Best way to stop birds getting into the garage?

Money_Grabber13579

As we will shortly be approaching nesting season again, I'm revisiting a problem I had last year and that was birds getting into the garage.  They didn't seem to nest in the garage but they did make a bit of a mess and so I'm keen to try and keep them out this year, if possible.

As far as I can tell, the place where they are getting in, is at the top of the garage door, where there is about a 2 inch gap (why the gap is there, I don't know, because the gap exists when the door is both open and closed).  I've attached pictures of this gap below (the beige strip in the middle of the photos is the gap where the internal garage ceiling can be seen from outside the garage with the door closed!).  Are there any easy methods of closing/narrowing this gap so birds can't get in (by easy, I mean not involving taking off the garage door and rehanging it properly so there is no gap). 

I've seen some brush strips in Screwfix but wasn't sure if they would be suitable given they will need to be hung horizontally and so would the brushes just bend downwards over time?  If something like that is suitable, can I drill holes into the lintel above the garage door and screw them in?  There seems to be a black strip of metal (on the left hand side of the pictures) which is attached to the lintel - can I drill through that?

Alderbank

This DIY solution might work for you?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRStAEqn7go
This guy uses the foam pipe insulation used for water pipes

Section62

Money_Grabber13579 said:

I've seen some brush strips in Screwfix but wasn't sure if they would be suitable given they will need to be hung horizontally and so would the brushes just bend downwards over time?  If something like that is suitable, can I drill holes into the lintel above the garage door and screw them in?  There seems to be a black strip of metal (on the left hand side of the pictures) which is attached to the lintel - can I drill through that?

If you can find a way to fix it, this is the best solution to keep birds out....

https://www.screwfix.com/p/eaves-comb-filler-1000mm-20-pack/40157

Money_Grabber13579

Section62 said:

Money_Grabber13579 said:

I've seen some brush strips in Screwfix but wasn't sure if they would be suitable given they will need to be hung horizontally and so would the brushes just bend downwards over time?  If something like that is suitable, can I drill holes into the lintel above the garage door and screw them in?  There seems to be a black strip of metal (on the left hand side of the pictures) which is attached to the lintel - can I drill through that?

If you can find a way to fix it, this is the best solution to keep birds out....

https://www.screwfix.com/p/eaves-comb-filler-1000mm-20-pack/40157

Those look to be quite flexible, would they not flop down into the vertical position, when applied horizontally? Or are they stiffer than they look?

Money_Grabber13579

Alderbank said:

This DIY solution might work for you?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRStAEqn7go
This guy uses the foam pipe insulation used for water pipes

That looks like an interesting idea, although getting access to fit something like that might be tricky, as I don’t have access over the top of the garage door. Is there any type of glue which would fix to both insulating foam and concrete blocks?

Section62

Money_Grabber13579 said:

Those look to be quite flexible, would they not flop down into the vertical position, when applied horizontally? Or are they stiffer than they look?

They are stiffer than they look.  If anything the problem may be with them not being supple enough, meaning you need to attach the strip very securely to stop the pressure from the door detaching the strip from the wall.

Ideally the strip needs to be screwed, nailed, or pop-riveted on, rather than just glued.

Money_Grabber13579

Section62 said:

Money_Grabber13579 said:

Those look to be quite flexible, would they not flop down into the vertical position, when applied horizontally? Or are they stiffer than they look?

They are stiffer than they look.  If anything the problem may be with them not being supple enough, meaning you need to attach the strip very securely to stop the pressure from the door detaching the strip from the wall.

Ideally the strip needs to be screwed, nailed, or pop-riveted on, rather than just glued.

I'm back again!  I've been measuring the gap between the wall and the garage door to make sure that these wouldn't foul the operation of the door and it looks like it should be okay.  So, my question now is how best to fit them?

They need to be attached to a concrete lintel which spans the garage door opening - is it acceptable to nail directly into that, without compromising it's strength?  If so, would normal masonry nails, such as these be suitable?  Just trying to make sure that I'm not going to start trying to attach them and end up hitting a steel bar or something equally as hard, meaning that the nails just bend or break!

grumbler

I don't think you'll be able to hammer any nails into the lintel. You can try something like 'liquid nails" to fix a slim wooden plank first (or use a combination of adhesive and few screws with wall plugs), then screw what you want to the plank with short screws.

Also, I'm not sure I fully understand the design and the size of the gap, but you can consider this product instead of the foam

It's designed to stop birds getting under roofing tiles.

plumb1_2

I would use a brush strip, you can buy them 2.4mtr long, with brushes from 15mm up to 150mm.
Plug and screw into the lintel 

Money_Grabber13579

grumbler said:

I don't think you'll be able to hammer any nails into the lintel. You can try something like 'liquid nails" to fix a slim wooden plank first (or use a combination of adhesive and few screws with wall plugs), then screw what you want to the plank with short screws.

Also, I'm not sure I fully understand the design and the size of the gap, but you can consider this product instead of the foam

It's designed to stop birds getting under roofing tiles.

Yep, that’s what I’m thinking of going for. The gap is hard to explain but if you think about the vertical part of the garage door, there is a gap between the door and the concrete lintel, through which sparrows seem to be able to get in. The gap is about 2 inches wide and so thought these strips might be able to be fixed to the concrete lintel, with the spikes then pointing up towards the roof.  

Would it be better to drill holes in the lintel and plug and screw it in, rather than just trying to nail it?

Money_Grabber13579

plumb1_2 said:

I would use a brush strip, you can buy them 2.4mtr long, with brushes from 15mm up to 150mm.
Plug and screw into the lintel 

I was thinking of using a brush strip but given it would need to be fixed in a horizontal position, I was thinking that the brushes might eventually bend downwards and reopen the gap.