How to Repair a Steel Garage Door

A steel garage door is durable, looks great, and will last a long time. The only thing that can turn that gleaming steel door into an eyesore is if it gets a dent in it. Suddenly, neighbors go from admiring it to glancing at it uncomfortably every time they visit. So, what does one do without calling someone in to do a steel garage door repair? They can try to fix it themselves and here’s how:

This approach involves using auto-body filler and can be done by most people who have at least a little familiarity with this form of auto repair. 

First, decide how to do garage door repair lancaster pa. It can be done with the door still attached to the track, standing vertically, but the repair can get a little tricky when it’s done this way. The best approach is to take the door down and make the repair while it’s flat.

It’s also best to ensure that one has everything they need to conduct the repair. This means having a drill, paintbrush, work gloves, putty knife, sanding block, and sandpaper at minimum.

The next thing that needs to be done is a little bit of sanding where the dent is. The best tool for this job is a wire wheel, but sandpaper can also be used if this tool isn’t available. When doing the sanding, make sure that it extends a bit beyond the dent, so that the repair can be done correctly.

This is where the filler comes in. Mix the auto body filler, which can be obtained in hardware stores. To create the filler, just put the required amount of resin on plywood and then add the hardener. Mix them together with a putty knife until it’s become a homogenous mixture. 

Once that is done, apply the mixture to the damaged area, and don’t wait to do this; The auto body filler will harden within two minutes! Ensure that the mixture is applied to an area a bit bigger than the actual dent and smooth it out as best as you can, but do this only briefly.

Afterward, wait about a half-an-hour for the filler to completely harden and then take a sanding block and sand it until it’s completely smooth. 100-grit sandpaper is recommended for this type of job.

Now that the dent is completely smooth, prime the area. Once that is done, it’s time to paint! Now, some people want to do a quick, easy job of doing the repairs and just paint over the auto body filler, but doing this is guaranteed to not match the rest of the door’s color. The results will be a dark patch against a lighter background. For the best results, it’s best to repaint the entire garage door.

If the results aren’t what one wants, then it might be best to consult with the professionals at that point. The first and only step, in that case, is to pick up the phone and call a company that can do a steel garage door repair!