Has anyone ever tackled this themselves? I'm pretty good with building things and I'm doing the entire garage myself, but I'm worried about putting up the doors. I'm using 9x7 insulated doors and I'd like to do them myself to save money. Any tips other than "hire a professional"? I don't mind if it takes all day to get it right, I just want to know if someone that hasn't done it before can accomplish it. Thanks Bob
Bob, not hard to do at all. just make sure you get the first section of the door (bottom section) level. you then stack the other sections on top of thast one, hold in place temporarily with 16d nails on the ends. then assemble and install the tracks. tighten everything after you get them all up. lastly install the pullies cables and spring. they come with pretty good instructions. and most of the new doors with torsion springs come with an automatic winder for the spring which takes away the danger of putting the tension on it. if your sharp enough to build the rest of the garage, istalling the doors will be a piee of cake.
Not a big deal at all! :Smarty: Read the instructions and a helper to handle the door sections would be nice. Take it step by step and it really is a piece of cake since you already have the necessary tools. :TU:
I put mine up myself also. The hardest part for me was squaring everything up........my garage was built in 1928, so everything was crooked. You have new construction, so it should be easy. Most important thing is getting the tracks to be perfectly parallel so it puts less wear on the door hardware. The instructions that should come with the door explain everything, just be careful with that spring. :bglasses:
Sounds like I should be able to handle it based on what you all are saying. Thanks for the input! Bob
I have been in the garage door business for 30+ years. If you buy a Wayne-Dalton garage door. it is the safest counter balance system available....torquemaster. You wind it with a drill motor. If you buy a torsion spring door, make sure you use the proper set of bars to wind the door spring(s). The springs are under a LOT of tension and can do serious damage if you happen to slip when winding or make some other mistake..seen it happen to experienced installers. The good news is if you are right handed, it seems to only take fingers off the left hand. ou: Good Luck
the door I just put up had that auto winder on the torsion spring, worked really slick. and no worry about getting hit in the chin with one of the bars.
Garage doors Just like the other guys. Instructions were good and I did it by myself. I was installing a 9'X 7' door. the manufacturer was Clopay. The instructions specified having a helper but I didn't have one. I remember putting one single use fastener on at the wrong time and having to cut it off with a DREMEL tool. Otherwise no problems. Torsion springs I do not mess with.
Do the torsion springs last longer than the springs on average. How bad of a mess is it when one lets go. I hate having my windshields so close to the springs and the new doors 8' X 10' will have the torsion setup. I do have the safety cable run through the springs but haven't had to test one yet and don't want to.
Torsion springs are safer once installed. They can't fly across the garage. Extension springs become a missle when they break...the "safety cables" will help slow the spring down a little. Had one break one time when I was adjusting a track and it hit me in the back, knocked me to my knees. I would recommend using torsion springs, find a service man, buy him a six pack on the side and have him wind your springs and set the cable drums. Good Luck
