DIY Network

Restoring Vintage Sliding Garage-Doors A Ft. Worth home, in the 1930s modern style, gets a distinctive period feature restored. From "Restoration Realities" episode DRTR-211

(Continued from page 3)

Figure Q

Re-Creating the Vintage Hood and Metal Jambs

• Using a pry bar, remove the board that connected the outside jamb to the opening.

• You can reuse the brackets from the existing track by cutting off the bolts using an angle grinder with a cutting blade (figure Q). Once the top of the bolts has been removed drive the rest on through with a hammer.

• Then, measure the opening for treated lumber that will be the base for the metal jambs.
  

  advertisement

  
  
  

  Figure R

• Cut the lumber to the widths and lengths needed with a circular saw.

• You'll need to mark the angle you want the hood to come down. (In this case, it was a 30-degree angle.) Cut that angle in the treated lumber also using a circular saw (figure R).

• Make a cut in the wood with the circular saw that will allow the top o the lumber to fit up to where the hood will rest.

• You're going to need another piece of treated lumber cut to the same height as the first board and with the same angle cut at the top. This piece will be about half the width of the first board and will fit outside the opening. Screw the boards together.

• Mark the anchor bolt locations that exist in the opening and transfer the placement to the wooden jamb.
  

• Using a 1-1/8" drill bit, create holes in the wooden jamb where the anchor bolts will fit. Drill down the depth of the bolt or about 3/8". Using a smaller bit, drill completely through the boards for each of the anchor bolts. This will allow the bolts to fit flush with the board when they're added.

• Place the wooden jam over the anchor bolts in the opening. If necessary, use a sledge hammer or rubber mallet to help fit the jamb into the opening (figure S).

• Attach the jamb with bolts (figure T).

  Figure S

  Figure T

  
  

  	Figure U
  	Figure V

• To prep the house exterior for the hood, using an existing caulk line as a reference, snap a blue line that will be used to cut a reglet or groove into the facade--which in this case was stucco. The metal from our hood will slip into the reglet providing a sealed joint.

• With a concrete saw, cut the reglet in the stucco (figure U).

• We also created a wooden top cap for the hood. On a table saw, set the blade to match the degree the angle the hood will come down and then cut that angle into a piece of treated lumber equivalent to the width of the garage door opening. They've set the table saw to cut a 30 degree bevel off the top cap (figure V). This top cap will reinforce the metal above and keep it from bending.
  

  	Figure W
  	Figure X

• Attach the top cap to the existing brackets using metal screws (figure W).

• Next, return the rollers and brackets to the track and create the wooden jambs for the other side of the opening.

• To bend the metal for the jambs and hood, we used a metal brake, a device that uses equally dispersed pressure to help cut and shape the metal to the needed dimensions and shapes. Because this metal was fairly thick, it's helpful to first score the joints using a utility knife. Use the metal brake to cut the metal to the widths you need and shape it to surround the wooden jambs and form it into the hood (figure X).

• Remember, joints are much easier to bend or brake when scored with a utility knife first.

• Using the angle grinder with cutting blade, cut the same top angle used on the wooden jambs in the metal for the side jambs.
  

  	Figure Y
  	Figure Z

• Place the metal over the wooden side jambs first, then attached the metal for the hood, sliding a small bent section of the metal into the reglet for a flashing. Secure all metal to the wooden top cap and side jambs with fasteners that have a neoprene backing (figure Y).

• Finally, caulk around the reglet.

• Reinstall the doors by sliding them back into the brackets (figure Z)and screwing on the bolts. Reattach any additional hardware.

• Install glass panes by nailing on a glass stop to the backside of the doors. You can use glazing compound as back bedding to prevent the glass from rattling. It's also a good idea to use tempered or wire glass for additional security.

The images below show the dramatic difference made by the garage-door restoration. . .

. . .as well as the improvement to the garage-door windows.

Read on for DIY web-extras providing additional information on polyurethane glue and on the proper use of concrete saws.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5