Repair 1: Replace rotting trim
1 of 4
Photo 1: Remove the old trim
Cut through any caulk lines with a
utility knife, then pry off the old
garage doorstop, brick mold and jamb.
2 of 4
Photo 2: Install the new jamb
Use a clamp to hold up one end of the top jamb, then nail the jamb to the
framing with 8d galvanized casing nails.
3 of 4
Photo 3: Glue and nail brick mold
Spread PVC cement on both sides of
the mitered corners, then hold them
together until they bond.
4 of 4
Photo 4: Add stop molding
Mark the width of the trim piece at
several points on the jamb, then
nail. Trim the overlapping rubber seal at
the corners.
Wood garage doorjambs and trim often
rot near the bottom or get crunched by
bumpers.
A good, long-lasting solution is to
replace the wood jamb, brick mold trim
and doorstop with paintable solid vinyl
pieces that won't crack or decay. Available
at home centers and lumberyards, the
three pieces cost a total of about $4 per
ft.—comparable to clear wood. The vinyl
can be cut, nailed and painted just like
wood. It's available in white, but you can
order brown, bronze and tan. Fill nail
holes with white caulk or exterior wood
filler, then if desired prime and paint with
acrylic latex. Use a light paint color over
white vinyl to keep it from overheating.
Remove the old jamb and trim (Photo
1), then nail the vinyl jamb to the frame,
beginning with the top piece (Photo 2).
Fasten every 12 to 16 in. with 8d galvanized
nails or stainless steel trim screws.
Precut the miters on the top piece of brick
mold trim and nail it to the framing every
12 in. with 10d galvanized casing nails. Use
6d casing nails for the stop molding, nailing
it at the premarked points on the trim.
If the temperature is below 40 degrees
F during installation, predrill nail holes
and leave a 1/8-in. gap at the ends of the
jamb for expansion.
Glue the brick mold corners with PVC
cement (Photo 3), then nail them into
place after the glue sets. To avoid breaking
the joint, wait at least an hour for the glue
to fully cure before nailing within a foot of
the corner. Splice long runs with glued
butt joints.
The edge of the vinyl stop molding
should be 2-1/2 in. back from the garage
door so the rubber seal fits loosely against
the door (Photo 4).
Repair 2: Clean up a rusty door track
1 of 2
Photo 1: Trim the rusty end
Mark the bottom of the track, then cut the metal with a reciprocating saw
or hacksaw.
2 of 2
Photo 2: Clean and paint
Clean the bottom of the track with mineral spirits, wire-brush the rust,
and then paint the area.
Garage door tracks often rest directly
on damp concrete floors, where they
eventually rust. However, there's no
reason they can't be slightly above the
floor and stay dry: The garage rafters
carry the weight of the track and the
angle brackets hold the track in place.
Clean up the tracks and prevent
rusting by simply cutting off the bottom
1/2 in. First make sure all the
angle bracket bolts are tight, then cut
the track bottoms off (Photo 1). Use a
rag dipped in thinner to remove any
lubricant on the first 6 in. of track,
then scrape and brush off as much
rust as you can. Finally, paint the bottom
with a metal spray paint that's
formulated to bond to rusted areas
(Photo 2). Rust-Oleum Rust Reformer
is one choice.
Repair 3: Install new weather seal
1 of 3
Photo 1: Remove the old seal
Lift the garage door to about 6 ft. high and pull the old weather seal out through
the gap behind the door track.
2 of 3
Photo 2: Clean the track
Scrape dirt and corrosion out of the
weather seal track with a screwdriver
and a stiff brush.
3 of 3
Photo 3: Install the new seal
Lubricate the rubber with a few drops of dish soap, then push and pull the new
weather seal into the track.
If the weather seal attached to the bottom
of your steel garage door is torn or completely
flattened, it's time to replace it with
a new piece. Home centers sell two types: a
nail-on style for wood doors and a slide-in
“bulb” type for steel doors ($10 to $20).
Lift the door just enough that the garage
door track doesn't get in the way of the
weather seal, then slide out the old rubber
bulb (Photo 1). You may need to pry the
track ends open with a flat screwdriver if
they’ve been crimped. If it's especially stubborn,
cut it and remove it in pieces.
Clean the door bottom (Photo 2), then
cut the new rubber seal to length with a
razor knife. Thread the T-shaped edges into
the weather seal track, then slide the seal
across the door. Be patient—it takes a lot of
pushing and pulling even with a helper.
