When you need to have just one of the panels in your garage door replaced, you want the replacement unit to match the existing panels. These tips will help you and the technician to locate a panel that matches or to update the look of the entire door if it is not possible to install a matching unit.

How to Get a Perfect Match During a Garage Repair

A dent, rust or hole may necessitate the replacement of one of the panels in your garage door. When an experienced Bakersfield garage door repair technician begins the repair, a replacement panel that is not from the same lot of products could look strange. Try these techniques for getting a perfect match during a repair of one panel of your garage door.

Check Manufacturer Warehouses and Inventories

If you can determine the manufacturer of your garage door, you or the technician could contact them and ask the company to check the inventory in their warehouse. It is possible that the company may have some pieces left, even if your garage door was made a decade ago. If they sold off the old inventory, ask if any dealers or resale companies may still have your part in stock.

Change the Color of the Door

If the only panel that is available to replace the damaged unit on your garage door is white, and your door is ivory, consider using a paint to change the color of the lone panel or the entire door. There are paints made for exterior use on a variety of materials. The technician could point you toward the best ones for use on vinyl, metal or wood, depending on the construction of your door.

Use Finishing Techniques to Update the Replaced Panel

Even if you do find a perfect match for the panel, chances are good that the replacement part will still look different. This is because the remaining panels of your door have been exposed to the sun, wind and precipitation for many years. Finishing techniques such as glazing, antiquing or etching could provide a better match.