If you have a metal garage door, there’s a good chance that some rust has accrued over the years.  The first step in this situation is to clean the whole door with hot water and dish soap. Once it dries, you can apply a generous amount of vinegar onto the door, paying special attention to areas of rust. Using a steel wool pad or tough scouring sponge, scrub away the rust and old paint.

You can repeat this process a few times if needed. If the rust is particularly bad, you may need to use a scraping tool or electric sander.

After cleaning, check your garage door for dents. This is a great time to remove garage door dents.

Once your door is thoroughly clean and dry, apply your primer and coat of paint. It’s generally recommended to apply a second coat of paint to garage doors as well.

After your outside panel is taken care of, it’s time to check out the interior garage door parts.

Fixing Up Old Garage Door Parts

Visually inspect your garage door tracks, rollers, hinges, cables, and springs. If you see any signs of rust, clean it up with a solvent and apply a small amount of white lithium grease or silicone lubricant afterward. If you see any damaged parts like fraying cables, call a garage door repair company for help in replacing them. Fortunately, most parts are inexpensive and replacing them will help your door last longer.

Test Your Garage Door

Once you’ve finished restoring the exterior panel and tuning up the parts, there’s only one step left – testing your door.

Using your garage door opener, try operating the door a few times. It should open and close smoothly. If not, the door may be off balance. This will require an adjustment by a trained technician.

Lastly, remember, that while this restoration can help prolong the life of a garage door, it’s not a replacement for buying a brand new one. If your garage door is severely battered or just too old, you should consider outright replacement instead. Old doors may pose a safety hazard and simply aren’t worth the extra effort.