Sectional garage doors: DIY installation

Recommendation points

• The design features of sectional doors at a glance
• Self-assembly of sectional doors
• Preparatory work and necessary tools
• Installation of the vertical frame of the supporting frame
• Assembly and installation of the horizontal frame of the frame
• Installation of the web balancing mechanism
• Assembly and installation of the canvas
• Installation and adjustment of fittings
• Build quality check options

If you decide to install sectional doors in the garage with your own hands, this article will be very useful. She will help you understand the instructions, installation stages, tell you about possible difficulties and nuances that may arise during the work..

The design features of sectional doors at a glance

From the point of view of aesthetics and functionality, sectional doors are perhaps unmatched. This modern invention is a sealed sheet of metal sections that moves on bearing rollers along metal guides. In the open state, there are two options for placing the canvas:

1. Horizontal – the canvas is wound under the ceiling parallel to the floor.
2. vertical – the canvas becomes vertically above the doorway. A rarity for standard garages.

Gate control can be manual or automatic. Thanks to the lifting and power mechanism, the weight of the door is compensated, and the door leaf opens with light effort. Automatic control implies the raising or lowering of the web by an electric drive, which is usually activated from the remote control.

The door leaf balancing mechanism, which actually facilitates their manual opening, is of two types: tension springs and torsion springs. Extension springs allowed manufacturers to reduce the cost of gate designs. The mechanism is less metal-consuming, easier to manufacture and install. The torsion bar is considered a more reliable and durable mechanism..

Sectional door construction: 1 – fixing horizontal guides to the ceiling; 2 – drum; 3 – torsion-spring mechanism; 4 – shaft; 5 – intermediate shaft bracket; 6 – connecting sleeve; 7 – safety ratchet clutch; 8 – radius guide; 9 – horizontal guide; 10 – C-profile; 11 – vertical guide; 12 – loop; 13 – bracket with rollers; 14 – handle; 15 – lock; 16 – sections; 17 – bottom profile

Self-assembly of sectional doors

Sectional door manufacturers for standard openings offer convenient DIY kits that include the necessary parts and fittings. If the opening is non-standard, you will have to order the gate according to individual measurements, but even then the customer receives a complete set of products, ready for installation.

Preparatory work and necessary tools

Sectional doors are installed on the inner surface of the opening, walls and lintel, which must meet a number of requirements:

1. Make sure the mounting surfaces are flat. For every 2 meters, there should be no deviations in the plane by more than 5 mm.
2. The height of the lintel must meet the requirements of the product and type of installation.
3. The floor is the zero point of reference, its evenness is essential when installing and adjusting the springs.
4. Outside, it is necessary to ensure a drainage of water in the area of ​​the floor seal and the support legs.
5. The installation space must be free of other building structures, ventilation, pipelines.

Before starting the installation, on both sides, apply alignment marks on the opening at a distance of 1 meter from the zero mark. Draw perpendiculars from them, two vertical stripes, indicating the attachment points of the main guides.

Installation of the vertical frame of the supporting frame

Installation begins with the installation of sealing inserts and their subsequent trimming, if the guides are not provided by the manufacturer as an assembly.

Connect the support posts with the press plate with the bolts. Assemble the door frame only in a horizontal position on a flat floor.

Fasten vertical rails to the wall according to the instructions using self-tapping screws, dowel screws or wood grouse screws, depending on the material of the opening walls. Deviations of the relative position of the profiles in height should not exceed 3 mm, and vertically – 1 mm per 1 m of length.

Important! It is not allowed to level the frame with foam or wooden pegs, in extreme cases, metal pads can be used.

Assembly and installation of the horizontal frame of the frame

The horizontal guide must be connected to the radius profile. The edges of the profile raceways must be aligned. Attach the profiles to the support leg. In the same way, attach another rail parallel.

Important! Horizontal rails are not available in vertical-lift sectional door sets.

Then fasten the horizontal profiles to the ceiling using hangers. Place the front one at a distance of 90 cm from the opening, the rear one – 30 cm from the edge. Place the rest at the same distance. Trim the protruding parts of the suspensions. When assembling, be sure to check the equality along the diagonals. Install the rear headroom.

Installation of the web balancing mechanism

Depending on the type of spring (torsion or tension) and the manufacturer, the installation of the balancer system can vary significantly. It is important to follow it strictly according to the instructions for a specific instance of the gate..

Assembly and installation of the canvas

Before installation, the canvas will need to be assembled. As a rule, all panels are numbered. Start assembling from the bottom, at number 1. All sections are connected with hinges. The holes in the panels for self-tapping screws are usually prepared by the manufacturer. After screwing the side supports and intermediate hinges, install the panel into the opening. After that, screw the rollers, install them in the grooves and tighten the fastening screws. Fasten the corner brackets, upper roller supports, holders and cover strip to the end panel after installation in the opening.

Installation and adjustment of fittings

As standard, sectional doors are equipped with handles, latch and lock.

The handles are attached to the middle of the bottom panel on the right, left or center. To install the protruding handles, you need to drill 4 holes and twist the two halves of the handle with self-tapping screws. When installing flush fittings, use an electric jigsaw to first cut out the outline of the flush part.

The valve is installed from the inside on the right or left. The crossbar must fit into the hole of the vertical guide, therefore, to accurately determine the location, it is necessary to attach the latch in advance and indicate the attachment point.

Advice! When drilling sandwich panels, it is necessary to set a stop so that the drill does not go beyond the depth indicated by the manufacturer and does not damage the front side of the panel.

The lock is installed on the right or left. Like a gate valve, the bolt must fit into the hole in the vertical guide, therefore, it is necessary to indicate in advance the place of its installation. Most often, the lock is placed at the bottom of the second panel..

Build quality check options

To assess the quality of installation, pay attention to a number of points:

1. Outside, with the gate closed, the seal should fit snugly around the entire perimeter.
2. The presence of slots is also not allowed on the inside in the places where the guides adjoin the wall. With the lights off, it’s easy to check for gaps.
3. Correctly mounted doors run smoothly.
4. If at a distance of about a meter from the zero mark the gate “freezes”, then the springs are balanced correctly.
5. The rollers must also move freely..

To seal technological holes and gaps, use acrylic or silicone sealants, or polyurethane foam, which does not increase in volume. If the gaps are more than 5 mm, use plaster mixes.

Upon completion of work, remove the protective film from the panels and clean it from dirt using non-aggressive detergents or plain water and a soft sponge.