How To Lubricate Garage Door

Every garage door is different, but it certainly needs lubrication every three months to once a year.
Once the garage door is squeaking, it’s a tell-tale sign that the components need lubrication. After all, garage doors consist of different parts that work together. They could end up grinding to one another with constant use, resulting in friction. This friction could lead to a noisy garage door.
Applying a garage door lube is the key to preventing shearing and grating. Thus, we will teach you how to lubricate garage doors and choose the best garage door lubricants.

Step-by-Step Guide on How To Lubricate Your Garage Door

Now we head on to our step-by-step guide in lubricating garage doors. The entire process is easy but requires careful attention to ensure the work is done safely. Here are the steps to follow:

STEP 1

Clean All Non-Moving Parts

Before applying a garage door lubricant, make sure to get rid of the dust, dirt, and grime. You can use a microfiber towel or broom to dust everything. Then spray water to the tracks and panels.
Next, soak the sponge into a detergent solution. Then, scrub the surfaces to get rid of the dirt completely. Focus on the parts that require lubrication, such as springs, rollers, and hinges. Stay away from the garage door opener to prevent any electric circuit situation.
After, rinse any soap solution on the surfaces and dry everything. It’s essential to dry the parts for adequate lubrication.

STEP 2

Lubricate the Rollers

After drying everything, we head on to the first component that is responsible for smooth movement – the garage door rollers.
Rollers are located on both sides along the tracks. If your rollers are metal-made, apply lithium grease liberally from the inner bearings, shaft, wheels to the outer surface. For nylon and plastic rollers, avoid greasing on the wheels. Only focus on applying garage door lube to the shafts.

STEP 3

Lubricate the Hinges

Also, pay attention to the hinges. After all, they’re necessary since it won’t be possible to fold and unfold the doors without them.

Since they are made of metal, they are also prone to corrosion and rust, which could lead to a lock-up. Hence, apply a silicone-based spray over it, just enough to cover every tiny space of the hinges.

STEP 4

Lubricate the Springs

Whether it’s extension or tension, the spring is essential to the overall operation of the garage door. Since it is used daily, it is prone to wear and tear. Hence, make sure that it’s still not wearing out for effective lubrication. Use a silicone-based spray for springs.

STEP 5

Lubricate the Shafts, Rails, and Bearings

Shafts, rails, and bearings near the springs are prone to friction. When it grinds against each other, the garage door won’t glide as it’s supposed to. Hence, apply lithium grease to the shafts, rails, and bearings but avoid overapplying it.

STEP 6

Test Your Garage Door

Finally, test your garage door. Operate it a few times to evenly spread the lubricant to the moving parts. If you no longer hear a squeaky garage door, then you can use your door again.

Choose The Best Lubricant For Your Garage Door

There are two garage door lubricants recommended for best results. These are silicone and lithium-based lubricants.

Silicone-Based Lubricants

Silicone-based lubricants provides moisture to any metal surface to prevent wear, tear, and corrosion. Because a silicone-based lubricant has an attached straw-like nozzle spray, it’s easy to penetrate tight areas.
The areas it can cover are hinges, springs, and locking mechanisms.
It’s also long-lasting due to being resistant to weather and temperature changes. Hence, it’s best to use it no matter the season.

Lithium-Based Lubricants

Lithium-based grease also reduce the friction between metal surfaces effectively. They stay on the surface well rather than soaking into it. Hence, use them for rails, rollers, and other friction-prone components. Like silicone-based sprays, they are also weather-resistant. However, it’s not always reliable to use white-lithium grease unless necessary. They dissipate rather too quickly compared to silicone-based lubricants, and also tend to drip too much.

Choose a Lubricant According to Its Intended Use

Before you decide on buying the best garage door lubricant, know how you want to use it. Some products are better suited to specific parts. However, it’s best to buy two products for ideal grease for garage doors.
A silicone-based lubricant is suitable for use for lubricating hinges, wheels, and springs. It allows precision to target small areas to provide moisture to the metal surfaces.
On the other hand, a lithium grease product is suitable for rollers and rails. It may have a messy application, but it lasts a long time for these specific uses. Make sure to keep a towel in hand to remove the excess drippings.

Avoid These Parts When Lubricating The Garage Door

Not all moving components need lubrication. There are parts such as cables, pulleys, and tracks that should be lubricant-free. The reason is they won’t function properly.
Another reason to avoid these parts is the lubricant might lead to build-up. It can attract dust and debris, leading to corrosion, friction, and loss of movement.
For this reason, when greasing garage door parts, concentrate on the metal components with pivotal points such as hinges and rollers.
Also, avoid greasing nylon and rubber materials since lubricants don’t absorb into these parts.
In short, you don’t need to lubricate the entire garage door. Only focus on the moving parts. After all, lubrication is used for the parts to glide smoothly.

How Often Should I Lubricate the Garage Door Parts?

For springs, rollers, and hinges, make sure to lubricate them every three months. However, you need to frequently lubricate them if you live in an extreme climate area.
Grease the shafts, rails, and bearings every six months or twice a year.
In general, you need to lubricate the parts at least twice a year to four times a year. However, if you want the best results, check the condition of your garage door regularly and lubricate as necessary.

You Deserve a Well-lubricated Garage Door

We don’t want a noisy garage door as it could disturb your neighbors. The noise might also indicate a problem with some of the parts.
Check the garage door from time to time to prevent any problems. Clean, lubricate, and fine-tune some of the parts. After all, you deserve a well-functioning garage door.