Anyone DIY sectional overhead doors?

[JonT]

Hi, has anyone here replaced their own sectional overhead door and if so what advice or warnings do you have?
I'm looking at replacing some 20 year old insulated metal ones with new Clopay premium ones from Home Depot. The Clopay website makes it sound like an easy DIY task and the springs used now have a safe winding mechanism.
Is it possible to replace the sections in the existing track/rail system provided they fit OK? It seems like most of the work would be in installing the tracks.
thanks
Jon with rusty old doors

 

[logical]

With the new, safer spring systems affered by Clopay and Wayne Dalton, it is not rocket surgery. It is a 2-man job if the door is anything beyond a small single car. Nothing about it is hard...just a lot of assembly and a litttle tweaking at the end.

 

[nova65ss]

I have been in the OHD business for about 10 years now and I can say for what it would cost to have them installed it is usually well worth the money spent. In regards to the tracks, it is always best to replace them with the door. Depending on the thickness of the old doors, most basic non insulated steel doors are 2" thick. What most companies offer as their "best" doors are usually 1 3/8 thick.

I've noticed alot of guys here have them but I'm not a big fan of W. Dalton or Clopay, they are basically DIY grade doors that you can purchase at some of the big box stores. The hardware/ spring system that comes with them typically lasts about 3-5 years depending on use. Conventional torsion springs will last longer and work better for alot longer, usually 10 years on avg.

If you do tackle it yourself I would be glad to offer any specific help once you get going.

Jimmy

 

[Old Moparz]

I did mine myself & it was the first time I had done work on overhead doors. I have had years of home improvement experience & built my garage, so the door installation didn't scare me off. It wasn't too difficult, but a second pair of hands would have been better. I wanted a set of doors that looked a little nicer than just a regular steel door, so I shopped around quite a bit. By doing that, I learned what you get, & don't get from the dealers/installers. It wasn't the cost as much as wanting a specific style to match the house & siding.

Make sure you ask for, (and get) all of the necessary hardware & accessories that's needed. The items that I knew I needed, & weren't included with the doors, were the weather stripping at the bottom, door jamb seal, or also called door stop with rubber strip, slotted "L-Shaped" angle channel to mount the overhead tracks to the ceiling. One thing I did want which was an extra cost, were "High Lift Tracks" to get the doors closer to the ceiling when they were open.

Other than the high lift tracks, all these things that weren't included had to purchased somewhere else & ran about $175 more. In my case, I had specifically asked for it, had it in writing, & the dealer still screwed it up. It was missing when delivered, it was back ordered, it was unavailable, it was the wrong one when it showed up, etc. They couldn't be bothered correcting their error, even after 6 months of calling, but a small claims complaint finally solved it.

 

[REFLEXX]

gents!

let's talk finances. I found a AMAAR door. Top of the line 8'6" by 10 ft wide,, 2" thick, insulated steel skin in and out, installed with "roof line kit" for $1,400. the roof line kit will make the door follow the pitch of the roof 4:12, instead of being horizontal when open.

I know I can do it myself, but how much extra am I paying for the install?? if it's $200 to $300 for labor it's OK, but if the door costs $700, and I'm paying $700 for labor, it's not OK.

the reason I lean with having it done is for the same reasons Old Moparz states. I've had enough fun building this damn garage!

later,

REFLEXX

 

[Old Moparz]

The price I got was about 7 or 8 years ago, but I didn't shop the installed price so I don't know if it was high or low. The 2 doors were $1850 delivered, & the dealer/installer wanted $250 per door ($500 for both) to install them. I wanted these higher priced wood doors because they matched my design & the steel doors were hideous. The $500 savings wasn't too bad, but wouldn't have killed me. The 2 doors I have are made by a company called Fimbell. They are wood framed inside, insulated, the exterior is some kind of wood product made to look like rough sawn cedar, the fanlights are real wood, the back side is a hardboard like masonite, & they are 8' x 16'. (I don't have openers btw.) The doors are of decent quality, but there are now better looking steel doors available unlike when I needed them.

I would go the steel insulated door route now if I were in the market because of the maintenance. If you look at the photo you can see the dirt streaks & water stains. I need to clean them again & seal them.

 

[nova65ss]

Those are called rough/ Sawn garage doors, the front and back are made of masonite board. They are very durable and do have some insulation value. For 2 9x8 garage doors installed we would charge about 655 per door w/o windows installed. This include tax, complete installation and hauling away of the existing doors. I would call around and compare what you can have them installed for through a dealer vs. what you can buy them for and see if your time is worth the hassle and savings.

 

[NHCharger]

I'm a builder who installs my own garage doors when I have the time. I wouldn't use a Clopay door. I've been using the Wayne Dalton Doors. They have two different types of torsion spring setups. For the larger doors it's an all steel set up with a center torsion spring that pulls on both sides of the door. On their smaller doors (9x7) they use a combination of plastic and steel and the torsion spring only pulls on one side of the door. The plastic and steel set up is junk. I sent it back and had them replace it with the all steel set up with the center torsion spring.
THe garage door is one of the most used pieces of equipment in a house. I would replace the tracks also.

 

[autoist]

Why not use Clopay? I've got 4 single Clopay cedar doors on my garage - been there since 1994 with no problems....

 

[nova65ss]

The Clopay cedar/wood door is totally different than a Clopay metal door. They probably have someone build the cedar door for them and they put their name on it.

Couldn't agree more with NHCharger on the torquemaster spring system it is junk, we take down at least two a week and replace it with a conventional torsion spring system. I would also agree on the Clopay door as well they are thin gauge steel sections, hinges, etc. Same with W. Dalton.

 

[REFLEXX]

I wanted Marvin's (sold by Home Depot) very high quality, but the will only sell it with install!!!

SO I did the American thing.... I took my business elsewhere. The AMMAR (AMARR?) doors look (mechanically) almost as good as the Marvins for about 10% less.

REFLEXX

 

[nova65ss]

We sell Amarr doors, they are about the best you can get.


Reflexx, I think you may be referring to Martin Doors, they are a good quality as well. Both have the latest and are the most innovative. They usually come out with the new products and everyone else follows.

Jimmy

 

[REFLEXX]

Nova,

yep, it's Martin. and thanks for the vote on the Amarrs.

REFLEXX

 

[autoist]

K...oh, I installed my Clopay doors myself....easy to do!

 

[oneitalianice]

Big Box stores offer low end Clopay doors to get the d.i.y. people to buy cheap, while other door dealers will offer the better of the Clopay lines. I have 3 insulated with backs Clopay doors on my garage that have been in operation for 4 years with no problems. I did not install them myself because the center door is 8 x 16 to much to handle for one person. But if given the right price, why chance scratching the door, or throwing out your back.

 

[Ironcrow]

Finally! A website for me! First post:

I am in the middle of owner/builder construction on a compact (600 square feet) but high end garage (2 lifts, compressor, $7000 end grain mesquite floor, etc...). Two roll-up 8 ft by 8 ft section doors. Actually 4 doors as each will have a commercial aluminum frame glass door behind a wood door. All 4 doors are high lift, straight up for the first 4 feet, then back along the ceiling.

So, I was looking at Wayne Dalton for their shaft drive opener. If the quality isn't there, what are the alternatives? The commercial side mounts are big, ugly, and expensive. I don't know if I can say they are too expensive, given the outrageous cost of the rest of my garage, but are they a value?

I was looking at Clopay for the glass commercial doors. Are the Amarr going to be better?

 

[nova65ss]

I would imagine that the commercial steel Clopay doors are of good quality. Most commercial size doors are so large they need heavy duty hardware. 8' x 8's aren't that big but if they are all glass they will be pretty good quality no matter the brand.

I was told by one of my customers W. Dalton was talking people out of the I-drive opener because of all the problems.


A good commercial jack shaft operator is about the best way to go for a high lift apllication. It sounds like they will be getting alot of use so a comm. operator would last alot longer.


http://www.liftmaster.com/cw/product_family/0,4027,uid-imyMZmJjaWZnZA==_2371-id-7,00.html


On a door that size you could probably get by with a Miracle operator, they are very good quality, require no headroom, and work w/ high lift.

http://www.miracleinstrument.com/garage.html

 

[Ironcrow]

Nova, Thanks for the input. That Miracle Instruments operator looks like just the ticket. How does it work? Is there a rubber friction wheel or do you lay a chain in the track or something. From the picture, it looks like as the motor travels with the door, it would unplug itself! I assume they shortened the cord for the photo? And how does it make sure the door goes up straight. Does it rely on the counter balance cables and such to keep the door straight in the opening or is there a motor on each track? Thanks.

 

[nova65ss]

As with any GDO it still uses the spring system to lift the door. The Miracle mounts at the top of the door and there is a friction wheel that drives up the front of the track. For an 8' wide door one motor is sufficient, although he does offer it with two motors one for each side. The cord is self retracting as the door goes up and down, sometimes it has a cord that looks like an old style phone cord that curls up. They aren't cheap though about 5-700 bucks depending on the 1 or 2 motor setup.

Jimmy

 

[Ironcrow]

I think I'll get one and see how I like it. If it works good, I'll get more. I'll post here either way...