What happens during a new garage door installation

A new garage door goes in over a set order of steps, from measuring the opening to testing the finished door. This guide walks through that order so you know what to prepare and what to expect. Installation involves heavy panels and spring tension, so it is technician work.

Installation starts with the opening, not the door. Clopay describes a dealer visit where the opening is measured and the homeowner's needs for maintenance, energy efficiency, track design, budget and style are discussed. Our technicians measure the opening and check the space around it before a door is ordered, because the width, height and room above the door decide which door and track will fit.

If you want to understand those measurements first, see how to measure for a new garage door and single vs double doors and headroom. To compare door types, read garage door materials compared and insulated vs non-insulated doors.

Clopay says its doors take about two to four weeks to arrive after ordering. Lead times vary by manufacturer and door, so treat that figure as one example and not a rule.

Preparation is simple, and it saves time on installation day. Clopay advises parking cars elsewhere for a few hours and moving trash cans, bikes, toys and other large items out of the garage, or to the very back, away from the door opening, track and opener.

• Move vehicles out of the garage and off the driveway apron so the door can be staged.
• Clear a path along both side walls and the ceiling area where track and springs will be mounted.
• Remove shelves, hooks or stored items from the wall above and beside the opening if they are in the way.
• Keep children and pets out of the garage while work is under way.

Clopay's installation guide lays out six stages. The order below follows that guide, and the details change with door type, track layout and spring system.

1. Review the instructions. The manufacturer's instructions for the specific door set the order of work and the hardware used.
2. Remove the old door. Clopay says its installers remove and haul away the old door and track. Old track, springs and hardware are not reused on a full replacement.
3. Attach hardware to the sections. Hinges, brackets and rollers are fitted to each panel as the door is assembled.
4. Place the sections in the opening. The panels are stacked one at a time, starting from the bottom.
5. Install the track and insert the rollers. The track must match the door it is built for. DASMA says to use the track designed for the specific door, not the old track.
6. Attach the springs and connect the cables. This is the highest-tension step. Springs and cables are set and the door is balanced.

Clopay says installation of its dealer-installed doors takes one day. Your job may take more or less, depending on the door, the existing track and whether an opener is involved. We confirm the plan at the visit.

Clopay notes that an existing opener may keep working if it is in good condition, since it is only the motor. Openers are sold separately from the door. If yours is old or does not have the safety features below, see garage door opener installation and repair or replace an opener.

Whatever opener is on the new door, the safety features have to work. Clopay states that openers must have auto-reversing protection and photoelectric eyes, and that if the eyes are not connected the door will not operate. It also says opener switches should be mounted at least 5 feet above the floor to keep children from operating them. Learn how these features work in auto-reverse explained and safety sensors not working.

A finished door should be checked, not just installed. The checks below are the ones manufacturers describe for any garage door. Ask that they be done, and watch them done.

• Balance. Clopay and its guide describe disconnecting the opener and lowering the door about halfway. A balanced door stays where it is left. If it does not, the springs need adjustment.
• Smooth travel. The door should move through its full travel without binding, scraping or shaking.
• Auto-reverse. The door should reverse when it meets an obstruction on the way down. See how to test your opener safety reverse.
• Safety sensors. The photo eyes should be connected and aligned.
• Bottom seal. The seal should sit evenly on the floor with no visible gaps.

DASMA does not recommend do-it-yourself installation for novices and recommends trained door systems technicians. Clopay says a DIY install typically takes 8 to 10 hours, needs the right tools and at least one helper, and warns that garage doors can weigh up to 400 pounds. Springs are the other risk. DASMA calls them arguably the most important and most dangerous part of the door.

We install new doors, tracks, springs and openers across New Jersey. See new garage door installation for what the service covers, or repair or replace the whole door if you are deciding between the two.

• Garage Door Opener Installation
• New Garage Door Installation

• Clopay: 7 things to expect when you're expecting a new garage door
• Clopay: How to install a garage door
• DASMA: Garage doors
• Clopay: Maintenance and replacement guide