The first thing that you should know about garage door hinges is that they are most certainly not all the same. There is a distinction that must be made between a high gauge and low gauge steel garage door hinge. The gauge that your hinge is classified as will be defined by the thickness of the steel that it is made of.
Most commercial garage doors are very large and heavy. For this reason, they need a heavier gauge of hinge, usually at least a 11. Residential garage doors are smaller and can usually be made much thinner. For this reason, they will usually require a hinge that is between 14 and 18 in gauge.
The age and weight of your garage door will definitely play a part in determining the gauge of the steel hinge that is needed. The thickness of the door will also be a factor. There is also the distinction to be made between a garage door used for a commercial location and one that is used to secure the garage of a private home.
What Do The Numbers On Garage Door Hinges Mean?
The numbers on your garage door hinge refer to the thickness of the steel that they are made of. For a commercial garage door, you will normally need a lower gauge steel hinge. 11 or so will be perfect since it is the upper part of the door that will support most of the weight. Any higher will throw the door completely off balance.
For a residential garage door, you will need a higher gauge hinge. This may be anywhere from a 14 to 18 gauge steel hinge. This is because the garage door on a private home will usually be much smaller and thinner. A higher gauge is needed to balance the garage door in the correct proportion so that it can maneuver correctly.
You should always pay attention to the number that is on your garage door hinge. This will tell you all that you need to know about the gauge that is needed to keep your garage door operating in the correct fashion. If you should ever need to replace the hinge or the entire door, this is the number you need to know to do the job right.
How Do I Find Replacement Hinges For My Door?
The best way to order replacement hinges for your garage door is to take heed of the number that is printed on them. This number will tell you all you need to know. It’s the number that you can use to order a replacement part with. You can take this number to your local supplier or use it to order a replacement hinge off the world wide web.
Hinges that are stamped with a 1 will normally be the center hinge. Hinges that have been specially stamped with a number 2 will be the end hinges. You may need one or both of these to complete your full renovation of your garage door. Taking heed of the number that is stamped on the hinge will let you make the right choice when you order.
How Do You Measure Garage Door Hinges?
First, open the door and remove all of the screws from the middle hinge. You can use a Phillips head screwdriver to do so. If built up paint causes it to stick, you can scrape it off with a knife. After doing so, pry the hinge up from its mortise. You should use a flat-head screwdriver.
Second, you should lay the hinge open on a flat surface. Measure the distance from one side of the hinge, fully across the hinge, all the way to the opposite side of the hinge. You can use a tape measure to gauge the total width of the hinge. The ordering width of a replacement hinge will be the amount of the total open width of the hinge.
Third, you will need to measure the height of the hinge. You can do this using a tape measure. The standard lengths of a hinge will include 3 1/2, 4, 4 1/2, 5, and 6 inches.
Fourth, you will need to gauge the size of the corner radius on the hinge. This will be necessary if the corner is not neatly square. You can do so by resting your straightedge along the upper edge of the hinge.
Make sure not to the rest the one side of your straightedge on the head of the hinge pin itself, What you need to do is make sure to measure the full distance from the bottom of the straightedge all the way down to the bottom of the radius. The resulting measurement will amount to 1/4 or 5/8 inch.
How Do You Replace Garage Door Hinges?
The best way to replace a garage door hinge will be to follow these simple steps:
1. Raise and Stabilize Your Garage Door
Use C-clamps or a wooden board to keep your door open and out of your way as you work.
2. Make Sure Your Panels Aren’t Sagging
Use a ladder or borrow a friend or family member to keep the panels from getting in your way.
3. Unbolt the Old Hinges
Remove the hinges by loosening the nuts and releasing the bolt. Tip the hinge off in order to detach the roller from its track.
4. Install Your New Hinges
Insert the new hinges. Tap the bolts through the hinge holes from the outside. After that, all you will need to do is tighten up the nuts.
Although this is a relatively simple job, you may feel the need to hire an expert to handle this operation on your behalf. In most cases, the job will take less than an hour to complete. It should therefore not cost too much to have done.