School me on door replacement

[Jonny006]

I have tried the search and even googled my query with the Journal but to no avail so if this has been covered please direct me appropriately.
I am in the process of renovating my garage. Added a ceiling and sheetrock as well as insulation and electrical. But my windows and doors are 40+yrs old and while they work, they do little or nothing to keep weather and bugs/critters out.
The doors(2) are I think like 9x7? Whatever they are it's standard I know that. The openers are newer and the tracks are in good shape. I was thinking of having a company come to install new ones, but it looks to be @2k+/- That is a lot of money right now. I mean, it's a lot of money any time really. I know it's worth it, but again, it's not really in the budget.
I was at HD and see that they sell replacements, Clopay? It looks like it's a matter of taking down the old wooden ones and assembling the new sections to install. So, has anyone done this before with success? Failure? Frustration? Is it ok to use the existing tracks/hardware if it's in good shape? Or is this a band aid approach that will fail and rear it's ugly head at the most inopportune time which always seems to be the way for me.
The doors are working now and look fine from the outside so it's not critical that I replace them with any urgency. Would I be better off waiting until I can afford to replace the whole shebang?

 

[MoToys]

I assume you mean 8x7 (that would be your standard single car door.). Two things I would say. If you are doing the work yourself and saving the labor spend a little more on good doors. Cloplay isn't the best stuff and their line that is stocked at home depot is surely bottom of their offerings. Second, if you are going from old wood doors to metal I wouldn't even consider reusing old track. Replace the track, it's doesn't take much longer and you will have less issues to deal with.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

Take down the old and put up the new. Reusing tracks is fine you may want new rollers.
Getting the springs right is probably the trickiest part.
As far as "standard" size you may be right but no way to know for sure without measuring.

If money is tight and the doors you have are in good shape why not just add seals?

 

[Chevy-SS]

I put my first garage door in about 30 years ago. I had ZERO experience. It was pretty darn easy, as these type of things go. There are typically numerous adjustment points so all you really need to do is get things assembled properly and then make all your fine adjustments at the end.

Gotta be careful when messing with the springs (not sure which style you have), so use caution there.

 

[Jonny006]

I need to measure but it's at the other end of the house and I really don't wanna leave the woodstove heated room
So no go on the colplay? what are better options?
I can see the need to replace tracks I guess. They are as old as the doors and kinda flimsy. I imagine the new doors would be heavier maybe?
I am not adverse to doing the install myself to save some money. I am mechanically inclined to a degree. I mean, I'm on the forum here so collectively we all have an above level of tinkering ability I believe.
As for seals, I did install all new ones last year, but it's not the greatest in my opinion. I think the doors are so old and worn as is the hardware that seals are only helping marginally.
Any place I should look locally for doors? I'm in Ct.

 

[dfiler2]

9x7's are standard two car garage doors around here, I have done a few replacements where I used the existing track and torsion spring with good results. Replace all hinges, rollers and cables if possible.

 

[OctoMan]

Good thread. My wooden door is rotted and broken to the point where I can't open it. Replacement is next on the list.

 

[upndown]

Save yourself the aggravation, time and money, buy complete new doors! Kinda like buying a new car and putting old tires on it.

My door suppliers charge per ft for replacement sections. Most wood doors are 1 3/8" thick, metal doors are not. Now your looking at different track brackets etc, not something you have just laying around.

I would also recommend staying away from Torque Master and extension springs, you'll be happier in the long run!

I agree 2K seems a little high for 2 9x7 doors, depending on what he was quoting you.

As far as DIY only you can determine what your time is worth. I've had homeowners spend a weekend hanging an opener then having to call me to rehang and adjust. Good luck!

 

[bimmer1980]

I would recommend getting a quote from a garage door company, rather than Home Depot or Lowes.

In my experience, the big box stores were no cheaper. They may also skimp on the hardware and what is included.

I purchased my doors from two different door companies, but I did the install myself.

Over all, it is not difficult. Certain parts are time consuming when you are doing it the first time....

I bought a CHI door from a local company here in York. I was very impressed with the quality. I had to go with a Clopay Gallery door on the other opening due to it being a unique size. The CHI door is a much higher quality door. These were both insulated doors.

For me, the hardest part was actually nailing up the weather stripping. The top was a pain. It was cold, so that didn't help.... Actually setting the door in place and putting on the side tracks was the easiest part. The other time consuming part is making the back hangers and getting them set. Again, not difficult, just tedious to cut out all the parts and get them located properly on the ceiling.

Tensioning the torsion springs was a little daunting the first time, but the second door was a lot easier. Really not as hard as they make it out to be.....

It does help if you have a door already installed so you can see how it was done before you start....

 

[captain14]

Look at you tube videos on garage door installs. Another member here installed one last summer and he said he bought a door from a local manufacturer and did his initial training from the you tube videos.

 

[No Noise Dude]

About three years ago, I had garage door company come in and quote me on removing and replacing my 1972 era Masonite overhead garage door (double-wide). For a hair over $1,000.00, quote included removal of existing door and replace with a Clopay insulated door complete with new track, rollers and torsion springs.

 

[sselander]

Check the gauge of the track as well. Some of the tracks at the big box stores are pretty flimsy. If you go DIY, you can order some decent stuff off the Internet.

 

[rburke65]

My Clopay doors from a garage door company was less expensive than from Home Depot just 4 blocks away. I was told..."whom do you think supplies HD with their Clopay doors"? HDepot is just a middle man. I have been happy with my Clopay doors.

 

[Jonny006]

Thanks for the replies. I think I will get a few estimates and gauge from there.
I checked out my tracks today and they are flimsy as well. Prob best to replace.
I keep searching Craigslist too. I've seen a few door sets that ppl were selling that had all the hardware. None were in my size though.

 

[volleyball]

Use the tracks that come with the doors. You will have them anyways. Why not use them? $2k for a pair of doors installed is about right. I assume it is a decent door. If it is close to the street spend extra. If it is in back less bang for your buck.
If this is a shop and you just want to seal them for winter. You can do that with some lumber, screws and plastic if you don't have to open them.

 

[Jonny006]

These doors are our main point of ingress and egress. The right side is opened and closed at minimum 4 times a day. That being said I guess it's important to have good functioning doors. They're not rotted out which is good and with some tlc I think I can get a few years out of them. I just hate the fact that they are not insulated and the rest of the garage will be. Seems silly I suppose. Maybe I will look into putting some R value boards on them to assist in that respect until I can afford new ones.

 

[Nakashige]

Call Proformance overhead door in ct. They did my 16 by 10 for $2000 with a opener and track replacement

 

[volleyball]

Do you not have a people door in the garage? Maybe change your egress door to the front door. If you are opening the garage that much you are wasting your time and money insulating it.

 

[Jonny006]

I have three other points of entry. My wife refuses to use any other because with three kids, two of which must be carried, she says it's too difficult. I agree to a point, but she still opens the damn garage to go out solo. I can't win. Never will. Those who are married will understand.

Do you not have a people door in the garage? Maybe change your egress door to the front door. If you are opening the garage that much you are wasting your time and money insulating it.

 

[volleyball]

So you've answered your own question. Do nothing.

 

[jimindm]

If you have any knowledge at all you should be able to handle this job.

I have bought and hung the HD doors in my new construction garage. Also in my mothers garage. She had the twenty year old Masonite doors that had sucked up so much moisture, and were coming delaminated, that in the end she could not raise them. They were so heavy.

I have bought all three doors in the last five years, and they are the torsion spring type. The spring is kind of its own piece that you install on the rod that runs over the door. The adjusting is all done with a socket, on a bolt type winder. and the instructions were spot on as to how many times to turn it.

If you have an any kind insulated shop, the overhead door will be the worst insulated part of the shop. Insulated usually just means Styrofoam fitted. I suppose that some doors are better than others, but with that there comes a cost to it.

I would suggest replacing the track and everything on your new doors. It all comes in the kit why not use it.

One suggestion I would make when it comes to insulated doors. All of mine have a hard plastic lining on the inside. It is not much, but it is way better that seeing the styrofoam, and it wears much better also.

 

[Jonny006]

I have been giving some thought to the comment about having a "people" door in the garage. I had thought about adding an outside door near the rear of the garage for access from the back yard and going in and out rather than always opening the big door.
My garage is attached and sits on a block foundation. There is a two step cement pad leading up to the entry door with about an 8" step up into the house from there. I was just outside measuring and what not and in order for me to put in a side door I think I would have to actually cut into the foundation. If I just cut out a RO into the side of the garage the top of the door would be like 9' off the floor! There is about two cinder blocks from the garage floor up to the bottom plate of the walls.
So has anyone dealt with this before? What can I do? Can I break out the blocks and frame in a RO from there? Is that structurally ok?
It would just not work if I went with just cutting out the wooden part of the wall. It would be a step up from outside and like two steps down into the garage only to turn 16" and take two more steps up. Seems a bit silly.

 

[volleyball]

Yes you can. I had a mason remove a lot more than that on mine decades ago. Everything is still fine.

 

[Kevin54]

9x7's are standard two car garage doors around here, I have done a few replacements where I used the existing track and torsion spring with good results. Replace all hinges, rollers and cables if possible.

Where do you live? Unless I'm missing something, a 9x7 is a singe car door, and you may have (2) 9x7's in a double car garage. But if you have a two car garage with a single door, a 16x7 is standard.

If you have (1) 9x7 for a two car garage, that has to be a real ***** kitty to maneuver cars in and out.

 

[Jonny006]

I have two 9x7 doors.
Garage is 22x22.
I will contact a masonry friend. It ***** that I will be finishing off the wall that I will eventually be ripping open, but it's really not that bad I suppose. It's definitely gonna be a spring or summer project. Got another 8" of snow today. This fu**ing winter needs to end!

Where do you live? Unless I'm missing something, a 9x7 is a singe car door, and you may have (2) 9x7's in a double car garage. But if you have a two car garage with a single door, a 16x7 is standard.

If you have (1) 9x7 for a two car garage, that has to be a real ***** kitty to maneuver cars in and out.