How to Repair a Sliding Door

Unproblematic repairs make sliding doors good equally new. Learn sliding drinking glass door repair.

Introduction

Sliding doors become sticky and hard to open up when the wheels are out of adjustment or the track gets dirty. Hither'due south how to repair your sliding door and replace a flimsy screen.

Tools Required

Materials Required

  • Premium replacement screen door
  • Replacement rollers
  • Silicone lubricant

Project step-by-step (vi)

Footstep i

Tuning up a balky door for sliding glass door repair: Adjust rollers

To start your sliding glass door adjustment project, first lift or lower the door on the track with a screwdriver or Allen wrench. Raise it just plenty to clear the track and roll smoothly. Locate the two adjusting screws at the lesser of the door (on the face or edge of the door) and pry off the trim caps that cover the screws. If one side looks lower, raise information technology until the door looks even on the track (Photo 1). If the door nonetheless sticks, turn both screws a quarter turn to raise the whole door. And so slide the door just short of the jamb and be sure the gap is fifty-fifty.

Supplant a Patio Door

Pace 2

Remove stop molding

Remove the screws that hold the stop molding. Cut the paint or varnish line on the room side of the stop molding so the molding will pull off cleanly. If the door however doesn't glide smoothly, you'll have to remove the door and examine the rollers. Become assistance for this—the door is heavy! Unscrew the finish molding on the within of the jamb (Photo ii). Be sure to hold the door in place in one case the finish is removed—if you forget and walk abroad for a moment, the door volition fall in, requiring a much bigger repair!

Troubleshooting a Sticky Sliding Patio Door

Step 3

Lift the door out

Grip the door by the edges and tip it nearly a pes into the room. Lift information technology up and out of the track 1 edge at a time. Tilt the door back (Photo 3) and prepare it on sawhorses. Inspect the rollers for issues.

DIY Rustic Barn Door and Hardware

Step four

Replace the roller

If the rollers, or sliding glass door wheels, are full of dirt and debris, give them a adept cleaning and a few drops of lubricant and run across if they spin freely. However, if the rollers are worn, cracked or bent, remove them (Photo 4) and replace them with a new pair. Unscrew and pry out the screws that agree the roller in, then carefully lever information technology out with a screwdriver. Make clean or supersede the rollers.

Drafty Patio Door? Weatherstripping Stops Drafts Cold

Pace v

Replacement rollers: how to supercede sliding glass door rollers

New rollers for repairing sliding doors are bachelor through door manufacturers or online suppliers, even for older doors.

Years of dirt, exposure to the elements and hard use tin turn sliding doors into sticking doors. Here'south how to repair your sliding door and make it run like new. Sliding glass door repair will get the task done.

Start with a good cleaning. Scrub caked dirt and grime out of the track with a stiff brush and soapy water. If the door still doesn't slide smoothly, the rollers under the door either need adjusting or are shot.

You can order rollers and other door parts for repairing sliding doors through lumberyards and dwelling centers or online. Expect for the door manufacturer'due south proper name on the border of the door or the hardware manufacturer'south name on the roller.

Sliding Door Security

Step half dozen

Replace a Balky Sliding Screen Door

Most sliding doors come up with really crummy sliding screen doors. They're constantly out of adjustment and the wheels always pause. If you're tired of trying to tweak it, or somebody has walked into it and aptitude it, now's the time to upgrade to a premium door. Premium screen doors are fabricated from extruded aluminum, and then they don't flex like the cheapo rolled aluminum styles, and they have thicker metal and extremely rigid corners. High quality wheels make the door slide easier. They only toll about $120 ($20 more than than an original replacement version).

Several online companies custom-cutting them to fit your patio door (two sources are qualitywindowscreen.com and apexproducts.com). The door ships disassembled (to save on shipping), so y'all'll have to assemble the mitered corners and install the screen yourself. Just that'southward a very uncomplicated task.

Here'south another tip. If y'all have a pet that likes to paw at the patio door screen, order the new door with pet-rubber screen fabric. It'southward amazingly resilient when it comes to pet claws.

Sliding Screen Door Repair Tips

Originally Published: Jan 07, 2022