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Tips on commercial garage door removal?

xxPaulCPxx | Posted in General Discussion on December 23, 2005 09:08am

I’ve got the possibility of salvaging some commercial garage doors, the kind with glass panels at an auto repair shop.

This looks like the standard way of taking a door down:

1.  De-tension the spring (Carefully, I know!).

2.  Remove the panels from the top down.

3.  Remove the tracks.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/home_improvement/home_improvement/1275731.html?page=2&c=y

Since these are 16′ high doors, I’ll be having to rent equipment to help me take it down… probably hiring some day labor as well.  Are there any tips or tricks you can suggest that might make it easier?

Rebuilding my home in Cypress, CA

Also a CRX fanatic!

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  1. joeh | Dec 23, 2005 09:40pm | #1

    I bet those things weigh way more than you think, and that spring is waaaay more spring that you think too.

    Somewhere on the door is a phone number for service. You might call & see about having it done.

    The money you're going to save won't cover the trip to the emergency room or the time off work after this turns to sheet.

    Joe H

    1. brownbagg | Dec 23, 2005 11:21pm | #2

      at our company just do what we do. close the door carefully. Then back the pickup into it. it will remove the door every time.. 2+3=7

      1. joeh | Dec 24, 2005 01:57am | #4

        Johnny, I've seen that trick. They never seem to operate as smoothly afterward.

        Joe H

  2. User avater
    PearceServices | Dec 24, 2005 12:01am | #3

    The springs on a door that big are very strong. If you have never unwound torsion springs before,....Don't experiment on a door this big.    

    Pay someone to unwind for you. Remove the inner hinges (the ones without rollers, they have a 1 stamped into them), then set extension ladders up on both sides of the door jamb, with 2 people, remove top hinge, and half of the lower hinge, and walk down the ladder with each panel, one person on each side. When removing the lower hinge of each panel be sure to leave it installed into the panel below and leave the roller in, otherwise the panel could hinge down and knock you and your ladder over.

    A better way is to call your local door distributor, and ask for the name of an independant installer, and pay him to remove the door. it will cost about $2/square foot, if you are not far from his shop.

     



    Edited 12/23/2005 4:04 pm ET by PearceServices

    1. User avater
      xxPaulCPxx | Dec 24, 2005 06:14am | #6

      Good call, thanks for the price info as well.  I'll check into local installers.

      On a side note, I was thinking about an alternative diassembly method:

      1.  Roll the door fully open.

      2.  Detension any remaining tension in the spring (If there is any).

      3.  Remove the hinge connection of the bottom panel.

      4.  With the other overhead panels somehow locked in place, lower the bottom panel down the track and remove it on the floor.

      5.  Repeat with each panel.

      This way, not only is there little tension to worry about, but the panel is only moving in one axis while you lower it... two people could rope each one down with a line over the slack torsion bar.Rebuilding my home in Cypress, CA

      Also a CRX fanatic!

      1. User avater
        PearceServices | Dec 24, 2005 07:05am | #7

        with the door fully open, you will have no access to the torsion springs.

        I have seen guys put a fork lift under the bottom panel of a fully opened door, cut the cables, then use the forklift to lower the door.

        Don't cut the cables with the door down though, because the springs will rotate past unwound and blow apart, very dangerous.

      2. alwaysoverbudget | Dec 24, 2005 07:33am | #8

        are you going to use the doors or just salvage them? with doors that big do'nt raise them and unhook cables,if they fall it would kinda ruin the day.16' high door,wow thats a long ways up there what were they used for?semi's go under 13' bridges all the time. good luck,be careful,i have a friend with only 9 fingers because of a torsion spring. larryhand me the chainsaw, i need to trim the casing just a hair.

        1. User avater
          xxPaulCPxx | Dec 26, 2005 11:13pm | #9

          Mabey I overestimated, they could be 10' or 12' doors.  If I did raise them  then unhook the cable - those panels would be POSITIVELY stopped from going forward again back down the track!Rebuilding my home in Cypress, CA

          Also a CRX fanatic!

          1. alwaysoverbudget | Dec 27, 2005 08:10am | #10

            i have some experence with this type of door on a bldg i own.the alum. frame ot is fairly light,but when you put all that glass in them they get heavy,even though it's usally only 1/8 plate.if they are something your going to use i would leave them down and unwind the springs as long as you understand how.if not i would have a garage door guy come out and unwind them,then you take them down.they are really high dollar doors so if a guy spends a few bucks getting them down,oh well.larryhand me the chainsaw, i need to trim the casing just a hair.

          2. User avater
            xxPaulCPxx | Dec 27, 2005 12:30pm | #13

            I was thinking that if they were too heavy to manage, I might just break the glass out and replace with polycarb later.  The idea is that this is a temporary wall that would come down around our porch (that is covered by a 2nd story) that would keep cold winds out but still allow us to see the flowers that my wife has planted.Rebuilding my home in Cypress, CA

            Also a CRX fanatic!

          3. User avater
            JeffBuck | Dec 27, 2005 08:41am | #11

            "Mabey I overestimated, they could be 10' or 12' doors. "

             

            Uh ... don't ya think U should actually measure the freaking doors U are obviously planning on reusing?

            U know ... to kinda/sorta know ahead of time if they are actually usable to U?

             

            just a thot.

             

            otherwise ... sounds like a good plan ... well thot out and all that ....

            Jeff    Buck Construction

             Artistry In Carpentry

                 Pittsburgh Pa

          4. User avater
            xxPaulCPxx | Dec 27, 2005 12:26pm | #12

            I measured the only REALLY important variable - the width.  I need 11' wide doors, they are 11' wide.  The opening height they would cover is only about 8', and it wouldn't even roll to a ceiling like a normal garage.  There are ALOT more doors there than I need, but I'd be kind of a prick to show up and only take 4 sections of three doors home with me. Rebuilding my home in Cypress, CA

            Also a CRX fanatic!

  3. Stilletto | Dec 24, 2005 05:19am | #5

    The best way to install or take out a door of that size is with scaffolding, planks and wheels so you don't have to get down to move from one hinge to another, it makes it real nice unwinding those springs off a platform as opposed to a ladder.  Pick up an electric impact gun to disassemble the doors many parts cuts the time in half.

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