Garage Door Panel Repair

Garage door panels are designed specifically for sectional garage doors. They make up the face of the garage door and are what you see from the street. Most garage doors have 4 to 5 panels in total. Behind these panels are the hinges and rollers connected to the track system that allows the panel to move up and down. 

If you have damaged one of the panels on your garage door, it may not need a full replacement. Often we can replace or repair the damaged single panel and keep the remaining panels intact. 

Types of Garage Door Panel Repair

There are many different types of damage that can be done to a garage door panel. They are not always accidents caused by vehicles, bikes etc but can be caused by overstressing the panel both through the hinge or tracks not working properly. 

Garage Door Panels are Damaged in the following ways –  

Scratches – caused by bike, tools or general misuse

Impact damage – where the panel has bent or pushed in (typically from a vehicle) 

Metal fatigue – this is where a hinge or connection has worn the area out 

Splitting – this is where the end of a garage door panel has split 

Ways to Repair a Garage Door Panel

To repair a garage door panel, there are two ways – 

1. Manually remove the dent or bend from the panel while it stays in the tracks
2. Replace the damaged panel with a newly manufactured panel

Manually Remove the Dent or Bend from the Panel

If you have a bent panel, it is possible in some cases that we can bend the panel back into shape. To do this we may be able to exert enough pressure through the panel while it is sitting in the garage door tracks to get the panel back into workable order. At other times the panel may need to be completely removed and panel-beaten into shape. 

90% of the time the repaired panel will never look like a new one. While this is not optimal on the eye, we can often repair your damaged or broken panel to get your garage door working again so you can at least think about future options such as full replacement or a single panel repair.

In other cases, the panel(s) are so damaged that they are have shortened in length and the garage door is not usable. In this case, we will use the term “MAKE-SAFE” which means we will do our best to put the panels in a semi-straight layout and ensure they are secured to the rails/tracks so the garage is effectively secured. By being secure the belongings inside are safe for the interim, but the garage door will not open or close.

At this stage, there are two options to get your garage door panel fixed and working again – 

A) Order a new panel from the manufacturer

B) Order a new door (approx 4 to 5 panels) 

Replace the Damaged Garage Door Panel with a Newly Manufactured Panel!

If your garage door panel can still be made by a manufacturer, we can order a single panel to replace the damaged one. To order a single panel is not exactly cost-effective though as typically the panels that are damaged the most are the bottom and second panels. To replace these we have to disassemble the garage door by removing all panels above. To organise the manufacture of a new garage door panel will take approx 4 to 6 weeks. The installation of the new panel will take approximately 2 to 3 hours. 

If your garage door panel, profile and colour cannot be manufactured, unfortunately, there are no other options but to replace the entire garage door with a new one. This involves ordering 4 to 5 brand new panels. 

To order a new garage door will take around 4 to 6 weeks. Note; There are no guarantees we can use the existing tracks that hold the door as technology and engineering are always changing. The existing motor provided it is designed to carry the weight and load and has all the fittings can typically be reused. 

The old panels for your knowledge are taken back to our warehouse and recycled as scrap metal. 

Garage Door Panel Repair FAQ

What does a replacement panel to a garage door cost? 

A single replacement panel made of colorbond steel to a sectional double garage door will typically cost between $700 to $1200. Single doors will be approximately $200 less. 

How do you fix a garage door panel?

If you plan to try to fix your garage door panel yourself, there are a number of videos available that might help depending on the type of repair required. This video specialises in fixing a split on the door (Watch Video)

To repair a single garage door panel that is only slightly bent requires nothing but brute force.this is done by standing on tjhe inside of the garage and learning or pushing the panel outwards until it is straightened. It will never look like a new panel, but you may be able to get your garage door working again. we will stress though if the rollers or hinges look out of place we strongly recommend calling us straight away as there is an element of safety that needs to be considered.

Can you replace a panel on a garage door?

Yes, Replacing just one panel of the door can be a good option for homeowners on a budget. Panel replacement is often less expensive than replacing an entire garage door, and it’s easy enough that anyone can learn to do this themselves!

Where to buy garage door replacement panels!

Before you order a new replacement panel, you need to determine the manufacturer of the garage door. Once you know the manufacturer you can then either go direct or use a reseller like ourselves. Most manufacturers do not have technicians on call to install single panels, so a reseller garage door company is usually the best way to go. By using a reseller you are guaranteed to get far better customer service and contact as manufacturers are often looking after hundreds of customers every week. Please note we will price match.

Visit our Garage Door Repair Services Page (Click Here)