Garage Door Resheeting Options?

[Kent55]

Hello All!
I'm looking to clean up the look of my garage doors but not wanting to replace them. These are Wood insulated doors. I'm happy with the Color and Style too. They are older but look modern to me. The very bottom edge has a little bit of rot.
I'm planning to remove the locks and accents.
Door Size: 8 wide by 7 high.
I'm thinking I can lay 1/4" plywood and attach with carriage bolts? How to seal the tops of each panel so water doesn't get behind it and how to have the seams between each panel as small as possible?
Another thought is to use Aluminum Trim Coil in the same color but not sure how to cut it. Would I need to rent a Siding Brake? And can I bend the aluminum around the top of each panel a few millimeters?

Do you have any thoughts or recommendations for another covering?
Thanks for reading!!

 

[jstroede]

From your picture, those appear to be old masonite panel doors. The best way to do what you want would be to remove sections and all hardware and lay them out on the ground and cover them in the material of your choice. Material can be attached with adhesive, screws, brad nails, etc. and then caulked as needed (with good tight gapping this should not be a big issue). The existing carriage bolts should stay in place as they should be there for hardware attachment as much as door construction. Adding material to the front, you will need to account for additional door thickness with the track, as well as the additional door weight.

I have covered MANY steel doors in tongue and groove cedar in this same method, and wood should be even easier. Plus being small doors, structure shouldn't be a big deal.

John

 

[kbs2244]

J's procedure is the best idea

1/4 plywood would be my choice for fit and strength

use a water proof construction glue and a bunch of "C" clamps with a backer board to get a tight seam