It's interesting to note that in the year 1921, a man by the name of C.G. Johnson invented an overhead door that could be lifted up and folded out of the way. His inventions lead to the founding of the Overhead Door Corporation. Overhead doors are the most popular type of door installed on garages even today.
Normally built out of wood for sturdiness and durability, overhead garage doors last for many years. But there is one part of the door that needs replaced periodically, and that is the weather stripping. This solid rubber seal tends to break down after repeated door closings. And, after being subjected to the heat of the sun, as well as freezing cold temperatures, if you live in the north. The purpose of the weather stripping around a garage door is to keep the cold air out. It also helps to keep rain and snow out of your garage, not to mention insects and other pests.
If the weather stripping on your garage door is showing signs of wear and tear, you can replace just the damaged or worn areas. You can cut out the damaged areas and fill them in with new rubber weather stripping. But, as more and more of the weather stripping wears out, you'll be spending a lot of time cutting and filling in more and more. Your best bet is to simply replace the entire stripping at one time. This will ensure that your overhead garage door is sealed properly with a good quality, solid rubber all the way across the bottom edge.
You can purchase an inexpensive weather stripping kit for your garage door at your local hardware or home supply store. The kit consists of a long piece of solid rubber weather stripping and nails. The first step in this project is to open your overhead garage door so it is at a comfortable level for you to reach the bottom edge. Then, use a flat - head screw driver to remove any staples; or, to raise up the heads of any nails. Continue to use the screw driver or a claw hammer to completely remove the fasteners that are holding the weather stripping. Then, check the door edge to make sure it is smooth and free of obstructions.
The second step is to use a light to medium - coarse piece of sand paper to smooth down the bottom edge of your overhead garage door. Then, remove the dust and debris by using a stiff brush. Coat the bottom edge with a good - quality wood sealer. Follow the manufacturer's directions on the container in order to achieve the best results. The wood sealer will help to protect your wood overhead garage door from water damage. After the wood sealer has dried, the third step is to position the edge of the weather stripping to the left edge of your garage door. But, make sure to allow a quarter inch or so of weather stripping to hang over. Make sure that the stripping lines up with the outside edge of the door too.
While you hold the end of the rubber weather stripping with one hand, the fourth step is to staple it down to the bottom door edge with your other hand. Spread the weather stripping out as you work, making sure not to stretch it too tightly. Work your way across the door by positioning, holding, and stapling it down every three inches. When you reach the end of your overhead garage door, measure, trim, then staple the rubber stripping down.
The fifth step is to go back and check to make sure the weather stripping is aligned correctly across the bottom of your garage door. If there are crooked areas, simply remove some of the staples with a flat - head screw driver. Adjust the crooked area, position it, then staple it down again. Finally, when you are satisfied with the position of the rubber weather stripping, use a claw hammer and some inch - long roofing nails to secure it into place permanently. The roofing nails have large, round heads that will hold the weather stripping securely to the door edge.
