4 Steps to Replacing Garage Door Panels

Your garage door panels may have been dented or damaged through misuse or they might just look old and tired after many years of wear and tear. Whatever the reason for unsightly garage door panels, you will want to replace them with a more suitable alternative. Always make sure you buy the right garage door panels. Check the make and the model of the existing door because even if a garage door panel looks similar, it may not fit correctly if the wrong type is selected.

Order the Panels

Once you’ve established who made your garage door, you can order your garage door panels. In the case of older garages, you might have to contact the manufacturer directly. Otherwise, you should be able to order the correct number of garage doors panels through a local company that sells garage doors.

Remove the Panels

The first thing you have to do is make sure your automatic garage door opener is unplugged if you have one fitted. When this is done, open the garage door manually and remove the springs. If you don’t, there’s a good chance the door could spring open while you’re working on it which could damage the new panels and cause injury.

Garage panels are usually joined to each other and will also have rollers on the side that run into the track that allows the garage door to move up and down freely. Unless your door panel is at the top, you’re going to have to remove the panels one by one until you reach the garage door panel you need to replace.

To do this, you need to separate the top panel from the one beneath it. It might be screwed on or you might need to undo bolts with a ratchet and socket. When the panel has been loosened, lift it up until it comes off the end of the track and set it aside. Do the same for the panel below it and keep going until you’ve removed the garage door panel that needs to be replaced.

Replace the Panel

To put in the new panel, slide the rollers into the track and lower the panel down slowly until it’s touching the panel below it. This panel will still be in place on the garage door. Attach the new panel to the one below it, using either screws or a bolt, depending on the existing fastening on the door.

Reattach the other panels in the order you removed them until the whole garage door is back in place. Check that all the fastenings are tight. Put the springs back, making sure they’re both secure in the holes and tightly fitted. Plug the garage door opener back in. Test the garage door by operating the opener to check that the panels slide up and down smoothly.

Finish

Your new garage door panel probably won’t be the same color as the other panels. You can finish the job properly by repainting the entire garage door so all the panels match and look fresh.