Does your sliding glass door jam when you try to close or open it? Is it leaky? Wondering how to remove and replace such a door? Read on for a step-by-step guide on how to remove a sliding glass door.
What are Sliding Doors?
Sliding doors are the type of doors that open by sliding horizontally. They are either mounted on or suspended from a track. This type of door has a fixed panel attached to two hangers on rollers which slide along a track. They work by sliding a door panel along a set of horizontal rails.
Selecting a Replacement Door
You should only remove your sliding glass door if you have a replacement door in place. First, you’ll have to decide on the material of the replacement doors. Typically, replacement doors are made from Wood, Steel or Fiberglass. Secondly, you will have to determine the energy efficiency of your replacement and how it corresponds to your budget.
How Do You Remove a Sliding Glass Door?
With a little help from a friend, you can successfully remove and replace a sliding door. Sliding doors are a bit heavy and that’s why you may need a helping hand. You may injure your back if you attempt to lift the door by yourself.
You may find it necessary to replace your old sliding door due to old age, disrepair or to improve on energy efficiency. Sliding doors may also be removed for maintenance or parts replacement.
- Flathead screwdriver – this will help you tuck the sliding door rollers under the sliding panel as you pull it out.
- Pry bar – this will become handy toward the end of the exercise as you begin prying the frame and stationary door parts away.
- Reciprocating saw – to help you cut through any parts of the frame that are difficult to remove.
- Foam sheets – to protect the sliding glass door and flooring.
- A helper – to help you lift and move the door once it is removed.
- Caution: Each power tool and saw has a user manual. Read the user manual carefully before using the tool. Failure to follow the instructions provided in the manual could lead to accidents and body injury.
Follow these simple steps to remove a sliding glass door:
Clear the work area
Move any furniture, pots and rugs away from the sliding door to be removed. Place foam sheets around the area where you will be working. Foam sheets protect the glass from possible scratches and can also protect the glass from breaking just in case it is dropped on the floor. Ensure you have plenty of space to maneuver the doors.
Remove the screen door
Hold both edges of the screen door and raise the door until the bottom rollers clear the track. Pull the bottom of the door in your direction. You can also use a flatheaded screwdriver to lift the rollers of the screen off the bottom rack.
Once you remove the screen door, move it to a safe place away from your working area.
Remove the stationary door
This is the part of the sliding glass door system that doesn’t move and is usually located behind the sliding portion. It is usually held in place by a stopper, mostly a block of wood. Sometimes the stopper is hidden under a sheathing attached to the door frame and is not easily seen.
In such a case, use a flat prying bar to remove the sheathing and expose the stopper. Unscrew and pop the stopper out to allow the stationary panel to slid along the track. Unscrew any screw still attached to the door frame. Get rid of any debris stuck along the track and tip the door inward. Finally, lift the door to remove it from the track. Lay it gently on a flat foam sheet.
Remove the sliding door
Alternatively,
You may need to adjust the rollers at the bottom edge of the door if the door doesn’t clear the lower track when it is raised. Find the adjustment screws at the door’s bottom corner. Insert a Philips screwdriver into the small hole and turn the screw inside the hole anticlockwise. This will raise the roller. Lift the door and pull the bottom edge toward you and away from the bottom rack.
Remember:
- Only start removing your sliding glass doors if you have new doors ready for replacement.
- Start this exercise early in the day so that you have enough time to remove the sliding glass door and install a new one before nightfall.
- Get the right measurements for your new replacement door so that it perfectly fits in the space left by the door you are removing.
- Maintain sliding glass doors regularly to save on removal costs.
What are the Benefits of Sliding Glass Doors?
Installing a sliding door is undoubtedly a wise decision. They have numerous design and functional advantages. Here, we discuss the top 9 advantages of sliding doors:
Energy efficiency
Sliding doors are designed to retain air indoors. They are efficient insulators, ensuring that your house stays warm in the winter and cold in the summer. In summer, they will be keeping the cool air inside your home and the heat outside.
Double glass pane sliding doors are better at minimizing heat loss. As an improvement, some sliding doors have argon gas trapped between the glass panes to act as an insulator.
Sliding doors can also be fitted with composite gaskets to improve their thermal insulation ability. Such a door can also effectively act as a weather and sound barrier.
Safety
The good thing with a sliding door is that it will stay where you left it until someone decides to move it. Sliding doors are not swinging doors that can easily hit someone. Modern sliding doors have shatterproof safety glass adding to this safety feature.
Great Glazing
Glass sliding doors make nature and the outside environment more a part of your home. They give you an unlimited view of your garden or beautiful backyard. Glass sliding doors are particularly useful to parents with kids. As a parent, you can keep a close eye on your kids as they play in the backyard.
As a homeowner, you have the option to choose a glazing for your sliding doors that offers other numerous practical benefits such as blocking harmful UV rays.
Space Saving
You do not need a hinge to operate a sliding door. they simply glide along a track instead of swinging open. No extra space is required for the door arc because they slide one over the other on a track.
Another reason why sliding glass doors are known for space maximization is because they create an optical illusion. Like a mirror, a sliding glass door will make your space appear bigger than it actually is.
Environmentally Friendly
Some sliding doors have environmentally friendly properties. For example, there many sliding doors that are made from wood. Wood is not only renewable it is durable and acts as a good insulator.
Easy Access
You don’t need to apply a lot of force on sliding doors for them to open. A gentle push and the door will be glide open. This offers easy access to the outdoor areas. This is particularly helpful during the hot summer days.
Natural Light
Sliding doors have large glass panes that allow a generous amount of natural into your home during the day. The panes may run from the ground up to the top of the door panel. In such a case, you may not need to put on any lights in the house during the day.
Security
Security should be a big consideration when investing in sliding doors. Sliding doors are very secure because when locked from the inside, it is not easy to open them from the outside. The rails on which these doors run are also interlocked in a way that you can’t remove them from the outside.
Indoor/ Outdoor traffic flow
Sliding glass doors are large and therefore allow for easy traffic flow into and out of the house. If you want large objects such as furniture into and out of the house these doors provide easy access. These wide doors allow a generous amount of sunlight and give great views of the exterior landscape.
