The garage door installation is suitable for a weekend do it yourself project. With the necessary tools and advanced DIY skills, the installation process should last between 8 to 12 hours, depending on the type of door installed and the condition of the garage door frame. First-time handymen should ask for professional advice and/or work along an experienced installer in order better understand how to install a new garage door. For experienced craftsmen, here are the step-by-step installation instructions for a basic garage door. Two or more people are required for a safe garage door installation.
Remove old door
The existent garage door must be carefully removed, so that the frame does not get damaged. Start by releasing the tension in the torsion or extension springs. This is the most dangerous part of the project, so extra attention and skills are necessary. Once the springs are detached, unscrew the tracks and remove the garage door panels, one by one, starting from the top to prevent them from falling and cause injuries.
Measure and prepare the new garage door
To prevent breaks or deformations during transportation, new garage doors come with handles and hinges separately. Measure the exact places where they should be installed and secure them accordingly. Then measure the frame and mark the areas where the hardware should be positioned. In order to be fully functional, the garage door needs 10” to 12” for headroom, while for the backroom, add at least 18” to the door height. The exact dimensions of the door can be found on the garage door installation instructions that came with the door.
Position the bottom piece
The bottom piece is installed first. A level is needed to make sure the panel is perfectly straight. Immediately after, the track needs to be put in position. For maximum precision, it is important for the track to be left loose and aligned at the end.
Install the panels
The remaining panels should be installed one by one, securing each panel on the door jamb before moving to the other. Increased attention needs to be given to glass panels which are more fragile and prone to accidents.
Fix the rollers in place
The rollers are placed in a support, attached to the tracks, therefore in order to put the roller in place, one must first secure the vertical track. Once the vertical tracks are well fastened, secure the rollers.
Fasten the tracks and put the springs in position
The last operations are fastening the curved and the horizontal parts of the track and attach the springs. It is essential to follow the original measures, so that the garage door opens properly, at 90 degrees. Spring installation is complex, but can be done with extra safety measures. If none of the persons helping with the garage door installation knows how to install torsion spring on garage door, it is advisable to ask for specialized help.
The do-it-yourself garage door installation is a good means of saving money, yet it should only be performed by persons who have previous experience in complex DIY projects. The level is medium to hard, depending on the type of door which needs to be installed, so proper equipment and knowledge are required.