Everyday we use our garage when going to work, shopping, for various reasons. Garage doors need periodic maintenance to operate properly based on daily wear & tear. Because of daily usage, garage door panels might need to be touched up or repaired.
The garage door contains lots of moving parts & any damaged parts might need to be replaced or repaired. In the case of dented panels or broken parts, you can repair them yourself at home or replace them. With proper safety measurements, you can fix dented garage door panels following a few straightforward steps which we will describe here.
In this article, we will describe the damaged garage door panel repair methods with 10 examples. After reading this article, you will have a clear understanding of how to fix garage door panels, replacing minor broken parts, removing dents & refurbishing panels if possible. Let’s find out more!
Damaged Garage Door Panels Repair (with 10 examples) | Methods
How to Fix a Garage Door Panel (Example -1)
Fixing a garage door panel is a little critical & technical process. That’s why we suggest, for those who have the right knowledge about fixing garage doors & specialized equipment, those who only attempt to fix a garage door panel. Some modern cutting-edge featureful equipment for fixing garage door panels requires specialized knowledge too.
Here’s a procedure to fix a dented garage door panel –
- On the distending side of the dent, place a square wood. To straighten out the dent, tap the square with an elastic hammer.
- With a bit of 120-coarse sandpaper, sand the indented range to unpleasant up the surface.
- With hardener on a little bit of scrap cardboard, blend a fitting measured bit of auto body filler.
- Utilizing a plastic putty knife apply the filler to the indented range on the completed side of the garage door.
- To smooth the repair further, sand the repair with 120-coarseness sandpaper.
- For metal applications, paint the repair with a groundwork.
- Complete the painting to repair the dents on the garage door & leave the garage door open.
Necessary Items – Paint, A block of wood, Rubber mallet, 120 & 80 grit sandpaper, Cardboard, plastic putty knife, Auto body filler.
Garage Door Panels Repair Or Replaced (Example -2)
A sectional garage door (roll-up) is made of a minimum of three hinged panels. There are several reasons one of the panels might get damaged, for example – hit by a car back, heavy windy weather, or aging. You can go for replacing it or repairing it. But at first, before taking a decision, consider taking a look at these factors –
- Age of the Door
A typical garage door usually lasts for 20 – 25 years. Your garage door, for example – aged only 10 years, then we suggest going with repairing the damaged door panel. Sometimes painting might fix the dents & try to find a single panel for replacing the damaged door.
- Reason for the Damage
Normal wear & tear produces small scratches, rusts, cracks, wraps, minor cosmetic blemishes on the door. Other reasons are – struck by a car, hit by a hurricane or earthquakes, etc. A possible solution is – repair the garage door panel with a strut, wood filler, or paint.
- Safety measurements
Garage doors are made of steel & some are wooden. For that reason, if your garage door is damaged somehow, don’t open & close your garage continuously until you repair the door. Safety comes first because a minor garage door repair process might be seriously life-threatening. Repair or replace the damaged panel as soon as possible because it might lead to home robbery.
Cost to Replace or Repair Door Panel
Replacing the damaged door panel takes quite a fortune. Usually, it ranges from $250 to $700 for a basic panel price (installation charge excluded). Before thinking about replacing the panel, we suggest checking your remaining warranty period, if minor damage, try to fix it at home.
*important – your garage door replacement service might be governed by local building code, check first.
Wood vs. Aluminum Garage Door Panel Repair (example -3)
Wood is a traditional choice for garage door panels for decades. Aluminum is a newer material in making garage door panels. Because of lightweight, durable & long-lasting, aluminum is taking the place of the traditional wooden door panel. There are both advantages & downfalls of those two materials door panels available.
Usually, wood garage door panels are heavily built. When a wooden garage door panel gets damaged, repairing them is quite the hurdle. If it’s some scratches or dents, go for painting the damaged portion in the panel.
Aluminum garage door panel repairing is a little easier than wooden ones but there are disadvantages too. These door panels are vulnerable to deformation or dents. For repairing damaged aluminum door panels, we have to use the auto body repair industry’s technique for removing scratches, dents, or other damages.
Garage Door Bottom Panel Replacement (Example -4)
The garage door bottom panel is the most sensitive to damage. Debris, wildlife & pests can easily damage the bottom panel. Another reason is when the garage floods, the bottom panels tend to absorb the most water. We suggest replacing the bottom panel if needed as soon as possible.
Replacing the garage door bottom panel is not a hard task. With some DIY skills, you can change the bottom panel yourself. Here’s the procedure –
Necessary Items – vise grips, impact wrench, two hoists, measuring tape.
Procedure –
- Preparation
First, measure the garage door, not only height but also depth & width too. check if the old panel measurement matches the new panel’s measurement or not.
Now, from the door detach the opener. To the top of the garage door track, attach the hoist & attach the other end to the second from the bottom.
- Bottom Section removal
Use something sturdy or a 2×4 to hold up the damaged garage door bottom panel you will be removing. Using your impact wrench remove the hinge bolts which attaches the bottom panel to the middle panel. Move toward the middle hinge from the outside part. Remove all bolts using vise grip & detach the bottom panel completely & set it aside.
New Bottom Door Panel installation
Now, put the new bottom door panel under the remaining door. Using a vise grip attach both sides to the tracks & set up the new bottom door parallel to the floor. Next is, inserting flange nuts on the bolts & securing the cable onto the bottom racket. Mount the cable on the bottom rocket & approach it from each side. Use the hoists to put down the garage door to secure the track on the bottom part.
Congratulations! You replaced the garage door bottom panel successfully.
Repairing for a Quick Fix (example -5)
It’s better to fix the issues with the garage door as soon as you notice so that the problem doesn’t continue to worsen. Some garage door parts such as damaged door springs need a quick fix (replacing). Door springs need to replace both at the same time even if a single spring malfunction. This keeps the springs working more time & lasts longer even if one does break over time.
Replacing the Old with the New (Example -6)
Replacing the entire garage door panel with a new one is beneficial for security & cosmetic reasons. If your garage door seems to have multiple issues like rusting, not working properly, having dents or damaged anywhere, it’s best to replace it with a new one. Maintenance is the key factor of using the garage door without any headache for a long time.
Our suggestion is the periodical inspection of the Garage door panel is necessary for safety & able to use purposes. Don’t compromise with the garage door panel if it’s deemed to replace a new door panel.
Garage Door Panel Repair Cost (example -7)
A garage door is a primary entrance to the home, that’s why it’s necessary to check if the garage door panel is working properly or not. If your garage door panel starts malfunctioning, we suggest repairing it as soon as possible.
A garage door panel repair might cost you raged from $200- $700 based on the model. In the U.S. a garage door panel repair takes about $147 – $341 according to a 2019 report. The average cost of repairing it takes about $223. That repair cost includes fixing locks, cables, sensors, door closing & opening problems, tracks & springs.
Some repair companies might charge more for repairs if you don’t have a good idea about garage door panels. Our suggestion is, take quotes from different companies & compare yourself. They also charge for extra hours too.
Refurbishing the Panels (example -8)
Garage door plane replacement is quite easy & inexpensive too. There are a good amount of options available for fixing damaged garage door panels. Older models might need to replace the panels with the newer ones. If your door panel is a newer model then manufacturers might offer replacement panels for your door. Bent panels problem might need to be fixed quickly because it might start buckling the door, also it might damage other door components too. You got both options of fixing the broken pieces and replacing the damaged panel with refurbished ones.
What If The Door Won’t Close? (example -9)
Sometimes the garage door stops closing or becomes harder to close properly. It depends on the bend location of the door panel. If this happens, it poses a security threat to the garage.
Don’t panic in these situations, manually shut down the garage door if possible. Just don’t use force to shut down or open the garage door. Call for garage door repair professionals to ensure the safety of the house.
*important – in case of emergency, you might need to call anytime but they usually charge extra for an ‘out of hours’.
Some Other Easy Garage Door Fixes (example -10)
Fix the Garage Door Springs
Garage door springs are required for opening & closing the door. After using it a certain amount of times, it might start wearing out. When the garage door spring stops functioning properly, you can change them yourself. Use precaution when doing yourself.
- Cracks and Gaps around the Door
Cracks & Gaps are common when using a wooden garage door. When you notice gaps in the door, fill them with sealant. In the case of bigger cracks or gaps, use garage door thresholds & trims to seal up those gaps.
- The door keeps opening
In case the garage door keeps opening even after locking the door, something might be blocking the door. Check the eye sensors to ensure they are not dirty or view blocked.
- The opener isn’t working
Sometimes the opener might stop working or sometimes not working. In any case, check the batteries of the remote first. If needed, change the battery. Also, check the motor isn’t disconnected from the power or unplugged. Lastly, check sensors to ensure that it’s not blocked from receiving signals.
Conclusions
Damaged garage door panel repairing has been made easy with these methods described here. We hope that with these tips you can repair your damaged door panels easily & affordably.
Don’t compromise with repairing your garage door panels because who knows what might lead to accidents. Try to fix those problems with our tips here & contact professionals in case of emergency. Good luck with your Repairing!
