Can Garage Door Panels Be Replaced?

As a garage door repair company, we know well enough that garage door accidents happen all the time. As a result, the homeowners often ask, ” Can garage door panels be replaced? ” And the answer is YES, garage door panels can be replaced. However, the process might be expensive and, in some cases, impossible, depending on the garage door’s brand, model, and type.

In some cases, a complete garage door replacement will make more sense from a financial standpoint. For example, some garage door panel replacement services may cost half the price of a brand new garage door.

Some garage doors aren’t in production anymore or have an updated design. Therefore finding a perfect match will be impossible.

When Can Garage Door Panels Be Replaced?

Having the most basic and standard garage door increases your chances of getting a garage door panel replacement. Most local garage door repair companies will have access to the standard garage doors. Therefore, they should be able to offer a panel replacement service. However, the garage door industry is also affected by worldwide shortages, delays, and supply chain issues. It may affect the ability of your local supplier to offer a panel replacement service.

Some garage door manufacturers only offer the whole garage door set. They are offering no option to purchase one or two garage door panels for replacement. As a result, many smaller garage door companies can’t afford to buy the whole door to replace one panel for their potential client.

Garage Door Panels Replacement Limitations.

Residential garage doors come in different designs, colors, Insulation, and thicknesses. All those factors should be considered when replacing a garage door panel. The replacement panel should not only have the same outside pattern to match the overall design. It should also be of the same R-Value, thickness, and have the same thermal lock in between the panels. Otherwise, the replacement panel won’t match the rest of the door. The brand and model for the replacement panel should match that of the garage door itself for a perfect fit. And with dozens of different manufacturers and door series, finding a matching section might be a tedious task.

Wood Overlay Garage Door Panel Replacement.

A beautiful garage door with a wood overlay will definitely attract more attention to your property. However, if you’ll need to replace a wood overlay garage door panel one day, you’ll understand the massive downside of having this type of garage door. Not only will it be challenging to find the matching section, but even if your garage door contractor manages to find one, the result might be disappointing. Carriage-style doors with wood overlay are often made by hand. This means there will always be a slight difference between two identical doors coming from the factory. As a result, your replacement garage door panel may not align correctly with your existing garage door pattern.

Matching Colors When Replacing Garage Door Panel.

If your garage door isn’t white, chances are you’ll have to re-paint it completely after panel replacement. It will be much easier to find a white garage door panel that will work with your door instead of looking for the same factory color. Even if your garage door contractor did a great job of finding the right panel of the same color, you would still see the difference between the replacement section and the rest of the door. Factory garage door paint will faint over time depending on how much sun exposure it gets. Meaning at least a slight difference between the garage door and a replacement section will be visible. Find a local garage door painter or see how to paint a garage door by yourself.

Can Damaged Garage Door Panels Be Replaced With Used Panels?

Yes, it is possible to replace a damaged garage door panel with a used one. However, all the points we talked about will apply here as well. The panel should match perfectly in order for your garage door to be operational. You will need to find a local contractor who keeps the old doors after replacing them with new ones. Most reputable and larger garage door companies don’t do it, but some smaller contractors might be able to help. Search your local Craigslist or Kijiji and see if someone offers used garage door installations.

Can Garage Door Panels Be Replaced, Or Should I Buy a New Door?

Replacing garage door panels can get so expensive that you might be better off buying a brand new garage door. Your local garage door companies might not have any replacement panels available, depending on your location. Therefore they will need to sell you a section that is a part of the whole garage door set. Meaning now they have a door they can’t install. In order to compensate for that, some companies charge almost 50% of the price of the whole new door just for one panel replacement.

How Much Does It Cost To Replace Garage Door Panel?

Depending on your garage door type, the price for garage door panel replacement may start from $600-$800. In addition to that, you will most likely have to hire a professional painter who will re-paint the whole door, so it has the same color all across. Painting the garage door will also cost around $200-$250, bringing the total price for one panel replacement to around $1000. Does this make any sense when you can get a brand new garage door installed for about $2300? A new garage door will come with all the hardware such as springs, hinges, rollers, cables, etc. This means you have at least five years of warranty and peace of mind by replacing your garage door entirely. Replacing garage door springs, and fixing garage door cables won’t be on your list for a while if you replace your garage door entirely.

Can Garage Door Sections Be Repaired?

At Calgary Garage Door Fix, we often have clients that believe they need a garage door panel replacement service. However, in most cases, we can repair their garage door panel and get the door operational again. It all depends on the extent of the damage. We usually evaluate the damage by a few photos submitted by the client and, based on that, offer our solution.