How to Prepare for a Garage Door

Purchase the garage door that's right for your home. This is an important part of the preparation period. If you're having the door professional installed, you will likely be buying through the contractor. However, if you're installing it yourself, you can purchase the door from anywhere you want. Focus on finding a door that matches the outside of your home and that has easy installation instructions.

Clean your garage with a broom and remove clutter. A garage door has many parts, and it will be easier to assemble if the area in your garage is free from clutter and swept clean.

Purchase any additional hardware you might need for the garage door. Double check that any hardware you use has been approved by the manufacturer of the garage door.

Schedule a professional to remove your existing garage door. This process can be very dangerous, so don't attempt to do it yourself. If a different professional is removing the door than the one who's installing it, schedule them on the same day.

Sand smooth any rough or uneven spots in your garage door frame with a power sander. The frame needs to be perfectly even before the new garage door can be installed.