Can You Fix Garage Door Dents?

Whether you’ve misjudged your parking slightly or your children have accidentally kicked their football with a bit too much gusto, garage door dents are a fairly common occurrence. While you might not think of this as a major issue, even the most minor dents can weaken the structural integrity of your garage door, leaving it vulnerable to a break-in or more major damage in the future.

But can you fix garage door dents? Or are you better off carrying out a garage door replacement? The team at JB Garage Doors is here to explain your options.

Can you fix all garage door dents?

The question of whether or not a garage door dent can be fixed depends entirely on a few different factors, such as:

Location: Dents that are located near the edges or corners of your door will typically be more difficult to fix than those in easily accessible areas.

Severity: How big is the area of damage? Minor cosmetic dents are much easier to rectify than larger, deeper ones.

Material: The material your garage door is made of will affect how you approach the dent; for example, wooden garage doors are typically much harder to fix than metal ones as they are more prone to splintering and warping.

How to fix garage door dents*

Use suction cups

If you have a metal garage door and the dent in question is fairly minor, you may be able to use a heavy-duty suction cup to pull the door back into shape. Simply wet the suction cup slightly and position it over the middle of the dent before pushing it down to create a tight seal. Then, hold the handle of the suction cup and pull, taking care not to pull at an angle as this may cause it to lose grip. For the best results, this can be repeated as necessary.

Hammer it out

If you have an aluminium garage door, these are typically a bit more malleable than other materials, which means you may be able to hammer the dent out with a rubber mallet. Position a wooden block against the protruding side of the dent and then gently tap at it with the mallet; don’t use too much force as this may end up causing further damage.

Heating and cooling method

Some metal garage door dents can be fixed by quickly heating and cooling the area.

You’ll need a few bits of equipment for this, some of which you might already have lying around in your garage, such as:

• Washing-up liquid
• Bucket
• Large sponge
• Heavy-duty aluminium foil
• Lighter
• Canister of compressed air

The method

• Make up a bucket of warm soapy water and clean the dented area with a wet sponge.
• Once the dented area is clean and dry, cut out a strip of aluminium foil. This should be large enough to completely cover the dent, leaving a little extra for you to hold against the door.
• Using one hand, place and hold the aluminium foil against the dent.
• With your other hand, gently move the lighter over the dent – it’s advisable to wear protective gloves. Heat this area for around one minute.
• Remove the aluminium foil.
• Hold the canister of compressed air upside down and spray the dented area for around 30 seconds. The shock of this rapid temperature change can cause the surface to pop back into place

*All of the above DIY methods should only be attempted if you have the correct equipment on hand and you’re confident in what you’re doing. If you feel unsure, it’s best to consult a garage door expert for help.

Call in a professional

For severe dents, it’s best to call in a garage door professional, like the team at JB Garage Doors. With the help of our specialist equipment and 50+ years of industry experience, we can assess the extent of the damage and determine how best to repair it. For certain garage door styles, such as sectional garage doors, we may be able to replace the damaged panel without needing to replace the entire garage door.

However, if the damage is too severe or if your garage has seen better days, it may be more cost-effective to invest in a complete replacement – we can advise on whether it’s worth repairing your old garage door or if it’s better to upgrade to a newer model.

If your garage door is damaged or dented, the team here at JB Garage Doors can help. For more than 50 years, we’ve been providing a range of garage door repair services to homeowners across Maidstone, Ashford, Canterbury and beyond. If necessary, we can also carry out a complete garage door replacement – contact us to schedule a consultation.