Advice on Garage Doors - and since when was it a DIY job??

[Dan Mages]

SWMBO has decided that the garage door is the next major project for the house. We feel that it will help cut some energy costs if we go with an insulated door. For kicks, I checked the rates at the local borgs and the orange one wanted to know if this is a DIY job or if I need installation. Since when is a garage door a DIY job? I would NEVER try to get a spring balanced correctly.

Anyhow. Any advice on what to look for in a garage door? Any brands better than others?

Thanks,

Dan

[Jon Grider]

Well,you've ruled out diy, but I have to say,with the directions that came with my new door and opener, it wasn't an easy installation, but it was not as daunting as you may expect.

[Frank Guerin]

Personally I dislike manual labor but I really dislike giving my hard earned money to someone else for a job I can do myself reguardless of the pain it causes me. More money for tools that I want. Three garage door openers with new doors and two new doors without openers. I'm about as lazy as they come but it ain't rocket science.

[Chris Padilla]

Go with steel, insulated, steel (I have Clopay). And get an Wayne Dalton I-Drive garage door opener if you have the header space above the spring.

I just paid some outfit to put in the new door and GDO for me. Boy were they fast and good. Worth every penny.

[Dustin Cranford]

I had a MidAmerica door put in and it has a cheap insert insulation. The door is great, but he insulation is not bad, but good be alot better. It is a normal 2 car garage door. I think 32x8 or so and it cost me 745 installed with new rollers, springs and cables. I figured I couldn't do it myself for that. The adjust everything and even fixed somethings that didn't work on my old opener.

I do know that you can get an uninsulated door cheaper and go to Lowes or HD and buy the insulation, cut it and install it yourself. Probably knocks off 100.00 bucks.

[Ben Rafael]

I have put in a couple GDOs, it's not hard to do. I've never installed a garage door though.

[Pete Simmons]

Chris:

What did a installed door cost?

Was it a 2 car door? About 16 x 7 foot.

Around here (East Central Florida) a simple steel 2 car door runs $900 - $1200.

Of course you can go much higher with insulated doors and more.

Any one know where to buy just a door are a reasonable price? Don't say the borgs as around here their price is higher than the installed prices mentioned above.

[Chris Padilla]

Pete,

That was many years ago but I recall paying around 1200 for everything but I could be off. Yes, it was for a 2-car garage door.

[Ed Hazel]

I installed an insulated Wayne Dalton door in my shop this past fall Is is actually pretty easy to do the springs are all enclosed and you use a ratchet to wind the springs up.
I have installed several of the older type that you have to wind the springs with a piece of steel rod so I have a good idea how to put up a garage door.
From start to finish it only took me around 2.5 hours no opener.
You can easily install one in a Saturday afternoon and spend the $250 installation costs on a new tool or two.

[Dan Friedrichs]

Balancing the spring on a new garage door isn't difficult at all - generally there's an allen wrench fitting on it, and they supply you with a cut off allen wrench, so it chuck it in your drill, wind up the spring (using the drill), and give it a try. If it balances where you want it, good - if not, use the drill to tighten or loosen.

If the opening is already framed, installing a new door and opener should be easy to do in under 4 hours. Not difficult at all...

[Gene O. Carpenter]

Dan, You drive down and pick me up, feed me lunch, dinner and drive me back and I'll install the door and hang the GDO. You have to do the ladder climbing though! :)
The hardest part of hanging that GDO is locating the anchoring hole through the door header. It has to be properly aligned and spotted.:confused:
If you have a 3/8" or 1/2" drill, a set of drill bits, a set of Spin Tites or a socket set, a level, couple screwdrivers common & Phillips, Tape measure, hacksaw, a pot of coffee and a chair to sit while you read the manual.:cool:
Set the bottom panel in so it's level and build up,panel by panel, You'll install the hinges as you go. Install the tracks, wheel axels etc, install cables and springs , raise and lower it a few times to make necessary adjustments, call LOYL out and have her lift the door, adjust the spring tension to where she can do it without busting a strap..:eek::)..In case the power ever goes out and you have to pull the Emergency Handle and lift the door by hand..:mad:
If your anchor points for the springs are the same then you can measure the exposed adj bolt threads to even the tension in both sides.
Then install the GDO ..
Gene

PS; I'm a heavy eater!:)

[Dave Lehnert]

I had a non-insulated steel two car garage door installed by a well known company here in town for around $600. That was about 6 or 8 years ago. I was surprised that it did not cost more. I would get a bid if you have not all ready.

[Brian Norton]

I put an insulated garage door in myself about 6 years ago. I had a friend help me for lifting purposes. It was one of those you set the spring with a drill (safe I guess). It worked great for 2 years then BOOM! Needed to call a pro and he replaced the Do It Yourselfer Spring. That was the price of the original installation. So leave that one to the pros. I would get a reputable garage door company. There is nothing like a professionally installed "QUITE" opening door.

[Brian Kent]

5 years ago my 2-car insulated door was 600-700 installed (with no opener).

Check out the thread I just started about repairing it. I will head their advice.

http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?p=1025845#poststop

Brian

[Dan Mages]

Dan, You drive down and pick me up, feed me lunch, dinner and drive me back and I'll install the door and hang the GDO. You have to do the ladder climbing though! :)
The hardest part of hanging that GDO is locating the anchoring hole through the door header. It has to be properly aligned and spotted.:confused:
If you have a 3/8" or 1/2" drill, a set of drill bits, a set of Spin Tites or a socket set, a level, couple screwdrivers common & Phillips, Tape measure, hacksaw, a pot of coffee and a chair to sit while you read the manual.:cool:
Set the bottom panel in so it's level and build up,panel by panel, You'll install the hinges as you go. Install the tracks, wheel axels etc, install cables and springs , raise and lower it a few times to make necessary adjustments, call LOYL out and have her lift the door, adjust the spring tension to where she can do it without busting a strap..:eek::)..In case the power ever goes out and you have to pull the Emergency Handle and lift the door by hand..:mad:
If your anchor points for the springs are the same then you can measure the exposed adj bolt threads to even the tension in both sides.
Then install the GDO ..
Gene

PS; I'm a heavy eater!:)

Thanks for the offer Gene... but I think this one may be a professional job due to its 16 ft wide opening, potential danger with springs, and SWMBO worrying that I might hurt myself.

Wayne Dalton looks like a good option. Unfortunately, the nearest dealer is 30 miles away.

FYI, the Borgs were giving me quotes of 1700 for the 16x7ft door with windows and R10 insulation. I will call local stores as well.

Dan

[Lee Schierer]

I installed all three of my garage doors and even built one myself out of wood (8' H x 16' W door). It wasn't the easiest job I've ever done, but it wasn't all that hard either. I also installed the two openers that I have. My doors have extension spring supports not the torsion spring types. I would not attempt to do a torsion spring installation without some training or assistance from a knowledgable person. However, hanging the tracks, door panels and openers is not rocket science and certainly within the capability of most mechanically inclined individuals that can read the instructions.

[Art Mulder]

If it is a torsion spring overhead door, then IMHO, it is not a DIY job for almost everyone. I wouldn't touch it. I value my life and limbs too much.

I also visit the canadianwoodworking.org forum, and one of the regulars there is a Garage Door repair/installer guy and he has told enough stories about even pros messing up with those coiled springs.

Now the opener is another matter. I've installed 3 of them over the years, and while I wouldn't call it fun, it is certainly doable for most any handyperson.

...art

[Jerry Olexa]

Get an installer pro to install your door. Those springs are dangerous....

[Jude Tuliszewski]

I guess I will have to be the opposing opinion. I completely installed my 16 x 7 garage door. It was not anywhere close to dangerous winding up the torsion springs. I looked on line for install info and the instructions that came with the GD were good :). It is a Clopay insulated (steel insulation steel) wind rated for where I am (W-4) and fancy windows in the top section (a $300 add on but to me worth it) and came in at $1345 seven years ago. I took two days to do it. The first day was to take all the old stuff down, including the header jam and the 2 x 6’s on the sides that the track mounted to ( I replaces the side plates with 2 x 8’s that were longer, long enough to get anchors into the top of the block wall for better wind loads). Then get the new door sections up, as you put up the door section before you install the tracks, rollers, and the rest of the hardware. Just as OP said, get the bottom section level and even from L to R and the rest stack on from there. The new stronger sections were light enough for my wife to help stack them (maybe 60-70 lbs a section), 4 of them. They are held in place from the inside of the garage by nails bent over until you get the tracks up. I thought the instructions were crazy :eek: until I went to the outside and pushed on the sections, the sections stayed in place with pretty good pressure on them. The second day to do the rest. As far as the torsion springs, a piece of 36 “ long, ½ “ thick round stock cut in half was the perfect size to twist up the springs. Was there tension on the springs? Yes, but it was easily manageable. One thing I did was to put ½ “ galvy. pipe inside the 16+ foot long main tube as I thought it was a little thin for my liking. I wanted to make sure I could crank down real good on the set screws that held the springs twisted up. Not a lick of trouble getting it installed :cool: , I just took my time and checked then re-checked before moving on to the next step.
I must say that it does come down to what each individual is comfortable with tackling, but if you are more than just a little mechanicly inclined, it can be a DIY project.