Garage door binds when opening

Garage Door Maintenance

Your garage door is an important part of your home that you use daily. It can be very inconvenient if it stops opening, closing, or has some other malfunction. If your garage door binds when opening, you might be wondering what could be wrong with it and how it can be fixed.

Here is some information that can help with a garage door that keeps getting stuck. As with all garage door repairs, make sure the area around the door is clear in case something unexpected happens. Garage door panels can be very heavy.

Why is the garage door binding?

When the trim board is too close to the garage door, it can bind. This most often happens when the door is almost closed. If you notice that there is a gap at the floor when the door is shut, try pulling the door down manually to see if that closes the gap.

If the door is up, look closely at the trim. The trim board should be flush or located just behind the door frame. This can be a common problem in older homes that have recently gone through a remodel (or are in need of one).

If the interior trim boards are too close to the garage door track or door roller, it could be applying pressure to the track and rollers. Not only is this pressure bad for the garage door tracks, it could also cause the garage door opener to fail because of the extra work.

How to fix a garage door that is binding

To fix a binding garage door, you can repair or replace the trim board so it’s not as close to the tracks. Chip off the extra wood until the trim board is flush with the frame. It is best to use a sharp chisel for this. Chisel the excess wood off until the door closes freely. 

If this doesn’t solve the problem, you may have an issue that is not related to the trim board being too close to the garage. It could mean that the door is out of alignment or there is something else that needs to be re-worked. If you are not sure, it’s important not to try to work on it yourself, as this could cause greater damage to the garage door.

Contact A Professional

The trained professionals at Ponderosa can help you diagnose your garage door problem quickly so you can get it fixed quickly. In addition to making adjustments that allow you to move the door more freely, we also perform service check-ups to keep this from happening in the future. 

Whether we check the springs, repair tracks or rollers, or replace the torsion spring, Ponderosa will make sure your garage door operates just as it should. We offer free quotes and offer the “Ponderosa Promise.” Contact us today for information on how we can help get your door back on track and working reliably.