3:27 video with Jacob Swenson
How to Replace a Single Garage Door Panel
You don't have to take the whole door apart to swap one damaged section. Jacob shows how to hold the door in place, take the tension off, and drop a single panel out of the tracks.
What you'll need
- Two pairs of locking pliers (vise grips)
- A come-along with a cable puller
- An impact drill or a set of wrenches
Step by step
Raise the door slightly
Lift the door about four or five inches off the ground.
Lock it at that height
Clamp a pair of locking pliers in the track just under a set of rollers. Do the same on the other side, at the same hinge height.
Take up the cable tension
Attach a come-along to one of the lift cables (either side works) and tighten it just enough that the bottom of the cable goes slack.
Unbolt the panel
Remove the hinges along the top edge of the panel you're replacing, then the hinges along its bottom edge.
Lower it and lift it out
Crank the come-along down further. The lower you go, the more the panel drops, until you can lift the section out.
Install the new panel
Set the new section in place and repeat the steps in reverse.
Jacob's honest take: it looks quick on video, but rounding up the right tools is the hard part, and he's done this thousands of times. For most homeowners, having a pro source the matching section and install it is faster and safer.
Filmed in 2012. The basics haven't changed, but newer doors and openers may differ a little. Springs and cables are under high tension, so never adjust them yourself.
Door acting up? Talk to Jacob.
Tell us what's going on and get a straight answer and a clear price. $19.95 off any repair for new customers.