Specializing in garage door hardware and repairs for over 30 years…
Guide on How to Install a Garage Door
Looking for a tutorial on how to install a garage door? Truth be told, installing a garage door is usually best when it is left to the experts, however, that is not to say that a homeowner can’t do this themselves. Although it is important to realize that this can be dangerous, especially when it comes to the garage door springs as they are under pressure and can cause serious injuries if not handled properly.
Now that we have the safety talk out of the way, let’s go over what exactly is involved in installing a garage door. There are a series of steps that you must take to complete this job successfully. The first thing you need to do is remove your existing garage door. If you have never done this before, pay close attention as you are disassembling the door, so there won’t be any surprises when you begin putting it back together.
First Step – Removing the Old Garage Door
So, the first thing that you need to do is get the old garage door out of the way. Start by undoing the pulley/spring system. Then begin removing the panels one by one, starting with the top panel first and working your way down. You will need to unscrew the wheels from the panel to remove it completely.
Finally remove the track from the walls. This is usually screwed and/or bolted to the wall. Make sure that you new garage door came with a new track, if not you may need to reuse the existing.
Second Step – Install the New Track
Now that everything is out of the way, you can begin by installing the new track that will guide your garage door as it opens and closes. Most garage doors will come with instructions that include the exact measurements on where to install this new track system. If not, you should be able to place the new track in exactly the same place as the old ones, but try to use new holes for your anchors. Make sure not to tighten the track completely. Just leave it loose so that it can be moved as you are working with it.
Third Step – Installing the New Garage Door Panels
The new garage door panels will be installed in the opposite way that they were removed. So starting with the bottom panel, get it set in place resting on the ground. You can use wood wedges or nails to secure it in place temporarily, then use a level to make sure that the panel is level.
Repeat this process until all of the door panels are in place and have been leveled.
Fourth Step – Attaching the Rollers
Once the panels are in place it is time to attach the rollers. The rollers allow your garage door to glide up and down in the tracks. The easiest way to install these is to simply put the roller into the upper opening of the track and slide them down to where they need to be. Then using the bolts that were supplied with your garage door, attach them firmly.
Fifth Step – Securing the Track
Now that all of your rollers in place its time to secure the track. Tighten down the bolts and test the garage door to make sure that it moves freely.
Video on How to Install a Garage Door
The following video tutorial gives you a good overview of how to install a garage door. It has been sped up to shorten the length of the video, however you will still get a much better idea of what is involved and how to get started with your first garage door installation. As always, we are happy to answer any questions that you may have, just send us an email through our contact page.
If you have been shopping for a new garage door chances are that you have found the prices for garage doors to be all over the board. It’s important to understand that there are a lot of factors that determine the average price of a garage door.
Some of those factors may include the size of the garage door that you need, the type of garage door that you are looking for and whether or not you are looking for a standard garage door or a custom garage door. However, with all of that being said there are some average prices that will give you a better idea of what you can expect to spend when replacing your existing garage door or installing a new one.
Prices for Garage Doors
In general, garage doors can range in price anywhere from $500 to $7500 and even more, depending on the type of garage door that you get. The size of the door you are buying plays an important role in the price of the door. Most garage door manufacturers display their prices for the standard eight foot by seven foot garage door. Larger door sizes generally increase by around ten to twenty percent, depending on how much larger the door is.
For your basic steel garage doors that come on most homes, you will be looking around $500 to $1100 for a standard size door. Vinyl garage doors will last you a bit longer, but they also cost more as well. A standard size vinyl door will usually start around $1100 and can go up to $1500.
Custom wood garage doors and Carriage doors are the most expensive of the bunch. These types of garage doors often start around $2000 and can cost as much as $7000 or more. This depends on the level of detail in the door as well as the type of wood used.
The Overhead Door Company is a garage door manufacturing company that has been around for over ninety years. With the start of the first open lifting garage door in 1921 the company has gone on to become one of the biggest company's on the northeast coast. In 1926 they went onto making the first electric garage door which revolutionized the garage door industry.
If you are looking for a residential garage door you have a few different choices that you can look at such as the energy saving cost efficient 490 series or if you would like to go with a more carriage style garage door then you might want to look at the ranch house collection made up of different custom woods. Then there is the standard raised panel garage door which is another one of their energy saving doors.
The commercial doors that they have to choose from are the thermacore which is the premier insulated door, making it ideal for storing cold or hot items depending on what you intend on insulating. The Overhead Door Company also offers an array of insulated and non-insulated sectional steel doors. If you are looking for a door that will give you lighting to your commercial establishment you might consider one of their aluminum doors with windows.
The last door that you can choose from is the high speed with the opening speed of five feet per second good for high traffic jobs.
The Overhead Door Company deals with residential garage doors as well as commercial garage doors. This company is well known for their three year steel metal garage door warranty. With the Overhead Door Company you can feel reassured that if anything should happen to your garage door in the three years of your warranty you will be covered depending, of course, on what the damage is caused by since each warranties vary on their policy. As a part of their customer satisfaction they guarantee your satisfaction or you get your money back.
You can contact the Overhead Door Company online through their website, or over the phone so that you can be on your way to getting your free quote. There are over 80 garage door professionals waiting to assist you with your garage door needs.
Finding a Quality and Affordable Garage Door Installer in Your Area
There is a lot to be said about a good garage door installer but quality contractors can be hard to find. If you are looking for someone to install your garage door or replace an existing garage door, we have some tips that might help you find the right company for the job.
Before following any of the tips below, it is important to know exactly what you want done. Contractors hate to play guessing games and giving price quotes and coming out to look at the job, costs them money. So it is best to know exactly what you want before getting started.
To save your garage door installer time and money, make sure that you know what type of garage door you want, what size garage door you need and when you need it installed by. These three things will help to expedite the process while keeping your contractor happy!
Tips for Finding an Affordable and Reliable Garage Door Installer
Below are some tips for finding both an affordable, as well as reliable garage door installer. Please feel free to print this page so that you can check off the tips below as you go, to avoid forgetting anything along the way.
Tip #1: Contact several garage door installers in your area for price quotes (also called job bids). This will allow you to get a range of prices and the prices will be more competitive if they know that other companies are bidding on the job.
Tip #2: Ask the company for references. Almost every garage door installer or contractor will have a list of references that they are happy to provide you with. Contact these references and inquire about their experience with the company.
Tip #3: Ask how long it will take them to complete the job. This is a simple question that can save a lot of headaches, but most homeowners often overlook asking. If a company gives you a specific date of completion, hold them to that and make sure that the job is done on time.
Tip #4: Make sure that the installer has all of the proper certification and licensing. Not all states require licensing, however, most company will have a contractor licensing or at the very least a business license to make them legal. Dealing with an unlicensed contractor is a quick way to get yourself in trouble should anything go wrong during the installation.
As garage doors begin to wear out one of the first things that goes, are the springs. However, what a lot of homeowners don’t realize is that they can buy a set of replacement garage door springs and and save themselves a lot of money. That’s right! You won’t need to pay a fortune or have a contractor add their markup to the cost. Although, you should understand that not everyone should attempt to replace their own garage door springs, it can be very dangerous. However, near the bottom of this article we will provide a video that shows you how to do it yourself.
Before we get to how to replace your garage door springs, let’s quickly go over how and where to find replacement garage door springs. Not all garage door springs are alike, which means that before you buy replacement springs you need to know what type of springs you are replacing.
In general, there are two different types of garage door springs those being tension and extension. If you are not sure what kind you have don’t worry. One of the easiest ways to find out what type of garage door springs you need is to look-up your garage door online. Most likely you will come across the manufacturer’s website and they should have information on the types of springs that are needed for replacement. Additionally, many of the replacement garage door springs that are sold online will tell you which brands and/or models that they work with.
Once you have determined which replacement springs you need and have them ordered, its time to get to work on replacing them. I want to stress that this is an easy fix, but you need to be extra careful when replacing any item that is under tension. There is always a possibility that the spring could injure you, so take some time to make sure that you do everything right the first time.
GARAGE DOOR SPRING WITH SPRING CONTAINMENT SAFETY CABLE
Includes 1 spring, 1 - 8'8"safety cable, 1 cable clamp
For 2 car wood doors
28" x 285 lb.
Orange
Carded
PRIME-LINE" GARAGE DOOR SPRING WITH SPRINGCONTAINMENT SAFETY CABLE
Includes 1 spring, 1 - 88" safety cable, 1 cable clamp
For Taylor & 2 car metal doors
29" x 110 lb.
Blue
Carded
How to Install Your Replacement Garage Door Springs
Before getting started, make sure that you have someone to help you, you are wearing eye protection, gloves and that there are no children in the garage while you are working. Once all of that has been verified, you can begin by following the instructions in the video below:
Everyone knows that wood garage doors, sometimes referred to as carriage doors, can be pretty expensive. So, we wanted to give you a quick idea of the current wooden garage doors prices as well as some information to help you choose your next wooden garage door.
The first thing to point out before buying a wooden garage door, would be the quality of the door. There are a lot of garage door manufacturers out there and their products range in quality from very high to poor, so its important to understand what exactly you are getting before you spend your hard earned money.
While not all of us can afford to head out and buy a top of the line garage door, you also don’t want to buy a cheaply made door. Why? Mainly because most cheap wooden garage doors are going to start falling apart within the first year. You will notice them starting to crack and splinter, after which they will lose their appeal and need to be replaced. Costing you more money than it would have to just buy a good garage door to begin with. So keep that in mind while you are shopping.
Now let’s get on with the prices of these wooden garage doors.
Wooden Garage Doors – Prices and More
Depending on the manufacturer and quality of the garage door that you are looking at, their prices will vary. From our experience in dealing with manufacturers and distributors of garage doors, we have found that in general, wooden garage doors prices range from $2500 up to the $7500 range.
Why so expensive? Most wood garage doors are custom made to the buyers specifications. However, even when purchasing the less expensive, non-custom garage doors you are going to be in the $2000 to $2500 range. Those prices also do not include installation. You will be looking at a few hundred dollars in installation costs, depending on the door and company you use to install it.
Unfortunately, wooden garage doors aren’t cheap. If you want to consider a type of garage door other than wood, you could be looking at a much lower price tag. For instance, a cheap steel/aluminum garage door could run your around $500 while a better vinyl garage door may cost you around $1000 to $1500. Ultimately the choice is yours and you have to make a decision on a door that will not only look great, but also add value to your home.
Wood garage doors are a great way to add beauty, style and elegance to any home. They come in a number of styles and colors to fit every design and budget.
Most manufacturers offer a variety of designs to choose from and may even allow you to design your own with the use of custom design software. Whether you are working with a new installation or replacing an existing door, you will be happy with your decision to purchase a wood garage door.
Why to Choose Wood Over Aluminum
Choosing the right garage door for your home can be a tough decision. There are a lot of garage door manufacturers out there producing great lines of quality doors. However, the choice between metal and wood can be an easy one.
Over time, aluminum and steel doors will become damaged and deteriorate in the weather. Chances are that you have seen it happen in the past. Once your aluminum door starts to show signs of wear, it requires the replacing of expensive panels, or in some case, the entire door.
As we all know, wood can suffer the same fate. Rain, sun and cold can all effect the condition of a wood garage door. Rather than replacing individual pieces or the door itself, a wood door can be sanded and refinished to bring back the same great look that the door had when it was new.
The refinishing process will save you a considerable amount of money over aluminum panel replacement and keep your garage door looking great for years and years.
How Wood Garage Doors are Made
The design and process depends on the manufacturer. Originally, and still today, some garage doors are constructed of solid wood panels that provide a durable structure that will last for many years to come.
However, most garage doors these days are constucted of individual layers, often including a foam insulation, frame, sheeting and the attractive outer paneling often done in cedar.
Both styles have their limitations. Solid wood doors will generally outlast the other, but also tend to cost more and do not provide the added benefit of insulating your garage. While layered doors are light, easy to use and insulated to keep out the cold.
If you have any question about purchasing wood garage doors or garage door hardware, please feel free to contact us.
Are you in the market for a new threshold for your garage door, or maybe you would like to replace your existing one? Let us help you determine what you need and what to shop for.
Depending on the age and type of garage door that you currently have, you may either have a garage door threshold or a garage door seal, two different items serving the same function.
While both products perform their job well, the difference will become apparent when it comes time for replacement. Both of these products will wear out over the years and begin to show signs of wear and tear.
Garage Door Threshold or Garage Door Seal?
There are obvious differences between a threshold and a seal, use the information below to determine which type you have.
Garage Door Threshold - Take a look at any exterior door on your house and chances are that you will see a threshold. The threshold is the metal or wood piece that runs across the bottom of the door jam. This piece raises up the ground level, stopping water from flowing under the door.
Some garages will have a threshold in place. Years of driving over them and bad weather can cause them to become warped, damaged and deteriorated. Once the metal bends or warps, it will begin to allow dirt and water in to your garage.
Garage Door Seal - Rather than being attached to the ground, much like a threshold, a garage door seal is the rubber piece attached to the underside og your garage door. When the door comes down to the closed position, it pushes down on that rubber forms a seal underneath the garage door.
Weather is often the contributing factor in damaged garage door seals. Over time they become cracked and brittle causing them to lose their seal.
How to Tell if Your Threshold Needs Replacement
An often tell-tale sign of a bad threshold is seepage. If you find water and debris making its way under your garage door, its probably time for a new threshold or seal. Try inspecting the threshold for any warpage or visible damage.
Sometimes, repair may be as simple as tightening a screw. The vibration of driving your car over the threshold can cause the screws to become loose over time. Check all of the screw locations to make sure that each one is tight and in place.
Replacing Your Garage Door Threshold
There are two main factors to consider when replacing your threshold. Width and thickness. Replacement thresholds come in a variety of different thicknesses, four, five and six inch being quite common.
The width of course relates to the width of your garage door. Thresholds are often sold in stock widths and will need to be cut down to fit your unique garage door.
New thresholds can be found online at a number of garage door harware retailers. In addition, you can sometimes find the rubber thresholds at your local autoparts store.
Imagine adding additional living or entertaining space to your home, without spending a fortune on remodeling and renovations! Guess what, garage door screens allow you to do just that.
While garage door screens are becoming more popular in the U.S. market, they certainly aren't a new idea. In fact, people have been using custom screen installations to close in their garage for years. The demand for these screens has started to increase as our amount of usable, livable space has continued to decrease.
Where to Purchase this Product
Garage door screens are available from a variety of online retailers and we have seen a some of them being sold through online auctions as well. You may wish to check out our manufacturers directory to get started.
If you are buying from an online auction, or any online retailer, be sure to view their return policy and make sure that your garage measurements are correct before placing an order.
What are Garage Door Screens?
Quite simply, garage door screens are just screens. They allow you the ability to close off your garage to unwanted pests and debris, while maintaining the open air atmosphere that you enjoy.
Granted, these screens are becoming increasingly more complex, with the market making way for motorized and automatic screen installations, although there are still many manufacturers churning out manual screens for consumers. The majority of manual type garage door screens are very easy to install and remove, most only taking around ten minutes.
Whether you are using a motorized garage door screen, or just the traditional put it on and take it off type, you've probably already realized the true value in these products.
How to Install a Garage Door Screen
Unfortunately, it is near impossible for us to tell everyone how to install their garage door screen. There are now a number of garage door hardware resellers and manufacturers marketing these screens. Some of the more complicated screen styles may require professional installation, while most manual styles are designed for installation by the homeowner.
If you are having trouble locating the maker of your particular screen, you may consider visiting our list of garage door manufacturers, or contact us and we will be happy to help anyway that we can.
Welcome and thank you for visiting our list of garage door manufacturers today. Whether you are looking for a custom garage door, or specialty garage door hardware, you will find a resource below.
There are a number of reasons that you may be searching for a garage door manufacturer or a manufacturer of garage door parts. Our staff has compiled the directory below to help all of our site visitors locate any of the major garage door manufacturers throughout the U.S.
So, whether you're trying to save money by going direct to the manufacturer or you need a manufacturer specific part, you will find all of the popular garage door manufacturers listed below.
List of Garage Door Manufacturers
(Manufacturers are listed in alphabetical order for convenience.)
1st United Door Technologies - Tempe, Arizona based garage door manufacturer. Specializing in both residential and commercial doors in steel and wood. 866-366-7636
Amarr Garage Doors - Amarr is one of the world’s leading designers, manufacturers and distributors of door access systems for residential garages, warehouses, commercial buildings, shopping malls and other commercial applications. 1-800-503-DOOR
BP Glass Garage Doors - Manufacturer of glass garage doors and glass garage door panels. 626-442-1716
Carriage House Door Company - Carriage House Door Company combines old-world design with state-of-the-art technology to replicate beautiful, period-style doors that compliment both new construction and tasteful retrofit. 866-890-1776
CHI Overhead Doors - C.H.I. Overhead Doors is a prominent manufacturer of residential sectional garage doors, as well as commercial sectional and rolling steel.
Clopay Building Products - Nationwide manufacturer of residential and commercial garage doors. 1-800-225-6729
Door Sales Inc. - Collection of hand built custom wood garage doors designed to add value and style to your home. 714-565-1010
Door Systems Inc. - Comprehensive line of residential garage door products available in New England. 1-800-545-DOOR
Garaga - Manufacturer of quality residential, industrial and commercial garage and overhead doors. 1-800-GO-GARAGA
Holmes Garage Door Company - Manufacturer of residential garage doors, commercial garage doors and roll-up doors. 1-800-557-0488
Jeld Wen Windows and Doors - Jeld-Wen is a comprehensive source for reliable wood, vinyl and aluminum windows and patio doors; wood and molded wood fiber interior doors; wood, steel, fiberglass exterior doors; and garage doors. 800-JELD-WEN
Martin Garage Doors - For seven decades, Martin Door Manufacturing has manufactured the best quality and longest lasting garage doors for homes & businesses from around the globe. 1-800-388-9310
Northwest Door - Overhead garage door manufacturer specializing in Wood garage doors, steel garage doors and aluminum garage doors. 800-522-2264
Overhead Door Corporation - Leading single source manufacturer of integrated door and operator systems for commercial, industrial and residential applications. 1-800-929-DOOR
Portes Alain Bourassa - Manufactures and installs only the finest quality front and garage doors on the market.
Roll Up Doors Direct - Manufacturer of rolling steel doors from self-storage roll up doors to heavy duty commercial steel roll up doors. 1-877-RLDOORS
Wayne Dalton - Manufacturer of garage doors and garage door openers.
Windsor Republic Doors - Windsor Door manufactures a complete line of residential garage doors, commercial upward acting doors, counter shutters and grilles. 501-562-1872
Garage Door Parts and Supplies
Genie Company - Manufacturer of remote-controlled garage door opening systems for multiple distribution channels. 800-354-3643
LiftMaster - Manufacturer of residential and commercial garage door openers.
As we all know, wood can suffer the same fate. Rain, sun and cold can all effect the condition of a wood garage door. Rather than replacing individual pieces or the door itself, a wood door can be sanded and refinished to bring back the same great look that the door had when it was new.
Quite simply, garage door screens are just screens. They allow you the ability to close off your garage to unwanted pests and debris, while maintaining the open air atmosphere that you enjoy.