You can install some doors yourself, but expect a full day: Clopay puts a do-it-yourself install at 8 to 10 hours with one or two helpers, because a door can weigh up to 400 pounds. The spring step is the risk. Clopay's FAQ advises a professional to remove tension from standard torsion springs and to handle new springs, sections, tracks and operators.
Can I install a garage door myself?
Yes, for some doors. Clopay says it is possible to install its door on your own, and that a dealer installation gives more peace of mind. The work is a long day of building sections, hanging track, setting rollers and connecting springs and cables, and the tools include clamps, a level, socket wrenches, a drill and a ladder.
The question is not whether a handy person can follow the steps. It is whether you can do them safely, because of the weight of the door and the tension in the springs.
DIY and professional installation side by side
Do it yourself
- 8 to 10 hours for most people, according to Clopay
- One or two helpers needed, because a door can weigh up to 400 pounds
- You buy or borrow the tools, and extra tools may be needed for springs
- You are responsible for the spring step, the balance and the safety tests
- You haul away the old door, track and springs
Professional installation
- Typically done in a day, according to Clopay and Amarr
- A crew carries and lifts the door
- The crew brings tools, removes the old door and sets the springs
- The door is balanced and the auto-reverse tested before the crew leaves
- You pay for labor, and the installer stands behind the work
Why the springs decide it
Clopay calls setting torsion spring tension the most difficult part of installing a garage door. Its FAQ says unwinding standard torsion springs takes specific tools and training and tells readers to hire a professional to remove the tension. The same FAQ strongly recommends that replacing springs, sections, tracks and operators be handled by a professional, while saying that a handy homeowner can do smaller jobs such as rollers, a bottom seal, hinges or handles.
A spring wound wrong can injure you or drop the door. See is it safe to replace garage door springs yourself. Some manufacturers sell spring systems designed for homeowners, such as Clopay's EZ-SET system that is set with a power drill, but that applies only to doors that come with it.
The opener and California law
If an opener is part of the job, California has a rule: a residential opener sold or installed in the state needs a battery backup, and a replacement door cannot be connected to an older residential opener that lacks one. Check the model before you order the door. See the battery backup law and our opener installation page.
A short way to decide
- DIY can make sense if the door is a kit with a drill-set spring system, you have two capable helpers and a full day with the garage empty.
- Choose a professional if the door has standard torsion springs, is a double or heavy door, has glass or wood panels, or the framing is out of square.
- Choose a professional if you will also replace the opener or need the work done to a deadline.
The verdict
Hanging a door is a hard day of work, and the springs are the step where a mistake costs the most. If you do the door yourself, leave the spring tension to a technician. If you want the whole job done, get a written quote that lists removal, springs, opener work and testing; see what a quote should include.
Where we come in
Emil Garage Doors installs new garage doors and sets the springs in Southern California, and our city pages cover California, including South Lake Tahoe, Dana Point and Santee. Call (213) 340-4232 or send the estimate form, and we will quote the whole job or just the spring step.
Questions people ask
Can I install a garage door myself?
Yes, some people do. Clopay puts a do-it-yourself install at 8 to 10 hours with one or two helpers. Leave the spring tension to a professional.
What tools do I need to install a garage door?
Clopay lists clamps, hammers, screwdrivers, a level, a tape measure, a drill, socket wrenches, a stepladder and sawhorses, plus extra tools for the springs.
Is it safe to wind torsion springs myself?
Clopay says unwinding standard torsion springs requires specific tools and training and recommends a professional. We do not advise it.
Does professional installation take less time?
Usually. Clopay and Amarr describe a professional installation as about a day, and Amarr cites four to eight hours in most cases.
Services that fit this problem
Garage door and gate help near you
We repair and install in these cities. Each page has local notes, prices and reviews.
More guides
Sources
- Clopay: garage door installation (time, helpers, steps and spring warnings)
- Clopay: garage door FAQ (removing torsion spring tension, what to leave to a professional)
- Amarr: garage door prices, installation time in most cases
- California Health and Safety Code section 19892 (battery backup for residential garage door openers)