Depending on the size of the dent in your garage door, it’s a quick fix with the right tools.
Before you call a repair man, you can utilize the methods below to see if you can fix your garage door yourself.
If you’re ready to pop that dent into place, let’s get started.
Assessing the Damage
Take a look at the damage that the dent has caused to your garage door. Cosmetic dents are easy to fix if your garage door is made out of aluminum or steel. Wooden garage doors are going to be a tougher fix because wood doesn’t behave like a metal garage door.
If you have a cosmetic dent that was created by a basketball or a bird, you may be able to fix it yourself. If the damage looks to be more than cosmetic, then you’re better off calling a garage repair technician and weighing your options of replacing the panel or the entire door itself.
How to Fix a Dented Garage Door with a Mallet
Before you proceed with any of these steps, it’s always a good idea to turn your garage on manual mode.
Tools You’ll Need
- Rubber Mallet
- Block of wood
- Fine Grit Sandpaper
- Primer and paint
- Brush
- Putty + Putty Knife (for large dents)
- Soap+Water+Sponge
Step 1
Clean the area where your garage door has been dented with soap, water and a sponge.
Step 2
Take the block of wood and place it over the dent. You want to do this on the side where the dent has been caved in.
Step 3
Use the rubber mallet and tap the affected area to see if the dent will pop back into place.
Step 4
Depending on the size of the dent, your garage door may have suffered some cosmetic damage. Use the fine-grit sandpaper to sand down the area to prepare it for painting.
Step 5
If you have a large dent that looks like it needs to be filled, you can fill it with the putty + putty knife. You can paint over the area as well, you can learn how to paint your garage door here.
How to Fix a Dented Garage Door with Heat
Tools You’ll Need
- Dish soap
- Compressed air can
- Water
- Bucket
- Lighter of some kind
- Sponge
- Aluminum foil
Step 1
The first step is cleaning the dent on your garage door panel. Take the soap, water, and bucket and put some elbow grease into it. Get that dent cleaned up and let it dry.
Step 2
Take the aluminum foil and cover up the dent completely. It’s a good idea to use a larger piece of aluminum foil so you can hold it against the garage door for the next step.
Step 3
Before you proceed, have the lighter and compressed air canister nearby for quick access.
Hold the aluminum against the dent with one hand and wave your lighter against the foil where the dent is for around a minute.
Step 4
Take the canister while holding it upside down and spray the dent for 30 seconds.
Step 5
Wait 1-2 minutes and let the carbon monoxide do its job. Assess if the garage door dent has been fixed. If it hasn’t, you can try again or call a garage door technician.
How to Fix a Dented Garage Door with a Suction Cup
If you have a suction cup laying around, you can try using it to pop that dent back into place. This method only works for metal garage doors.
Simply take the suction cup and stick it to the dent and pull as hard as you can. If it doesn’t work, then it may be time to call a garage door technician.
When to Call a Garage Door Technician
While garage doors seem simple, they can be complicated when you don’t know what you’re doing. Calling a garage door technician might be the right thing to do if you’ve tried all the steps on this list and nothing has worked thus far.
