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How to Maintain Your Wooden Garage Door

Modern wood garage doors are beautiful, but they do require some maintenance. Without proper care, a wooden garage door can deteriorate. Repairing or refinishing a garage door that has been neglected is often much more difficult than just keeping up with maintenance. If you’re a homeowner with a garage door made of wood, these maintenance tips can help.

Clean

To keep your door looking its best, clean it quarterly. It is best to use a tack cloth to clean the surface of the door. However, on a well-sealed door, you can also clean the wood with a damp cloth. Do not clean a door with water if the seal is wearing away because the wood will absorb the water causing it to swell.

Inspect

Inspect the door once annually to look for cracks, discolorations and areas where the seal or finish has become worn. A door that has not been properly maintained can begin to rot. When this happens, the wood will become soft and easy to penetrate with a sharp tool. Poke the door along the bottom and sides. If the tool penetrates the wood, the door must be repaired before it can be refinished.

While you’re poking and inspecting the door, watch for signs of wood-eating pests. You might see small holes in the surface of the wood, tunnels of mud affixed to the outside of the door or even little tunnels eaten through the surface of the door. These are all signs of wood-eating pests.

If you notice any of these warning signs, have the property inspected by a pest professional. Always be sure to have your door treated for pests before proceeding with wood repair and refinishing.

Refinish

Typically, refinishing needs to happen every three to five years to protect the wood from moisture. To refinish your wood door, start by cleaning the wood with a strong, wood-safe degreaser. Remove what hardware you can or cover the hardware around the door with painter’s tape to protect it from the stain.

Sand down the wood and clean it again to remove any shavings. Fill cracks with putty and allow it to dry and then sand down the putty until the surface of the wood is smooth.

Finally, paint the door with an exterior grade stain and sealer. Read the manufacturer’s instructions before applying. Some manufacturers will recommend that the stain and sealer only be applied when the temperature outside falls in a certain range. Often times, the manufacturer will recommend applying a certain number of quotes for optimal performance. Follow all manufacturer instructions for best results.

This may sound like a relatively simple process, but refinishing a door can be time consuming. It’s important not to skip steps just to get the job done quickly. Sealing the door is the best way to prevent the water penetration that leads to wood rot.

If you have more questions about maintaining your wood door, contact the Overhead Door company of Oklahoma City. We’re happy to help!

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Kristen Mangum
Kristen Mangum
2022-12-21
Friendly customer service. Bought a hard to find remote for an old garage door opener. Opener has 3 buttons so I can program both doors to it. Easy to find location right off 29th St.
Robert Ballinger
Robert Ballinger
2022-12-12
Great people
Betsy Chronister
Betsy Chronister
2022-09-13
I was given a very fair quote. A week later a tech came and installed. Then came back to install lock. Tech was very professional and polite. Spen time with me making adjustments to my liking. I totally recommend Overhead door to my fellow Okies.
Hendrix Morrow
Hendrix Morrow
2022-06-29
Overhead Door did a great job. They got me on the schedule the next day and fixed my spring in 30 minutes or less. Joe was great, professional, and courteous. Awesome service, and he didn't tell me I needed extra materials like the previous garage door people that quoted me $575. Overhead Door told me a price over the phone and it didn't change. I'd recommend them every time.
Sandy Molleda Molleda
Sandy Molleda Molleda
2022-03-22
A very good place for a new garage door and a new remote.
John Ehrhardt
John Ehrhardt
2022-01-28
Pleased with their services. Coil spring broke and door stopped working. Spoke to Ron, and less than 24 hrs later the technician had us up n running again. These guys did exactly what they promised to do, with no nonsense. I like that.

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