Garage Door Replacement Panels

Chances are that if you are reading this post you have at least one damaged garage door panel. Garage door replacement panels may be needed if part of the door is dented, bent or faded. In order to find replacement garage door sections you will need to record a few characteristics of your overhead door. Never rely on the garage door company you purchased the door from to provide records of purchases.  Here a series of things you will need to write down before trying to purchase replacement garage door panels.

Measure Panel Sizes

Garage door replacement sections aren’t created the same. The width of overhead door panels is an obvious measurement to take notice of. Measure the width of your door panels from end style to end style. Never measure the garage door opening when the end goal is panel replacement – unless your garage door sections didn’t properly fit the opening to begin with. Most replacement panel widths are whole numbers, but some door may not be standard sizes. Be precise with your measurements to the nearest inch.  Next, measure the height of your garage door section. Panels come in heights of 18″ , 21″ and 24″ measurements. Again, never eyeball or estimate the size of your replacement garage door panels – that could be  a costly mistake. Lastly, you will need to measure the thickness of your garage door panel. The most common door thicknesses are 2″ and 1 3/8″,  but vary by model and manufacturer.

Brands Of Panels

Many different garage door manufacturers exist in the overhead door industry. While this may be a good thing for the consumer in terms of competition for your business, it makes finding replacement panels tricky. When attempting to find replacement door sections always locate the manufacturers sticker. This tag or sticker is almost always located on either end style where the rollers and track meet up. Most stickers display manufacturer, model, size, color and serial number. In the event you cannot find a sticker, try to find a logo somewhere on your door or try to contact the business where you purchased the door. Here are a few of the major brands of garage doors:

In case you can’t find garage door manufacturer information on your door and you don’t know where it was purchased at you have a few final options. Use our garage door directory to find your local overhead door professional. There is a good chance that your local door dealer sold your the door or can identify the manufacturer. Contact your local door professional via email and attach a few pictures of the door you have. Make sure you take a picture of showing the end style and joint of the door section.

Special Style Placement Measurements

Your last option in finding garage door replacement panels is ordering a different brand. Although your replacement section may not match the remaining panels it should be functional. In order to accomplish this you will need to take style measurements. Starting on the left side of the door run your tape measure the full width of the section. Measure to the center of each metal style (where the hinges drill into) including the end style. Record all measurements and be precise. Listed below is a summary of the different characteristics of garage door panels.

• Width – Measure the panel from one end of the door to the other.
• Height – Measure how tall the panel is. (18″ , 21″ or 24″)
• Thickness – 1 3/8″ or 2″ thicknesses are most common.
• Color – White, Sandstone (Clay) , Almond, Brown, Desert Tan, Evergreen, Gray
• Model – Find a door model if possible. Non insulated, vinyl back insulated or double sided steel? Raised panel, carriage house or overlay?
• Brand – Locate the manufacturers sticker or tag on the door.
• Type of Joints – Tongue and groove or shiplap (stairstep shape).
• Intermediate or Bottom – Bottom panels usually have bottom seal while intermediate sections don’t.

Replacing garage door panels can be costly. Most garage door companies charge at least one hour labor rate plus the cost of the panels being replaced. If you have to replace more  than one door section it may be better to look into replacing the entire door from a financial standpoint. The most common sections that need replacement are the top and bottom sections. Top panels have the most stress on them due to your garage door opener forces. Bottom sections tend to get damaged since they are low to the ground. Vehicles and objects like lawnmowers, snow blowers and rocks tend to cause the most damage  to bottom panels. Never attempt to replace the bottom section on a garage door yourself unless you have door experience. The bottom fixtures on the door are under extreme tension from the torsion springs balancing out the door weight.