Quick Guide to Wooden Garage Door Maintenance
If you choose to have traditional wooden garage doors, you take on the responsibility of maintenance. Your garage doors will be under a constant barrage of rain and other severe weather. Here are some tips on how to keep wooden garage doors maintained.
Painting
Before painting the wood, make sure the wood is stripped of any existing paint. Use the garage door manufacturer’s preferred method of removing paint. Some chemical paint removers may not work well with your wood, so double check with the manufacturer.
When the paint is stripped, you will want to fill in any indentations or gaps in the wood. This can be accomplished through caulking. Make sure to use a paintable caulk to get a smooth and flush hardboard for your panels.
After this, use a weatherproof paint on the wood door panel. Weatherproofing the doors will help prevent moisture from seeping in.
Staining
Staining the garage door is another option. A weatherproof stain can add vivid colors to the wood while also keeping your door safe from the onslaught of severe weather.
If you want to stain the wood, make sure the stain is stirred thoroughly for an even color. Stain the doors carefully to make sure there is even weatherproofing on the entire door.
Weatherstripping
Weatherstripping is a small piece of moveable material, be it PVC or otherwise, that can block rain, moisture, and other adverse weather conditions from entering the garage. It essentially plugs up any open spaces for a garage without hindering garage door movement.
Weatherstripping is an excellent way to winterize your garage and prevent more damage from happening to your doors. You can measure, cut, and install the strip on the top and sides of the garage door frame. For additional fortification, caulk the edges of the weatherstripping.
Garage door seal
A garage door seal is a piece of vinyl or rubber that goes on the bottom of the garage doors. When the garage doors close, the material seals the gap, preventing moisture, dirt, and more from getting inside.
Weatherstripping is very similar to a garage door seal. However, instead of going over the garage door, the seal goes under. You can also attach the seal directly to the garage door.
For further security, you can attach a seal to the doors and on the seam where the garage stops and the driveway begins. A possible downside to attaching a seal to the bottom of the garage will be getting water out. If water has already gotten into the space, it will not have the ability to flow out into the driveway. The seals will keep water out instead of letting it get in.
Need maintenance on your wooden door?
Contact Austin Garage Door Solutions if your traditional wooden door is in need of repair. We can maintain, replace, and repair any type of garage doors, including commercial, steel, replacement doors, and other residential maintenance and repair work. As long as you live in the greater Austin area, our company can give you the service that you request. Fill out our form so we can get you a free quote fast on the service of your choice.