How to Replace a Garage Door

A lot of Americans enter and exit their homes through the garage, not the front door every day. That means garages and secure, attractive and fully-functional garage doors are extremely important.

Do you want to replace your garage door?

Whether you invite a couple of strong friends over to help with the project and DIY it, or you hire a company to do it, the basic steps are the same.

In this quick guide, we’ll explain the garage door replacement process.

Removing and Replacing a Garage Door

The process of garage door replacement is not as complicated as it might at first seem if you’re a DIY enthusiast but it does take a lot of heavy lifting and some engineering knowledge. The first step if you want to replace your garage door, is to remove the old door.

As this can be dangerous, it’s important to have a few people working together to keep the process safe. Garage doors are heavy and cause injuries if they accidentally fall on someone. As well as removing the door for the garage you should also remove its tracks and other fittings.

Clear and clean the entire garage doorway before beginning installation of your new garage door. This post explains why you shouldn’t use your old garage door track.

But, to summarize, a buttery smooth operation and safe installation is effortless when the track and door match and practically impossible when they don’t.

Imagine trying to install a drawer in a desk that is a different design to the one the drawer originally came from? Drawers have tracks too and if they don’t line up correctly, the non-native drawer wouldn’t sit correctly in the different desk.

It’s a similar issue on a much larger scale when you try to reuse an old garage door track. For maximum performance, durability and safety use the track designed for your specific garage door.

Purchasing a New Door

Before you buy a new garage door take some measurements. All your measurements should be precise and include the structure of the door frame, not just the trim. Ensure there’s enough headroom for the new door to safely operate.

Installation Guidelines

Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for installing the new door. Every door is different but some of them need to be installed while open and others need to be installed closed. Check your door manufacturer’s documentation to ensure you’re following their advice.

Take care because garage doors can weigh 150lbs or more.

It’s also important to level the new door. That means you should ensure that the bottom section of the new garage door meets the concrete floor flush and level. If the floor is uneven, you may need to cut and trim the door so that it perfectly meets the floor.

Weather Stripping

The bottom panel of a garage door should ideally be protected with weather stripping using galvanized roofing nails to keep it in good condition all year round. Depending on the aesthetic you want to achieve, you may also want to paint the garage door and use caulking or vinyl trims.

The Best Guide To Garage Door Installation

The best place to find a thorough step-by-step guide to garage door installation is the documentation supplied with your specific garage door.

Don’t cut costs by reusing old parts of your previous door, because this can lead to uneven and dangerous results.

If in doubt, there are a lot of businesses that can install new doors on your behalf.

Read more about garage doors and explore our other articles!

We’re sure you’ll get the results you want from your new garage door installation.

Read Also: How to Design the Perfect Garage