification and does not cover a spring's inner diameter, length, stretch, material type or finish. (DASMA TDS #171, p. 1)
Marking right-wound torsion springs with a red winding cone and left-wound springs with a black cone is a trade custom recorded in a 1986 patent filing, not part of DASMA's color chart. The patent describes a conventional center-mounted setup, not every door layout. (U.S. Patent 4,817,927)
In DASMA's chart, black paint on the coils means the size or weight is "unspecified / not on list." (DASMA TDS #171)
TDS #171 ranked first in the three 2022 "most-used Technical Data Sheets" lists Uptime Dock & Door checked: Spring, Summer and Fall. (Door + Access Systems: Spring, Summer, Fall)

On this page: Look up a color · Torsion chart · Extension chart · Red and black · One color, many sizes · What changed in 2023 · Are online charts right? · What color can't tell you · Commercial doors · Broken spring · Cite · Download · FAQ

What does the color on my garage door spring mean?

It depends on the spring and on where the color is. On a torsion spring, DASMA's coil paint marks the wire diameter, one of 49 listed sizes. On an extension spring, it marks the door weight a pair of springs is built for, one of 26 listed weights. A red or black winding cone on a torsion spring is a separate mark for wind direction.

Read the torsion chart or extension chart by color. Each shows every listed match. The numbered coil-color groups have several matches; black and winding marks have separate meanings.

Spring color lookup

Spring typeWhere is the color?ColorKnown value type (optional)

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This lookup runs in your browser. Selections are not stored, sent or logged.

Choose the spring details you know, then show the matching reference rows.

What wire size is each torsion spring color?

DASMA's current chart gives 49 torsion wire sizes, from .1200 to .6250 inch, marked with 11 colors plus black. Wire diameter means how thick the steel wire is, not how wide the coil is. Each of the 11 numbered color groups stands for three to five sizes, so read the table by color first.

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Table 1. Torsion spring colors and the wire sizes they stand for
Color	Wire sizes (inches)	Number of sizes
Orange	.1200, .1920, .2730, .3625, .4844	5
Light Blue	.1250, .2000, .2830, .3750, .4900	5
Yellow	.1350, .2070, .2890, .3938, .5000	5
White	.1390, .2187, .2950, .4062, .5312	5
Red	.1430, .2253, .2970, .4218, .5625	5
Brown	.1480, .2340, .3065, .4305, .6250	5
Tan	.1562, .2375, .3125, .4375	4
Green	.1620, .2437, .3195, .4531	4
Gold	.1770, .2500, .3310, .4615	4
Purple	.1820, .2570, .5938	3
Blue	.1875, .2625, .3437, .4687	4
Black	Unspecified / not on list	—

Source: DASMA Technical Data Sheet #171, page 2, dated May 24, 2023. Grouped by color by Uptime Dock & Door. Checked September 29, 2026.

Every torsion wire size, thinnest to thickest

Already know the size and want the color? This is DASMA's list in order.

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Table 2. DASMA torsion spring wire sizes and colors, in order
Wire diameter (in)	Color
.1200	Orange
.1250	Light Blue
.1350	Yellow
.1390	White
.1430	Red
.1480	Brown
.1562	Tan
.1620	Green
.1770	Gold
.1820	Purple
.1875	Blue
.1920	Orange
.2000	Light Blue
.2070	Yellow
.2187	White
.2253	Red
.2340	Brown
.2375	Tan
.2437	Green
.2500	Gold
.2570	Purple
.2625	Blue
.2730	Orange
.2830	Light Blue
.2890	Yellow
.2950	White
.2970	Red
.3065	Brown
.3125	Tan
.3195	Green
.3310	Gold
.3437	Blue
.3625	Orange
.3750	Light Blue
.3938	Yellow
.4062	White
.4218	Red
.4305	Brown
.4375	Tan
.4531	Green
.4615	Gold
.4687	Blue
.4844	Orange
.4900	Light Blue
.5000	Yellow
.5312	White
.5625	Red
.5938	Purple
.6250	Brown
Not on list	Black

Source: DASMA Technical Data Sheet #171, page 2, dated May 24, 2023. Checked September 29, 2026.

DASMA lists these sizes in inches only. Our download adds millimeters by multiplying by 25.4, the exact factor NIST gives for the inch. So .2187 inch becomes 5.555 mm when rounded to three decimal places. The download uses exact decimal arithmetic and rounds an exact halfway value up. That's arithmetic, not a metric spring size. A converted number doesn't prove a matching metric part exists.

What door weight is each extension spring color?

DASMA's current chart gives 26 door weights, from 50 to 300 lb in 10-lb steps, using 10 colors. The weight is for the whole door, and DASMA says two extension springs are required for it. Each color stands for two or three weights, 100 lb apart.

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Table 3. Extension spring colors and the door weights they stand for
Color	Door weights, pair (lb)	Door weights (kg, as DASMA prints them)	Number of weights
Red	50, 150, 250	23, 68, 113	3
Brown	60, 160, 260	27, 73, 118	3
Orange	70, 170, 270	32, 77, 122	3
Gold	80, 180, 280	36, 82, 127	3
Light Blue	90, 190, 290	41, 86, 132	3
Tan	100, 200, 300	45, 91, 136	3
White	110, 210	50, 95	2
Green	120, 220	54, 100	2
Yellow	130, 230	59, 104	2
Blue	140, 240	64, 109	2
Black	Unspecified / not on list	Unspecified / not on list	—

Source: DASMA Technical Data Sheet #171, page 3, dated May 24, 2023. Kilograms as DASMA prints them. Grouped by color by Uptime Dock & Door. Checked September 29, 2026.

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Table 4. DASMA extension spring door weights and colors, in order
Door weight (lb)	Color	Door weight (kg)
50	Red	23
60	Brown	27
70	Orange	32
80	Gold	36
90	Light Blue	41
100	Tan	45
110	White	50
120	Green	54
130	Yellow	59
140	Blue	64
150	Red	68
160	Brown	73
170	Orange	77
180	Gold	82
190	Light Blue	86
200	Tan	91
210	White	95
220	Green	100
230	Yellow	104
240	Blue	109
250	Red	113
260	Brown	118
270	Orange	122
280	Gold	127
290	Light Blue	132
300	Tan	136
Not on list	Black	Not on list

Source: DASMA Technical Data Sheet #171, page 3, dated May 24, 2023. Checked September 29, 2026.

Is the weight for one spring or for the pair?

For the pair. DASMA's note under the table says two extension springs are required for the listed door weight. In the 100-lb tan entry, 100 lb is the whole door's weight, not a number to double. Tan also appears at 200 and 300 lb, so two tan springs alone do not identify a 100-lb door.

Where did 10, 20, 30 and 40 lb go?

DASMA's January 2019 version listed them: white for 10 lb, green for 20, yellow for 30 and blue for 40. The May 2023 version starts at 50 lb. The two sheets don't say why. A row's absence from the newer sheet does not prove that a spring is obsolete, unsafe or wrong for a door. DASMA asks for measurements and door weight, not color alone.

What do red and black mean on a garage door spring?

Red and black each have more than one meaning, depending on where the color sits. On a torsion spring's winding cone, red marks a right-wound spring and black a left-wound one, by long trade custom. On the coils, red is an ordinary DASMA color, and black means "not on DASMA's list."

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Table 5. Every red and black marking, and where each rule comes from
Where you see the color	Color	What it means	Where the rule comes from
Winding cone, torsion spring	Red	Right-wound spring; the patent describes it left of the center bracket, seen from inside, in its conventional layout	Trade custom recorded in U.S. Patent 4,817,927 (filed 1986); also stated by SSC
Winding cone, torsion spring	Black	Left-wound spring; the patent describes it right of the center bracket in that layout	Same patent for the layout; SSC confirms wind direction, not a universal mounting side
Coil paint, torsion spring	Red	Wire .1430, .2253, .2970, .4218 or .5625 inch	DASMA TDS #171, p. 2
Coil paint, extension spring	Red	Door weight 50, 150 or 250 lb (pair)	DASMA TDS #171, p. 3
Coil paint, either type	Black	Size or weight "unspecified / not on list"	DASMA TDS #171, pp. 2–3

Source: sources linked in the last column. Checked September 29, 2026.

The cone custom is old and still in use. The patent, filed in 1986 and granted in 1989 with Martin Door Manufacturing as the original assignee, calls it "customary in the trade" and adds that confusion "frequently occurs." A seller listing checked for this page uses "RED Cone for LEFT SIDE of Garage Door". That is a label for that product, not a rule for every installation.

Why it matters: DASMA lists winding a torsion spring backwards as a safety issue for the installer (DASMA TDS #190). This page only helps you name the mark. It is not a winding guide.

Can one spring color mean more than one size?

Yes. In DASMA's torsion chart, each numbered color group stands for three to five wire sizes, and six colors stand for five each. In the extension chart, each numbered color group stands for two or three door weights. A color narrows the choices; it never picks one by itself.

Say your torsion spring is white. The chart gives five options: .1390, .2187, .2950, .4062 and .5312 inch. The thickest of those is 3.8 times the thinnest. The paint alone can't tell you which one you have.

Dot chart of DASMA's 49 torsion spring wire sizes by color. Six colors each cover five sizes spread from about .12 to .63 inch, so one color can mean very different springs.

In DASMA's torsion spring chart, 11 colors cover 49 wire sizes; six colors stand for five sizes each

Download supplied PNG for Spring color chart 2

Here's the useful part. Sizes that share a color are never closer than 0.0717 inch apart (red: .2253 and .2970). But neighbors in the list can be almost twins: .2950 (white) and .2970 (red) differ by 0.002 inch, or 1/500 of an inch. That small gap is why a rough measurement plus paint is not enough. A technician must check the actual size and the manufacturer's information; color cannot settle an uncertain measurement.

The extension chart repeats the same way, every 100 lb.

Dot chart of DASMA's 26 extension spring door weights by color. Each color covers two or three weights 100 lb apart, so one color can mean a 50, 150 or 250 lb door.

In DASMA's current extension spring chart, every color stands for two or three door weights, 100 lb apart

Download supplied PNG for Spring color chart 3

What changed in DASMA's 2023 spring color chart?

DASMA's May 2023 version kept all 49 inch torsion sizes and their colors. It dropped all 45 metric wire sizes and the 10, 20, 30 and 40 lb extension rows, changed the kilogram column, and added a first paragraph saying the chart is meant for spring makers, not homeowners replacing springs. DASMA still labels the file "Rev. 9/15," with the new date line "5/24/23 … Reaff. 5/23."

Bar chart comparing DASMA's January 2019 and May 2023 spring color charts: inch torsion sizes stayed at 49, metric sizes fell from 45 to 0, and extension door weights fell from 30 to 26.

DASMA's May 2023 spring color chart kept all 49 inch torsion sizes but dropped 45 metric sizes and four extension rows

Download supplied PNG for Spring color chart 1

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Table 6. Thirteen checked features in DASMA's January 2019 and May 2023 versions
#	Part	January 2019 version	May 2023 version	Change
1	Header: Date line	6/28/12 Rev. 9/15, Reaff. 1/19	5/24/23 Rev. 9/15, Reaff. 5/23	date
2	Scope: Intended user	not stated	says the sheet is for manufacturers designing and making springs for sectional doors	added
3	Scope: Homeowners and maintenance personnel	not stated	says homeowners and maintenance personnel should not use it to replace springs	added
4	Scope: Who replaces springs	not stated	says only a trained door systems technician should replace springs	added
5	Scope: Partial identification	not stated	says color gives only partial identification; not covered: inner diameter, length, stretch, material type, finish	added
6	Torsion: Inch wire sizes	49 sizes .1200-.6250	49 sizes .1200-.6250	unchanged
7	Torsion: Metric wire sizes	45 sizes 3.00-13.00 mm with their own colors	none	removed
8	Torsion: Black	Unspecified/Not on List	Unspecified/Not on List	unchanged
9	Extension: Weight range	10-300 lb (30 rows)	50-300 lb (26 rows)	removed
10	Extension: Kilogram column	separate metric series in 5 kg steps (5-135 kg), with printed lb equivalents; none for brown	pound rows converted to kg (23-136 kg), including brown	changed
11	Extension: Worked example / note	example: two tan springs lift a 100 lb sectional door	note: two extension springs are required for the listed door weight	reworded
12	Extension: Caution: who recommends supporting info	supporting information as recommended by the spring manufacturer	supporting information as recommended by the door manufacturer	reworded
13	Footer: Copyright line	Copyright 1988 by National Association of Garage Door Manufacturers, and Copyright 1998 by DASMA	no copyright line in the 2023 file's text layer	not shown

Sources: DASMA TDS #171, January 2019 version and May 2023 version. Compared row by row by Uptime Dock & Door. Checked September 29, 2026.

The metric sizes are gone

The 2019 version paired 45 metric sizes, from 3.00 to 13.00 mm, with their own colors. Those colors didn't follow the inch sizes. In that version, 10.00 mm (.3937 inch) was tan while .3938 inch was yellow, one ten-thousandth of an inch apart. In all, 25 of the 45 metric entries had a printed inch equivalent within .0015 inch of a differently colored inch entry, including the cutoff itself. For example, .1890 red and .1875 blue are exactly .0015 inch apart. This compares the sheet's printed numbers; .0015 inch is our comparison cutoff, not a permitted sizing tolerance. We're describing the old sheet, not guessing why DASMA dropped it. The full metric list is in the download, marked as historical.

The kilograms changed too

In 2019, the kilogram column was its own metric series. Red meant 25, 70 or 115 kg. In 2023, the kilograms are the pound rows converted, so red means 23, 68 or 113 kg. Same paint, slightly different numbers.

Why the version matters now

DASMA's index of technical data sheets, with page metadata dated July 1, 2026, links TDS #171 to the May 2023 file. The 2019 file is still online at its old address, so both versions keep circulating. And this is not an obscure sheet. TDS #171 topped the three 2022 "most-used Technical Data Sheets" lists we checked (Spring, Summer and Fall). The 2019 file carries a 1988 copyright of the National Association of Garage Door Manufacturers. That line does not date every color assignment in the chart.

Are the garage door spring color charts online accurate?

Four of five selected pages checked on September 29, 2026 list entries absent from DASMA's May 2023 sheet. None states the sheet's manufacturer-only scope, and one of the three that state red and black wind colors reverses the custom stated by SSC and the patent. Text tables also differ in number precision: 49 printed entries do not mean 49 exact matches.

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Table 7. Five selected spring color chart pages, checked against DASMA TDS #171
Page	Date shown on page	Text wire entries / exact current pairs	Lists entries absent from the 2023 sheet?	States the 2023 manufacturer-only scope?	Red/black wind statement
IDC Spring	Updated June 1, 2020	49 entries / 25 exact pairs	Yes: 45 metric sizes and the 10–40 lb rows	No	Red cone = right-wound, left side (matches the custom)
Garage Door Guide	Last modified July 1, 2019 (page metadata)	34 entries / 31 exact pairs	Yes: the 10–40 lb rows	No	None given
A Better Garage Door	March 9 (no year shown)	None ("too extensive to list")	No (lists 100–190 lb)	No	Black = right wind, red = left wind (reversed)
Heritage Garage Door	April 9, 2020	34 entries / 31 exact pairs	Yes: the 10–40 lb rows	No	None given
SSC (Service Spring Corp)	Updated March 27, 2024	No text wire table retrieved; images not counted	Yes: its text example uses 20 lb	No	Red = right-wound, black = left-wound (matches the custom)

Source: each page as it appeared on September 29, 2026, compared with DASMA TDS #171 (May 2023) and U.S. Patent 4,817,927. Pages chosen: five selected pages present in Ahrefs' U.S. Google top-10 snapshot for "garage door spring color code," observed September 2, 2026 and retrieved September 29. The snapshot used IDC's temporary qpo.jul.mybluehost.me address; we checked the matching IDC article on idcspring.com. This is not a September 29 ranking measurement or a random sample. Sampling record.

Garage Door Guide and Heritage each print 34 torsion entries, but only 31 value-color pairs exactly match the current table. Both show .2343 brown instead of .2340 and .343 blue instead of .3437. Their yellow .207 entry also has a comma or missing decimal. IDC prints 49 entries, of which 25 exactly match; many others use different three-decimal values. We ignored harmless trailing zeroes and color-name case, but did not silently fix digits or assume two sizes are interchangeable. The 117-entry comparison preserves each printed value.

This audit tests article text, not every image or each maker's product catalog. Listing an older value does not itself make a product wrong. And the scope column tests DASMA's specific manufacturer-only wording, not whether the article contains general safety advice.

What can't a garage door spring color tell you?

A lot. DASMA says color coding gives only partial identification. It doesn't tell you a spring's inside diameter, length, stretch, material or finish, and it says nothing about how many cycles the spring will last.

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Table 8. What a DASMA color does and doesn't tell you
Question	Does the color answer it?	Source
Torsion wire diameter	Partly: a numbered color group narrows to 3–5 listed sizes; black is unlisted	DASMA TDS #171, p. 2
Extension door weight (pair)	Partly: a numbered color group narrows to 2–3 listed weights; black is unlisted	DASMA TDS #171, p. 3
Inside diameter, length, stretch, material, finish	No	DASMA TDS #171, p. 1
Wind direction	No: that's the winding cone, by trade custom	U.S. Patent 4,817,927
How long the spring will last	No	DASMA TDS #190
A matching metric part	No: a converted size isn't a part	NIST

Source: sources linked in the last column. Checked September 29, 2026.

DASMA's caution sits right under its extension table: back up the color with physical measurements, door weight and other information from the door manufacturer, especially on older installations. On spring life, DASMA's spring sheet adds a quiet but important line: spring cycle life may not match door cycle life (TDS #190). For cycle ratings for whole doors, our rolling steel vs. sectional door comparison covers them.

What about the numbers? The cited seller writes its torsion spring as wire size × inside diameter × length, like ".250 x 2 x 40." The DASMA color stands for only the first of those three numbers.

Does the spring color code apply to commercial doors?

Yes, for commercial sectional doors. DASMA files TDS #171 under "Commercial & Residential" and titles both tables "for sectional doors." It does not cover rolling steel doors, whose counterbalance springs DASMA handles in a separate sheet, TDS #272.

The chart covers a wide range. The thickest listed wire, .6250 inch, is 5.2 times the thinnest, .1200 inch. DASMA also says certain chemicals, such as chlorine-containing acids, can corrode springs and lead to early failure, and that wash bays should be reviewed for it (TDS #190).

If you manage a building, you don't need to decode the spring yourself. Note whether the door is sectional or rolling, the color you can see from the floor, and the cone color if it's visible. Then hand that to the technician. Our guide to what to tell a repair company when you call lists the rest. Not sure which door you have? See how rolling steel and sectional doors differ.

What should you do if a garage door spring is broken?

Stop using the door, and don't try to lift it by hand. DASMA's current chart says spring replacement should only be done by a trained door systems technician. A color chart is for naming a spring, not for replacing one.

A broken spring is on our list of signs a commercial door should come out of service. If the door is acting up in other ways, the commercial garage door troubleshooting reference helps you describe it. And if a quote covers more than a spring, the commercial garage door repair vs. replace guide walks through the choice.

If a spring on a commercial sectional door at your facility needs work, Uptime's commercial overhead door repair page explains how to request service, and the service-area list shows where it's available. Uptime is an independent service-request website, not the company that does the repair. Homeowners: Uptime covers commercial buildings only, so call a trained door systems technician near you.

How we built this

On September 29, 2026, we read both versions of DASMA Technical Data Sheet #171 in full: the May 24, 2023 file that DASMA's index links today, and the earlier file dated 6/28/12 and reaffirmed January 2019, which is still online. We checked the numeric rows against the source tables and checked the counts against each file: 49 inch torsion sizes in both, 45 metric sizes in 2019 only, 30 extension rows in 2019 and 26 in 2023. We compared the two versions row by row.

A short script then grouped the sizes by color, counted them, and measured the gaps between sizes. Anyone can repeat it with the two PDFs. We paired each 2019 metric size with the color on its printed row. We kept its printed inch equivalent separate from our new inch-to-millimeter conversions. For the 25 near-matches, we used exact decimals, counted each metric row once, and included a row when the nearest differently colored inch entry was no more than .0015 inch away. The 45-row calculation shows every result, including entries outside the cutoff.

For the red and black cones, we read a 1986 patent filing that describes the custom. For the audit, we opened each of five chart pages on September 29, 2026 and recorded only what each page shows. The five selected pages appeared in Ahrefs' September 2, 2026 top-10 U.S. Google snapshot for "garage door spring color code," which we retrieved on September 29. We compared the numeric values in their text tables without rounding the DASMA reference. We added millimeter values by multiplying inches by NIST's exact 25.4 and rounding to .001 mm, with exact ties rounded up.

What this data does and doesn't show

It shows DASMA's official color assignments, how they changed between 2019 and 2023, and how five selected pages present them on one day. It doesn't show what color any maker actually painted a given spring, whether a spring on a door matches its paint, or how strong or long-lived any spring is. The audit is five pages, not a survey of every chart. We didn't test, measure or handle any springs.

How to cite this page

Uptime Dock & Door. "Garage Door Spring Color Code Chart: Torsion and Extension Springs (75 Entries, 2023 DASMA Edition)." Updated September 2026. Sources checked September 29, 2026. https://uptimedockanddoor.com/research/garage-door-spring-color-code-chart/

For the color assignments themselves, cite DASMA Technical Data Sheet #171 (May 24, 2023).

Download the spring color data

Seven free CSV files, no email needed. Every row carries its source and check date. A blank cell means no numeric value is supplied for that field; the row's status explains why. It never means zero.

uptime-garage-door-spring-color-code-ledger.csv (128 rows): DASMA's 49 torsion sizes and 26 extension weights (each plus black), the two winding-cone meanings, and the 45 metric sizes and 4 extension rows found only in the January 2019 version.
spring-color-code-by-color.csv (12 rows): each color and everything it stands for.
spring-color-code-edition-changes-2019-vs-2023.csv (13 rows): the checked features that changed or stayed the same.
spring-color-chart-audit-2026-09.csv (5 rows): the chart-page audit.
spring-color-code-sources.csv (17 rows): the numbered sources.
spring-color-chart-audit-wire-values.csv (117 rows): the exact wire-value checks for the three text tables.
spring-color-code-metric-near-matches.csv (45 rows): the historical near-match calculation, with 25 rows inside the stated cutoff.

The dated search-result snapshot records how the five pages were selected.

Reuse: Uptime's original comparison, counts, audit and chart layouts may be reused with credit to Uptime Dock & Door. Keep the underlying source attribution and terms; this note does not relicense third-party material.

Frequently asked questions

What do the colors on garage door springs mean?

On a torsion spring, DASMA's coil color marks one of 49 wire sizes; a .2187-inch wire is white. On extension springs, it marks one of 26 door weights for the pair; a 100-lb door gets tan. A red or black winding cone is a separate custom that marks wind direction. (Source 1; Source 2)

What is the color chart for garage door extension springs?

DASMA's current chart runs from red (50 lb) to tan (300 lb) in 10-lb steps, with the 10 colors repeating every 100 lb. The weight is for the door, and two springs are required for it. The full list is in Table 4. (Source 1)

Which side does the red spring go on a garage door?

In the conventional center-mounted setup described in the patent, a red winding cone marks a right-wound spring on the left, seen from inside. That custom is recorded in a 1986 patent filing, not in DASMA's color chart. It is not a universal mounting-side rule; a technician confirms the actual door setup. (Source 1)

Are garage door spring colors universal?

DASMA's TDS #171 is the industry's official chart, but DASMA itself calls color partial identification. It asks for measurements, door weight and manufacturer information too, especially on older doors. Its 2019 and 2023 versions also differ, so older springs may follow the older list. (Source 1; Source 2)

What does a green extension spring mean?

In DASMA's current chart, a green pair means a 120 or 220 lb door. DASMA's January 2019 version also listed green for 20 lb. The door's actual weight tells you which. (Source 1; Source 2)

Does purple mean anything on an extension spring?

Not in DASMA's extension table. Its torsion table uses purple for three wire sizes: .1820, .2570 and .5938 inch. Purple isn't on its extension chart. (Source 1)

How do you read the numbers on a garage door torsion spring?

The cited seller lists three numbers: wire size × inside diameter × length, such as ".250 x 2 x 40." That means .250-inch wire, a 2-inch inside diameter and a 40-inch length. The DASMA color stands for only the first number, the wire size. (Source 1)

Is a black garage door spring a DASMA color?

Yes. In DASMA's chart, black paint means the size or weight is "unspecified / not on list." A black winding cone means something else (a left-wound spring, by custom), and some replacement springs are sold with a black coating, so black alone tells you little. (Source 1; Source 2; Source 3)

Does the spring color tell you how long it will last?

No. DASMA's color chart has no cycle-life information. DASMA's spring-life sheet, TDS #190, says spring cycle life may not match door cycle life. (Source 1)

Can I use this chart to replace my own garage door spring?

DASMA's current chart says no. Since May 2023, it states that it is meant for spring manufacturers, should not be used by homeowners or maintenance personnel to replace springs, and that replacement should only be done by a trained door systems technician. (Source 1)

Sources

DASMA, Technical Data Sheet #171: Official Color Codes for Torsion and Extension Springs (dated 5/24/23; Rev. 9/15, Reaff. 5/23) - current version, pages 1-4.. Checked September 29, 2026.
DASMA, Technical Data Sheet #171 (dated 6/28/12; Rev. 9/15, Reaff. 1/19) - earlier version, still online, pages 1-4.. Checked September 29, 2026.
DASMA, Technical Data Sheets index (Commercial & Residential and Rolling Door lists; page modified 2026-07-01).. Checked September 29, 2026.
DASMA, Technical Data Sheet #190: Factors Affecting Spring Cycle Life (3/19/14; Reaff. 4/17; 2/21).. Checked September 29, 2026.
U.S. Patent 4,817,927, Coil torsion spring mounting cones with groove break and method of mounting (filed Aug. 21, 1986; granted Apr. 4, 1989; original assignee Martin Door Manufacturing Inc), original patent text via Google Patents.. Checked September 29, 2026.
Service Spring Corp (SSC), DASMA Color Codes for Garage Door Springs (created Apr. 1, 2021; updated Mar. 27, 2024).. Checked September 29, 2026.
NIST Office of Weights and Measures, SI Units - Length (inch = exactly 25.4 mm since July 1, 1959).. Checked September 29, 2026.
Door + Access Systems, Summer 2022, 'The most-used Technical Data Sheets' (unique page views Jan. 1-May 15, 2022).. Checked September 29, 2026.
DASMA Newslines Industry Tech, Spring 2022, most-used Technical Data Sheets.. Checked September 29, 2026.
DASMA Newslines Industry Tech, Fall 2022, most-used Technical Data Sheets (Jan. 1-Aug. 15, 2022).. Checked September 29, 2026.
IDC Spring, DASMA Color Coding Guide for Garage Door Springs (audited page).. Checked September 29, 2026.
Garage Door Guide, Garage Door Springs Color Code Chart (audited page).. Checked September 29, 2026.
A Better Garage Door, Understanding the Garage Door Spring Color Code (audited page).. Checked September 29, 2026.
Heritage Garage Door, Garage Door Spring Color Code (audited page).. Checked September 29, 2026.
G.A.S Hardware listing on Walmart, title includes 'RED Cone for LEFT SIDE of Garage Door' (seller-label example only).. Checked September 29, 2026.
Amazon listing, KaiMinDogz torsion spring described as '.250 wire size x 2 inside dimension x 40 length', black e-coated (example of seller size notation).. Checked September 29, 2026.
Ahrefs, SERP Overview for 'garage door spring color code', United States. Snapshot observed September 2, 2026 at 10:15:55 UTC; retrieved September 29, 2026. Used only to choose the five audited pages. Sampling record.

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