A well-maintained and reliable garage door is crucial for commercial and residential settings, not only for privacy but also as a layer of protection against extreme weather and theft.
We also require garage doors to resist daily impacts and drastic temperature differences.
That said, it’s almost a no-brainer that garage doors are prone to dents and other defects that can be easily spotted.
There are some easy steps to fix dented garage doors by yourself.
However, keep in mind that garage door cables and springs hold the heavy panels in tension.
If done poorly, you could disengage these components and break the garage door, causing injury and property damage in the process.
We at Pitt Overhead Garage Door Repair are here for you.
We provide installations and repairs for your individual garage doors.
Just call us and we’ll be at your doorsteps right away.
If you feel like you could fix a minor dent, here are the steps you could follow.
Don’t forget to wear protective gear and use adequate tools.
Steps on how to fix your dented Garage door
When fixing the dent on your own, you need this list of materials:
- Rubber Mallet
- Patching material
- Wooden block
- Putty knife
- Fine-grit Sandpaper
- Primer and Paint
After preparing these materials, you need first to analyze and locate all the areas that have dents.
You may not want to put all your materials away after realizing that there are still spots you didn’t fix yet.
After spotting, carefully sanitize the affected area.
Apply a mixture of warm water and mild detergent and wipe it off with a sponge or cloth.
Finally, let it air dry for at least an hour.
Evening the Dented Part
Get your wooden block and place it over the dent.
Using your rubber mallet, lightly hammer it to even the part that is dented.
It won’t be perfect as you thought it would be but it should be able to suffice as first aid for the next processes.
Smoothing
After the evening, the next step would be smoothing the surface.
Using your fine-grit sandpaper, sand the affected area to seemingly smooth the surface and make it match with the other parts of your commercial garage door.
The only difference it would make is that the smoothed surface may look a bit concave in comparison to its surrounding surface.
Filling
The concave look after smoothing the surface is just part of the process.
Prepare your patching material and a putty knife to start the filling process.
Apply the patching material to the dented area using your putty knife to make it even and smooth.
Don’t be frugal when applying the patching material, apply as much as you think it would need because you need to sand it again.
Read the manufacturer’s instructions and check how long it would take to dry.
After it hardens, you can now sand it to make the surface even and smooth.
Follow Up the smoothing by cleaning the area using a wet towel.
Remove some debris and dirt from the sanding process.
Painting
Your final step in fixing your dented garage door is painting it.
Before you start painting, you must need to prime the area for the paint to stick.
Painting it with more than one coat is advisable for it to blend more with the other part of your garage door.
Another alternative is by using spray paint.
In exchange, the coats applied will be more than the former but it will definitely lessen the preparation and process time compared to traditional paint.
Alternative Method in fixing dented parts
The aforementioned steps are arguably time-consuming, but if you have these materials – (compressed air canisters, aluminum foil, and heat source) then this may work just fine.
The compressed air method is much faster as it can fix your dented garage door in under ten minutes.
The first step is to place the aluminum foil over the dented part and heat it evenly for about a minute.
After heating, remove the foil and quickly spray the dent with the compressed air canister for about half a minute.
Lastly, just observe as it pops back up.
Keep in mind that this method isn’t necessarily useful over large or stubborn dented areas.
Here is a video for the steps provided above.
Your Garage Door Matters
Taking care of your garage door is another type of responsibility.
It doesn’t hurt you to check on it from time to time.
If you have the time, carefully inspect the parts of your garage door and make sure it still functions properly.
Having a faulty garage door may hinder your day-to-day activities.
Also, it may bring harm to you and your family if left unchecked.
That is why garage door repair and installation companies are made.
To give service and properly address any of your garage door concerns.
If you live in Pittsburgh and are in dire need of garage door repair or installation, then Pitt Overhead Garage Door Repair is perfect for you.
We have skilled experts that are highly qualified in giving satisfactory services and are ready 24/7 for any calls.
Call us now!
