How to Fix a Sticking Sliding Glass Door
Over time, your sliding door may stick, which makes it hard to open smoothly. This may seem daunting to fix at first, but it’s not as difficult as you might think.
If your sliding door is sticking, we’ll help you fix it.
Find The Cause Of Your Sticking Sliding Door
Check The Alignment Of Your Door
A patio door that is hard to slide may be due to a misalignment from excessive use.
Whatever the reason is, just ensure to check the alignment of your sliding door.
Check For Dirty or Blocked Tracks
Chances are sliding doors sticking may be due to an accumulation of dust or other particles. Dirty tracks are one of the most common causes of a sliding door sticking.
To prevent this, clean your screen door once a month. Take a cloth and some cleaning solution to wipe off dirt and grime from the tracks that make your door slide.
Inspect the Rollers On Your Door
Rollers are essential parts of sliding door mechanics. However, they are also the most vulnerable to damage and stickiness. This fact makes it one of the most prevalent reasons behind a stuck sliding door.
To inspect the rollers, you’ll need to remove the door. Check out this video to learn more.
Once you’ve removed the door, inspect the rollers to see if they are worn down. If so, you may need replacement rollers. Contact your manufacturer to ask for replacements.
You might just need to lubricate the rollers. Lubricate the door with some WD-40 or sliding glass door lubricant to get the rollers moving efficiently.
Check How Old and Worn Out Your Door Is
If you’re wondering why your sliding glass door won't close all the way, it might just be getting old. In fact, I recently replaced my last sliding glass door that I had for over 12 years. If you have an old sliding door, the best option is to replace it.
Keeping Your Sliding Door From Sticking
Sliding doors are simple to maintain and diagnose problems because they are designed to be simple to use. It's pretty straightforward to find out if your sliding door is stuck because of dirt and dust on the track or because the rollers need to be replaced. When faced with a sticky sliding door, here are some things you can do to fix it.
- Remove the sliding door from the frame and vacuum the tracks.
- Clean the tracks with hot, soapy water and an old toothbrush.
- Inspect the rollers for damage and apply lubricant or replace them if necessary. Replace the door and set the roller to the appropriate height.
What Makes Your Sliding Doors Stick
1. Excessive use
Sliding doors are not immune to wearing down. They are often one of the most used features of the house.
Some take more time to break down and get sticky, but most of them do in the end.
2. Mishandling
As we mentioned earlier, sliding doors are mechanical in nature. It is a mechanical tool that should be cared for, but many people overlook this.
Moving the sliding door back and forth quickly can wear down the rollers and track that the door sits on. Be sure to open the door without using excessive force. Sliding doors are not designed to be played with.
If you follow our advice, you’ll have a patio door that glides like a pair of ice skates in no time.
Thanks to Tony Kreychmar for this guest post.
Author bio: Tony is an experienced entrepreneur. He believes that a person can make a difference even with insignificant investments. In 2006 he founded the family business Fortuna Visual Group. They started off as a one-man show but now they are a crew of dedicated art crafters, designers, expert fabricators, and installers with exceptional skills, professionalism, and work knowledge.