How to Fix a Dented Garage Door: 6 Easy Steps

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Few things are as disheartening as seeing a dent in your shiny new garage door. It not only sticks out like a sore thumb but also distracts from the rest of your home’s appearance. Worse yet, some dents involve cosmetic blemishes and damage to your garage door frame or mechanism that can affect its function and security.

Fortunately, several options exist for a dented garage door, depending on the dent’s severity. Minor dents may be a DIY fix, but you may need professional dented garage door repair for bigger ones.

“Your garage door can dent for a number of reasons. A bicycle bumping into the door or a basketball bouncing in the wrong direction can create small dents you may be able to repair yourself, but a car backing into the door can cause a dent and damage to the entire panel, frame, or mechanism.”

DIY Garage Door Repair

When dents are minor, you can straighten the door to look like it never had a dent. Here are some options:

Pound It Out

Minor dents in steel garage doors may be pounded out with a rubber mallet. You will need paint, primer, a rubber mallet, patching material, a putty knife, a wooden block, and sandpaper with fine grit.

1. Clean the dent with warm water and household laundry detergent. After washing, let it dry completely.
2. Put the wooden block directly on the dent. Hit the block with a rubber mallet to smooth it out.
3. Use sandpaper to smooth the surface of the garage door.
4. Place a patching material over the dent using a putty knife. Cover the entire dent and leave it to dry.
5. Once dry, apply the primer and let it dry.
6. Paint the garage door.

Heating the Dent

This method will work for some minor dents in aluminum doors. You will need aluminum foil, a heat source like a heat gun, and compressed air.

1. Begin by washing the dent. Use warm water and household detergent, then let it dry.
2. Lay the aluminum strip over the dent. Make sure it covers the entire dented area.
3. Heat the aluminum foil with the heat gun evenly.
4. After a minute of heating, take the foil off. 
5. Use compressed air and spray it on the area covered in foil for 30 seconds.
6. See if the dent is smoothed out. 

Either of these repair methods are fast and easy to perform independently with just a few supplies. You may need more extensive repairs if you have a wooden garage door or more stubborn dents.

When You Need a Professional Garage Door Contractor in Austin

Your garage door can dent for a number of reasons. A bicycle bumping into the door or a basketball bouncing in the wrong direction can create small dents you may be able to repair yourself, but a car backing into the door can cause a dent and damage to the entire panel, frame, or mechanism.

You should seek professional help if:

• Your garage door has a large dent you can’t pound out.
• Your garage door is wood and has splintered or gouged.
• Your garage door is metal and has large dents or bends.
• Your door won’t close or open properly.
• Your door has a damaged track.

You can also consider the location of the dent:

• If the dent is in the middle of the panel, it’s cosmetic.
• If the dent is toward the edges of the panel, it could be structural.

Dents in garage doors can be repaired, but it depends on the dent’s size and the door’s material. Small dents in steel or aluminum doors can be repaired with the right tools and materials. However, large dents may require replacing the door completely.

Sometimes, you can replace just a single panel rather than multiple panels or the entire door. Your garage door contractor can help you determine the best action for your garage door dent and repair cost.

Contact a Professional Garage Door Contractor to Fix a Dent

There are plenty of options for your dented garage door depending on the size of the dent, the material of your garage door, and whether the damage is cosmetic or structural. If you’re unsure how to proceed, it’s best to let the professionals remove the dent.

Whether you need dented garage door repair, panel or garage door replacement, or other services, Austin’s Greater Garage Doors can help. We offer garage door installation and replacement in Austin and Pflugerville areas. Contact us today for large or small dent repair to restore the beauty of your garage doors.