Tools and Materials

Tools

Materials

Note

Product costs, availability and item numbers may vary online or by market.

Why Do You Need To Reinforce a Garage Door for a Storm?

A white garage door with braces installed.

A standard garage door needs reinforcement during heavy winds to protect your home. These doors are designed to be light enough to raise and lower easily, but the lightweight construction and the door’s large surface area can make it vulnerable to damage from storms with high winds. And, instead of being reinforced at multiple points, standard doors are only supported against high wind by the roller tracks.

Once the garage door buckles or breaks, there’s potential for even greater damage.

Water and wind can make its way not just into the garage, but into your home as well, leading to flooding.
Excess water creates a potential for structural and foundation damage.
The change in air pressure caused by the failure of a garage door in high winds can severely damage or even destroy the walls and roof of your home.
A damaged door compromises your security and can allow entry to animals and other intruders.

Bracing Your Garage Door Against Storms

There are several options for preparing your garage door for a heavy storm:

Have a professional install a special hurricane-rated garage door.
Use a ready-to-install garage door storm kit with purpose-built garage door struts and braces.
Build custom, do-it-yourself 2-by-4 braces to help reinforce the door, as we’ll demonstrate below.

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Wind-Loaded Garage Doors

Side-by-side images of a wind-loaded garage door versus a non-wind-loaded garage door.

Wind-loaded doors are reinforced with horizontal steel braces attached, making them less prone to damage from high winds. The technique below will work on garage doors that aren't wind-loaded.

Installing DIY Garage Door Bracing

Someone using a pencil to mark the floor behind a two by four.

Install a 2-by-4 on the garage floor at the base of the door to act as a base for the brace, with the length extending just beyond the door hinges. If preferred, install the floor brace after installing the vertical braces.

To determine where the floor brace will be anchored, hold a 2-by-4 against the hinges with one end resting on the floor, then make a mark on the floor behind the 2-by-4. Secure the 2-by-4 with concrete screws directly into the floor. For best results, the screws should bore about 1 1/4 inches into the concrete. Depending on the length of this base, four to six evenly spaced screw anchors should work.

Tip

Hex head concrete anchor screws don’t require additional anchors.

A man using a Kobalt drill to secure planks into the wall above a garage door.

Directly above the door hinges — between the top of the door and torsion spring — locate a stud or point to attach the brace support mount. The support frame mount will consist of 2-by-4 blocks cut to fit above the door and screwed together in an L shape, extending beyond the top lip of the door. Using the door hinges as your guide, attach the vertical braces to the L framing mount. It’s important to align it properly.

Tip

You can also use heavy-duty steel L brackets.

A short board braced on top of a garage door.

Each main vertical brace will be two 2-by-4 boards secured together edge to face to create a T shape. One of these boards — the cross member of the T — will be the height from the concrete floor to the top of the garage door, and the other — the base of the T — will run from the top of the floor brace to the L-shaped mounting bracket. Cut the boards to length and secure them together with screws.

The shorter board side will rest directly on the concrete and fit flat against the door, wedged in place by the space between the floor mount and the door. The other 2-by-4 will rest on the top of the floor brace and attach to the top L-shaped support. Finally, assemble and install the second vertical brace.

Tip

You can secure the vertical brace to the floor brace with steel brackets.

Someone securing steel braces around two by fours to reinforce a garage door.

Hurricane winds can also cause negative air pressure, which can pull the garage door outward. To help protect the door from this pressure, fit steel bolts through flat steel brackets and through the door hinges. Secure them with nuts. Install bolts and nuts at the backside of the vertical 2-by-4s as well.

Add these supports at every hinge. If necessary, add a wedge between the rear bolts and 2-by-4 braces for stability.

Tip

The bolt and bracket method is similar to the hardware that's included in an after-market hurricane brace kit.

Many doors will have only two track mounts to secure the door to your home. To help reinforce the track system, install additional mounts.

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Dos and Don’ts: Tips for Garage Door Storm Prep

Consider these tips for preparing your garage door for a storm. If a storm is approaching, pay attention to local news and emergency broadcasts. They may offer additional instructions.

Plan ahead. If you live in a location where storms with high winds are a concern, have a plan to reinforce your door and prepare your home. This can save time when a storm is approaching.
Keep the area around your garage door clear of tree limbs that could damage it in a storm.
Maintain your garage door throughout the year. A door that’s poorly maintained or already damaged can be difficult to reinforce and may be more vulnerable to damage than one that’s well maintained.
If your garage door has windows, consider protecting them to reduce the risk of damage that could allow wind into your garage.
If you’re using commercial braces, brackets or reinforcement components, follow all installation instructions.
Follow any local building codes that apply to your work.
Don’t leave your garage door open when a storm is approaching.
Don’t leave loose items or debris in the garage before a storm.
Don’t make any modifications or attach bracing to your garage door before checking your door manufacturer’s information. The manufacturer may have specific instructions for storm prep and other bracing or reinforcement may damage your door or affect your warranty.

Preparing for a Storm: How to Install Garage Door Braces