Caring for Your Wood Garage Door or Wood Gate

Tips for keeping your wood garage door or gate looking and performing its best.

At Dynamic Garage Door, we specialize in crafting custom wood garage doors and gates to deliver the exact look you want and complement the architectural style of your home. Our doors are made from the finest raw materials, including a variety of exotic and reclaimed woods from around the world, plus wrought iron, copper, chrome, or glass accents. Naturally when investing in a high-quality garage door or gate, you’ll want to take excellent care of it so that it may deliver years of good performance. Here are some tips that should help.

Visually Inspect Your Door or Gate Often

Paying close attention to the condition of your garage door or gate will help you notice small problems before they become big ones. Watch the door or gate move through its opening and closing motion, noting any odd or jerky motions that could indicate something is out of alignment. Also, pay close attention to the condition of the paint, finish, or sealant. If you notice cracking or peeling, you need to get this addressed ASAP.

Repaint or Refinish as Needed

Unless you really want that weathered look, any wood garage door or gate will need a layer of paint, stain, or other type of sealant to protect it from the elements. When this protective layer becomes damaged, you risk issues with mildew, swelling, or warping if you do not replace it quickly.

Avoid the Urge to Powerwash

Mildew isn’t as big of a problem here in southern California as it is elsewhere in the country, but you may still develop of bit of mildew on your wood garage door or gate from time to time, especially if it is near a source of moisture such as a sprinkler system. Remove any mildew or dirt with a scrub brush, not a powerwasher, as the high-pressure spray from such a machine could damage some of the softer types of wood.

Protect Iron Hardware

Decorative hardware can transform a plain wood door or gate into something really special. While you may like a certain amount of patina on your iron, you probably don’t want to let it rust as this could potentially stain the door as well as detract from the overall aesthetic. Iron can be protected using paint, wax, or oil to prevent rust. If you do see rust, have it removed immediately and the iron patched or replaced as needed.