Installing a New Garage Door

Be honest – how handy are you? Not just hanging picture handy – really handy? Is your significant other planning copyright infringement against the show Tool Time? If you’re not on the ball – I mean really on the ball – consider hiring a professional garage door installer to do the job for you. Remember, those smiling faces on the television won’t be there to clean up, fix your mistakes or take you to the hospital.

And I’m really not really kidding on the hospital part. The garage door is the largest moving thing in the average house – and you plan to attach an exposed chain drive to the thing. So, be honest. Are you really up to this project?

You are? You’re going to take the plunge? Okay, the first thing you’re going to need to do is to measure the garage door. Keep these numbers in mind when you go buy the opener. Find one that has all the bells and whistles that you want. Once you get the monster home, do yourself a favor – read the instructions. But don’t just read them – check and see if you have all the parts. Be serious about this step – it will save you a lot of grief later on.

Is everything there? Good! Next, you’ll need to attach weather stripping to the bottom of the first panel. Put the panel in the door and put it in place by driving nails some of the way into each jamb. Do this at an angle. This will wedge the door in place. Put the hinges on the top edge of the door. Depending on the door you purchased, they may already be attached.

Now, follow the instructions to assemble the opener. Install the rollers and any brackets on the door section and on the wall- or jamb-brackets. Be sure to do this according to the manufacturer's directions – no improvisation here. On one side of the door, slip the track on the rollers of the first section and then repeat on the other side.

Next, it’s time to install the rollers into the second section. It’s best to have some help with this one. Lift the section, put it in place and slip its rollers into the vertical tracks. Fasten the first section to the second. Repeat this to install the third section and be sure that everything is level.

Once this is completed, attach the jamb brackets onto the tracks. Be careful not to make it too tight, as you’ll have to adjust them later. Install the curved and horizontal tracks along the roof, making sure that the alignment is true.

Finally, cut the rear track hanger to the necessary length. Attach the track hanger to a solid framing and loosely mount the track to the hanger. Repeat this process with the track on the other side. Put up the last door section, remove the temporary nails and tighten everything down. Install the driver as per the manufacturer directions and test the door. You may have to make some alignment adjustments, but go ahead and pat yourself on the back – for the most part, you’re done installing your new garage door.