Is your garage door starting to show its age? Tired of hearing creaks as your garage door opens? Have mildew and dirt building? Or maybe your paint is beginning to flake off? Well, have no worries. We are going to showcase some simple DIY projects that will have your garage door as good as new!
Lubricating Moving Parts
If your garage door is creaking, the most likely culprits are dry moving parts and a dirty rail track. Start by cleaning your rail track. This can be easily done by running a damp rag up and down the grooves of the rail. Once you have removed all of the gunk, you can begin lubricating all moving parts on your garage door. These include:
- Rollers
- Hinges
- Springs
Only a light amount of lubricant is needed. Silicone-based grease works best for garage doors. Standard WD-40 should be avoided as it can cause damage to your parts. Finally, do not lubricate your rail tracks since it can cause excess dirt to build up on your tracks leading to more frequent cleanings.
Cleaning
Maybe your garage door is opening and closing with no issue, but it is covered in mildew, mold, and dirt. Thankfully, cleaning a garage door is a simple process. Starting with the least aggressive chemicals, dish soap or car wash soap mixed with warm water is generally the best place to start. Using a sponge to lightly scrub in the solution and then rinsing your door with a garden hose generally removes most dirt and mold. This is recommended for garage doors made of fiberglass, aluminum, steel, and even wood.
However, if you struggling to remove some pesty mold or mildew, some stronger solutions may be needed. Distilled white vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, and diluted bleach are excellent options for removing these pesty containments. However, these solutions should be handled with care and tested in small unnoticeable locations before cleaning the entire door. Depending on the material, these solutions could cause discoloration or damage.
After determining that the solution will not damage your door follow these steps:
- Spray warm water on the affected area
- Spray the solution on the water
- Let the solution sit for a few minutes
- Scrub the solution with a bristle brush
- Rinse with water
- Repeat as needed
If you have moved through these steps, but still haven’t managed to remove the dirt or mold, reach out to us today and we will safely clean your garage door.
Painting a Garage Door
After cleaning your garage door, you may discover that your paint or finish is damaged or beginning to chip. At this point, it may be time to paint your garage door. Garage doors are a centerpiece of your home, and as such, this is not a place to cut corners. Only the best paint should be used for this project, and they should be specifically designed for garage door application.
Generally, you will want to follow the following steps to paint your garage door:
- Clean your door (see the “Cleaning” section above)
- Scrape off old paint or rust
- Tape off the windows and corners of your garage door
- Prime your garage door
- Paint the trim of the door
- Paint the trim of the panels
- Roll brush remaining flat surfaces
- Raise the garage door halfway up to prevent tacking to weather strips
- Use a utility knife to cut any remaining paint between panel seams or weatherstrips
Note: The weather should also be taken into consideration when painting your door. High heat and direct sunlight can result in the paint drying quicker than expected. Paint drying quickly can result in more wet lines appearing in your final finish, which will require more coats of paint.
Finally, if you’ve never painted before, it is recommended to gather experience painting different objects or walls before tackling a garage door. While it appears simple while watching someone else paint, there are a lot of small details that require experience to execute correctly.
Give Us a Call Today
After following these easy DIY projects, you should have a garage door that looks as good as new! However, if you’ve found any serious issues such as rust penetrating through a panel, a worn spring, or a bending rail, then give us a call today!
