A garage door scrapes the jamb or trim when it rides off-center in the opening. Common causes are a loose or shifted track, a bent track after a bump, a worn roller, swollen weatherstripping or trim, or a door that is out of balance. Note where it rubs first. Springs, cables and track adjustments are technician work.
Where it rubs tells you why
| What you see | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Rubs on one side, same spot every time | Track loose or shifted on that side | Check the track screws, then call if it is out of line |
| Rubs on both sides in damp weather | Swollen trim or seals | Look at the trim and weatherstripping |
| Rubbing started after a bump or hit | Bent track or a door pushed out of line | Stop using the door and call |
| Rubbing plus a heavy or crooked door | Spring or cable imbalance | Stop and call a technician |
| Grinding along with the scrape | Worn roller or hinge | Technician |
These are common causes, not a diagnosis. The door has to be seen.
Four checks you can do safely
- Close the door and look at both sides. Is the gap between the door and the jamb the same on each side?
- Look at the side and top seals. Clopay says weather seals along the sides and top block wind and moisture and can crack or wear out. A seal that is bent or swollen can rub.
- Look at the track. Clopay says to make sure the tracks are secured to the wall and to tighten loose screws. Only do this on the track-to-wall screws you can reach, and never touch the bottom brackets, springs or cables.
- Watch where the door touches as it moves, from outside its path. Note the spot, the side and whether it rubs the whole way.
What causes a track to move
A door that opens and closes every day vibrates, and that can loosen the hardware over time. Clopay says misaligned tracks put stress on the system and can make the door catch. An impact, such as a car bumper, can push a track out of place. Worn rollers let the door wobble in the track. See what to do when a car hits the door.
DASMA says only a trained door systems technician should adjust or loosen the bottom brackets, which are under extreme tension. Chamberlain says never to loosen, move or adjust door springs, cables, pulleys or brackets. A door that rubs and is also heavy should be left alone.
Why a scraping door gets worse
Rubbing wears the finish, the seal and the jamb. It adds load to the opener, and an unbalanced door may not reverse when it should, according to Chamberlain. If the rubbing is tied to a crooked door, see why a door is crooked or sagging. If you see a roller out of its track, see off-track doors.
Weatherstripping and trim
If only the seal or the wood trim is rubbing, the fix may be a new seal, a trimmed or sanded edge or a trim board reset. A seal that is too tight can also be a sign that the door is not centered. See weatherstripping on the sides and top.
What a technician does
A technician checks that the vertical tracks are plumb and equally spaced from the jamb, that brackets are tight, that rollers are in good shape and that the door is balanced. Clopay says replacing springs, door sections, tracks and operators should be done by a professional. Rollers, sensors or a tune-up are $150 to $350 in our price list, off-track repair is $175 to $450, and the final price is confirmed after we see the door.
Where we come in
Emil Garage Doors repairs garage doors across Southern California, and our city pages cover California. We repair garage doors in Burbank, Oroville and Huntington Beach. Call (213) 340-4232 or use the estimate form and tell us where the door rubs. See garage door repair.
Questions people ask
Why is my garage door rubbing the side of the opening?
The door is riding off-center. The usual causes are a loose or shifted track, a bent track, a worn roller, swollen weatherstripping or trim, or a door that is out of balance.
Is it safe to keep using a door that scrapes?
A light rub on the seal may only be cosmetic, but a door that scrapes and is also heavy, crooked or noisy should not be used. Chamberlain says an unbalanced door may not reverse when required.
Can I tighten the track myself?
Clopay says to tighten loose track screws. Do not loosen or adjust the bottom brackets, springs or cables. DASMA says those are for trained technicians.
Can swollen weatherstripping make a garage door rub?
Yes. Seals along the sides and top can wear, crack or bend. If a seal is the only thing that rubs, replacing it may be enough.
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