How to Shrink a Garage Door Opening to Fit a New Standard Size Garage Door
When it comes to replacing your garage door, it's always a wise choice to frame it in at a standard size if it's not a stock size now. Stock-size garage doors are less inexpensive to buy, are more likely to be in stock at home improvement centers and require less labor---meaning it will cost you less money should you have a professional do the installation for you. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Tape measure
- Eye protection
- Ear protection
- Gloves
- Respirator
- 2-by-four-inch wood
- Chop saw
- Skill saw
- 16-penny nails
- Hammer
- Level
Instructions
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Consult with a contractor as to the exact dimensions that your finished opening should be in order to accommodate your new garage door.
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Use a tape measure to measure the width and height of the current door in relation to the size that your contractor has told you the new, stock-size door should be.
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Put on protective eye and ear gear.
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Cut 2-by-4-inch wood to form two boxes that are the same height of the current door and the necessary width to "frame it down" to a stock garage door size. Use a chop saw or skill saw to make the cuts.
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Nail the boxes together using 16-penny nails and a hammer. Line up this "box" on one side of the garage door wall and nail it directly into the existing garage wall.
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Level the wall as you nail it from bottom to top to make sure it's straight. You will repeat this process for the other side. Install the boxes right over the existing drywall. If you need to frame down the height as well, just install another "box" above the garage door to bring the opening down to the standard garage door size you need.
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Install new drywall if you desire or just leave the wall the way it is until you have a professional check the new measurements.
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Tips & Warnings
If framing is not your strong point, you may want a professional to do this job for you. It's critical that the finished door opening be exact for the new garage door to fit and function properly.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit luxury house image by yong hong from Fotolia.com
