Should You Grease a Garage Door Track?

One thing we have noticed while performing service calls out in the field is most homeowners think everything on a garage door should be lubricated. While it’s a great idea to keep your door maintained throughout the year, applying grease to some components can do more harm than good. Let’s jump right in to find out if the tracks on your garage door should be greased to operate properly.

What is the Best Grease for Garage Door Tracks?

The best grease for garage door tracks is no grease. While many of the moving parts on a garage door should be lubricated, the tracks for the door itself are not one of them.

Garage door tracks should be free of anything that will inhibit the operation of the roller going down the track. Applying grease or spray lubricant to garage door tracks will cause issues that we will discuss in the next section.

Why is it Bad to Apply Grease to Garage Door Tracks?

The most common lubrication we see applied to garage door tracks is a heavy grease. When you apply grease to the tracks it becomes a magnet for dust and debris, which eventually will cause issues with the operation of the rollers.

A garage door roller wheel is designed to operate freely inside a garage door track. The wheel itself should be in contact with a clean, dry track so it can roll properly instead of sliding down the track. If heavy grease is applied, it will eventually become thicker over time as it attracts more and more dirt, causing interference with the rollers.

In colder climates, the grease issue becomes even more of a problem as it can thicken up like a heavy paste. This is why phone calls increase during the winter months.

If your automatic garage door opener senses an obstruction or feels increased resistance it will stop during operation. Keeping your garage door tracks clean and free of debris will eliminate these issues.

How to Remove Grease From Garage Door Tracks

The best way to remove heavy grease from your garage door tracks is by grabbing an old rag and removing the bulk first. This will be a messy job, so make sure to use rags you can throw away.

Once you remove the bulk of the grease, you can next use WD-40 or brake cleaner to help break down the residual grease in the tracks. This will take a little time, but eventually, you will be left with clean, dry tracks that allow the garage door roller to do its job.

Should I Grease the Garage Door Rollers?

Garage door rollers are one of the components that should be lubricated on a garage door. You can read our extensive article on which garage door lube to use, which will explain the best lubricant and where it should be applied.

Should I Grease the Automatic Opener Track?

The rail of your automatic garage door opener is a good place to apply a light coat of grease. Many openers feature a metal or plastic carriage and inner slide that moves down a metal rail. Making sure there is no debris on this rail and applying a light coat of grease will help ensure proper operation.

If your automatic garage door opener has a screw drive rail, applying grease yearly is a must. Screw drive rails require more maintenance than the standard metal rail because they are always spinning in constant motion during operation. If your screw drive rail is starting to get loud, a thin layer of grease applied will solve that issue.

Make sure not to apply too much grease to your screw drive rail. If you do, you will end up with a blob of grease on top of your vehicle or on the garage floor. Tracking that grease inside the home will make for awkward dinner conversation.

Conclusion

Well, it’s pretty simple. While many of the garage door components do require some type of lubrication, the tracks are not one of them. The vertical and horizontal tracks on a garage door need to be wiped clean with a rag if you start to notice any type of buildup. This will ensure years of smooth operation and save you on unnecessary service calls.