If you have a wood garage door, you’re probably pleased with the natural look it gives your home. To keep it looking nice, you need to maintain it. This ensures that you won’t have to replace it anytime soon or pay for major repairs, as regular maintenance can keep it looking nice and functioning properly.
To keep your product looking its best, you should make sure it is sealed to protect it from UV rays and extreme weather. If it has panels, you will need to apply acrylic latex caulking to the insides. This should be done before applying the sealant, and before painting or staining it. If you do decide to add color, you will probably need to reapply the paint or stain about every two years; otherwise the color will appear faded.
The maintenance does not just apply to the door’s appearance. You will need to inspect the rollers, springs, hinges, and other parts annually. This will ensure it works properly. If everything is not balanced or in proper working order, your wood garage door will need to be repaired or replaced much earlier than if you had checked its working parts every year. You will know it is not balanced if it is difficult to open by hand, or leans to one side when halfway open.
A common ailment for doors is for them to warp or sag, and extreme cold or hot weather only helps this along. You can prevent such damage by providing proper ventilation in the garage.
If you don’t think you will have the time to keep up the required maintenance for your wooden covering, consider buying a steel carriage style door. It offers the same classic appearance, but needs much less upkeep than the real product.
However, if you commonly take part in home improvement projects, and do not mind working outside, a real wooden door might be for you. As long as you continually keep up maintenance on your wooden covering, you should not have to make large repairs for years, which is why many homeowners are happy with their wood garage door.
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