How Do I Widen a Garage Doorway?

In order to easily drive your vehicle into your garage, you may need to adjust the width of the opening. Widening a garage doorway may be completed in less than a day. A wider door also permits more natural lighting into the space when the garage is open, allowing you to easily locate items.

Remove the existing door and frame using a drill to unscrew existing screws. Remove door tracks that run along the sides of the opening. Use a hammer to remove any nails around the frame. Expose the 2x4s that exist in the structure.

Determine the new size for the doorway based on your needs. If you are widening the door because of a new vehicle, widen the door to the equivalent of two additional feet per side of vehicle. You also can base the new opening size on the width of the new door you purchase for the garage. Use a black marker to mark the new location for the side of the doorway along the interior of the existing wall.

Remove the lining of the garage doorway with a drill. Remove all the screws holding the side 2x4 that will be removed. Try not to damage the 2x4.

Cut the drywall or boards off the wall with the jigsaw. Cut a clean line.

Vertically place the previously removed 2x4 along the frame. Level the board before reattaching it to the wall.

Measure the open space along the top of the doorway. This distance must be exact, and measure between the existing overhead 2x4 and the new side 2x4.

Cut a 2x4 to the measured length with the hand saw. Screw the 2x4 section into place by applying two screws every 14 inches along the top. Angle two screws diagonally on the side to form a strong end bond.

Attach the new door and frame to the opening. Apply siding strips over the exterior of the doorway.