How To Replace A Garage Door Weather Seal

It's finally spring in the Midwest! You know...spring..when a young man's heart turns to love girl's mind turns to home maintenance.Yep, it happens.  Every now and then, I have to take a break from painting furniture, decorating our home and repurposing found items to do a little work.  Today is one of those days.  Today, I'm replacing the vinyl weather seal that goes around my garage door.



The weather seal on my doors is a piece of flexible vinyl attached to a piece of molded plastic. The vinyl rests against the garage door when it's in the down position to create a seal that prevents water (rain and snow) from getting into the garage.

Since I have an attached garage with a bedroom above it, the weather seal also helps to keep the drafts to a minimum and the heating bill to keep my son from freezing to death in his bedroom from being hundreds of dollars!

Over a few years of brutal Midwest winters coupled with the constant raising and lowering of the garage door which seems to be inevitable with two adolescent males in the house, the vinyl becomes cracked and needs to be replaced.

I first called a garage door repair company to replace the seals.  The quote was $100 for a single door and I had two of them that needed replacing. Really?! $200 for something that doesn't even require power tools and can be done in under an hour?!  Um,  no.

Instead, I asked them if I could just purchase the seal and install it myself. Amazingly, they said that I could.  The process was pretty simple. First, using a sharp utility knife, I carefully scored the caulk where the seal met the trim.

Next, I inserted a pry bar near a nail in the center of the piece and gently pried the seal away from the trim. I worked from the center to the sides. The seal came down in a single piece.

Then, using a putty knife, I removed as much of the remaining caulk as I could to create a flat surface for the new seal.

Using the piece that I removed as a guide, I measured and marked the new seal. I cut through the flexible vinyl with scissors and used a hack saw to saw through the plastic.

I fit the new seal into the space and lined up the edges. Then, I nailed it into place using galvanized or paint coated nails so that they don't rust.  My weather seal came with holes already in it so all I had to do was nail where the holes were.

Finally, I caulked the seal to the trim using silicone latex caulk that's made for outdoor use. That's important because it's subjected to heat and cold. The caulk that I used is also mold and mildew resistant which is a plus because my garage doors face north and I'd like them to stay white. :)

I smoothed the caulk with my finger and then, using a damp paper towel, wiped away the excess caulk.

I let the caulk dry for a few hours, touched up the paint and, mercifully, checked one more item off of my "spring maintenance list".  

Total cost of replacing two garage door weather seals: $50.  Savings: $150 (which I'll be using for flowers for the yard and some mulch). The satisfaction that comes from having the guy next door see me do this by myself.....priceless.

xo,