How to Install a Garage Door

In this video, This Old House general contractor Tom Silva shows how to assemble and hang a new garage door.

Installing a garage door

1. Attach weather-stripping to the bottom edge of garage door.
2. Screw cable brackets to the door to secure the weather-stripping.
3. Use impact driver to mount hinges to the bottom panel of garage door.
4. Stand the bottom door panel on the floor in the garage doorway.
5. Insert rollers into the brackets attached to the door.
6. Stand track beside door, insert rollers into the track and screw the track to doorway frame.
7. Attach the hinges to the second door panel.
8. Set second panel on top of first panel in the doorway.
9. Drive in hinge screws to join the first (bottom) door panel to the second panel.
10. Insert the hinge and roller into the track and attach to the second door panel.
11. Check to ensure track is parallel to the door, then screw the track to the wall framing.
12. Install the third door panel, in a similar manner.
13. Adjust the track to ensure door fits without rubbing, then tighten lag screws with ratchet wrench.
14. Connect vertical track sections to horizontal sections with curved corner tracks.
15. Set top door panel in place and secure it with hinge screws.
16. Screw on the top hinges and rollers.
17. Hook the garage-door spring onto door-track bracket.
18. Open the door, then tighten locking pliers onto the track to hold the door open.
19. Feed steel cable over the pulleys at the end of the track; secure cable end to bracket.
20. Attach S-hook to bracket, clip hook onto track.
21. Feed safety cable through center of each spring, and attach to the brackets.
22. Open and close the door to test tension.

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