The Ultimate Guide to Repair Glass Sliding Door that Sticks
The sliding glass door is a prevalent thing in most homes. Most people have it so they can enjoy the nice weather and be close to nature. Unfortunately, if you live in a place where there are high winds or hot climates, then your sliding glass door may start to stick. This usually happens when the seal between the track and the bottom of the door becomes worn out or damaged from years of use. Repairing a stuck sliding glass door can be stressful if you don’t know the steps to be taken. Luckily for you, here is a guide to repair glass sliding door that sticks. The entire process and the tools you will need to accomplish the task have been covered.
Tools and materials required
- Vacuum
- Stiff Brush
- Hot water
- Utility knife
- Rags
- Lubrcant
- 4-in-1 screwdriver
- Allen wrench
- Corded drill
- Screen roller
- Pry bar
- Sliding glass door
A step-by-step guide to repair glass sliding door that sticks
Step 1: Inspect the rollers
Rollers on your sliding glass door are vital as they facilitate the smooth movement of the door. You have to check the condition of these rollers if your sliding glass door sticks. If they are damaged, you will need to replace them.
If you notice any of the following on your sliding glass door rollers, then you must replace them to eliminate the stickiness:
- Broken rollers
- Worn-out track on the rollers
- Faulty lock mechanisms
- A sliding door with collapsed bottom
How to replace sliding glass door rollers
If you noticed any of the above signs on your sliding glass door rollers, then it is time to replace the rollers. Here is a guide to follow when you want to replace the rollers:
Remove the door from the track
Before you can replace your rollers, you must remove the glass sliding door off its tracks. The first step is to release and lockdown both end locks on either side of the sliding glass patio doors’ bottom rail. When this is done, you should be able to pull out each one until they are free from their rails.
The rollers sit inside the upper and lower tracks of your sliding doors. You can remove them by unscrewing and prying out the screws holding the rollers. Carefully lever out the track with a screwdriver and replace the rollers with new ones.
Adjust the rollers, so they fit in the roller tracks on both sides of the door frame. Use a screwdriver to tighten each one down until it is secure and moves smoothly along its track when you try to move it with your hand.
Make sure that you use gloves to avoid getting cuts on yourself.
It is recommended to glue the rollers in place after replacement.
You can order rollers and other equipment for repairing your patio door from home centers and lumberyards. To order the right equipment, look for the name of the door manufacturer. The name is usually indicated on the edge of the door. Alternatively, you can get the hardware manufacturer’s name on the roller. These are the people who will direct you on the type of roller or track that will fit your sliding glass door.
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Step 2: Remove the sliding glass door
If you realize that the rollers are okay from step one, then it is time to remove the sliding patio door and repair it.
Before you start removing the door, you should have a helping hand. Apart from being very heavy, sliding glass doors are very long and can be challenging to handle. Furthermore, they are made of glass, so you understand how fragile they are and can break instantly if they fall.
Put a blanket or towel on the floor beneath the door before removing it so that you do not damage your wooden floors with any dropped parts. You should also wear gloves while handling the glass sliding door to avoid cuts from broken pieces of shattered glass. The following are the steps you should take to remove the sliding glass door safely:
- Locate the adjustment screw covers on the sides of the door frame. Begin by unscrewing the covers with another person holding the sliding glass door firmly.
- Adjust the sliding door rollers using a screw. The purpose of adjusting the rollers is to ensure that they are not attached to the door. This will give you enough clearance to remove the door.
- Pull the bottom rail away from the door frame until it comes out of its track groove. Go on the inside part while your helper tilts the top edge of the door slowly towards you. You can now lift the glass sliding door off the top section and set it down on a blanket beneath to avoid breaking any parts of it while holding onto the bottom rail.
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Step 3: Repairing the Sliding Glass Door
To repair the sliding glass door, begin by removing the track grooves using a drill or screwdriver.
Then, place it onto a blanket to avoid breaking any glass door parts while holding on to the bottom rail.
Years of dirt, exposure to elements and hard use are some factors that make sliding glass doors sticky. Therefore, the sliding glass door track will have to be cleaned of any debris.
Cleaning the Sliding Door Track
Cleaning the tracks is easy. Just follow the steps below, and you will have your sliding glass door free of any dirt that makes it sticky:
- Use a vacuum cleaner to remove the loose dirt particles.
- To avoid using harsh chemicals, use a mixture of hot soapy water. You can as well add baking soda, but this is not a must. Apply the mixture on the tracks using a rag.
- After letting it soak into the sliding glass door track for about five minutes, use the stiff brush to scrub the track. Rinse thoroughly with warm running tap water until all soap has been removed from the track grooves.
- Do the same for the top and bottom edge of the sliding glass door.
- Use a rag to dry the track after cleaning.
Repairing Broken Glass Panels
To repair broken glass, you will need clear epoxy adhesive and rubber gloves. Start by removing all particles from the crack or broken glass.
After doing that, you can now mix the adhesive and apply it to the damaged area or crack on your sliding door using a putty knife. When doing this, care should be taken as the adhesive is very sticky and can cause a mess.
After applying it to your sliding glass door, you will need to apply some pressure on top of the repair area using a scrap wood block that has been covered with plastic wrap or wax paper. You can then let this sit for 12 hours before removing all of the extra residue left from the epoxy adhesive.
Now that you have let the adhesive set on your sliding door for 12 hours, it is time to install a new piece of glass in place of where the old cracked or broken one was before. For this step, make sure you clean off any residue left when you applied the glue and ensure there are no oils present on the glass. You can then spread some glue along the edge of the new piece and place it into place, making sure to use even pressure on all sides so that there are no gaps between so that the door can move up and down without effort.
Once you have applied both pieces of adhesive as well as installed a brand new piece of glass in your door, it is time to let the door sit and cure. You can do this simply by placing a couple of heavy objects on top so that they press down on the glass and adhere to it more fully.
For best results, wear rubber gloves when handling epoxy glue as this is sticky and messy stuff.
Lubricating the Sliding Glass Door Track
Before reinstalling the sliding glass door, the track has to be lubricated. The essence of doing this is to eliminate friction between the rollers. If the door is reinstalled without lubrication, you will have to use a lot of force to slide it. Using force on the door can break it or destroy the rollers.
For vinyl door tracks, use a silicone spray. Silicone is the least sticky type of lubricant, and hence it won’t leave marks on your door track. If you don’t have silicone, WD-40 can also work but will produce a film that could attract dirt after some time.
For metal tracks, use a light oil such as a sewing machine or chain saw oil. These are the best oils for metal tracks as they blend and last long on metal surfaces. Finally, if you have wood tracks, use wax or petroleum jelly. This is because wood tracks are porous and cannot withstand the effects of oil-based lubricants.
For rollers, use WD 40 as it can remove even rust from metal surfaces. For plastic rollers, you need to spray silicone on them to avoid getting stuck again in the future.
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Reinstalling the Sliding Glass Door
After all the repair has been done, it is now time to reinstall the sliding glass door back to its position. The process should be undertaken with utmost care because if the door is not appropriately reinstalled, the rollers will not move smoothly as they should. You will have to use force to slide the door. Here are the steps to be followed when reinstalling the door:
- Inspect the rollers and the hardware to ensure they are in the right place before reinstalling the door. In most cases, the rollers are the leading cause of stickiness in sliding glass doors as they are the ones that slide for the door to move. The rollers should be well lubricated without any sign of being broken.
- To reinstall the door, have a friend help you. Ask your friend to hold the door in place while you adjust it according to its original position. Ensure that they do not apply pressure on any of the rollers when holding the door because this will make them stick out and become weaker over time.
- Slide the door back and forth several times and then check if it’s working smoothly. The sliding also serves to spread the lubricant.
- For any other problem with your sliding glass doors, such as a broken or damaged screen or torn sealant tape, you can consult sliding door repair professionals in the Bay area.
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Causes of Stickiness in Sliding Glass Doors
There are many reasons for a sticky sliding door. Let’s look at some of the main reasons for sticky sliding glass doors.
- Dirt and debris. When the rollers and tracks are dirty, they will not slide well. This can be due to dirt or dust accumulating over time on the sliding door tracks and rollers, making it challenging to operate appropriately.
- Broken rollers. When one of the rollers break, it will cause the door to stick because the fracture creates friction in between the rollers.
- Misaligned tracks. If your sliding doors are not correctly aligned, then this can be a problem that causes sticking problems in your patio door. You may have to realign them or even replace broken ones if necessary.
- The door sealant tape is torn. Even though there is a strip of sealant tape at the bottom of your door, it can still rip, which will cause an obstruction in between the tracks.
- Your door is too old and worn out. If your sliding glass door is extremely old, then it may be time to replace the entire thing. If you have an older rollerset system with rusty or worn-out wheels and metal tracks, then replacing them can also solve sticking problems.
How to Prevent Stickiness in Sliding Patio Doors
After repairing your glass sliding patio door, it is necessary to maintain a smoother glide. How do you do this? Here is a simple guide to ensure smoother slides on your patio door.
Clean up the tracks regularly with a soft brush. If your glass sliding patio door is really dusty, you can even use an air compressor to clean out all the dirt and debris stuck in between the grooves of the sliding door track. Just make sure that it does not spray any liquid particles, especially when using water, as this may result in more sticking problems.
Avoid using excessive force on the door. If you do not know already, glass sliding doors are very delicate and sensitive. If you will force the door to glide open or close, be prepared for it to get stuck in between. Avoid this situation by simply opening and closing the patio door without putting too much effort into it.
You can also lubricate your moving parts with a suitable lubricant depending on its make, whether wooden, plastic, vinyl, or metallic.
Finally, it is not advisable to keep your sliding door locked for too long as this may cause the locking mechanism to jam. Moreover, the track may end up rusting if it is metallic. Consequently, the rollers may break, and the sliding doors may become impossible to open and close.
Sliding Door Frame Issues
As mentioned earlier, the sliding door frame might be damaged because of constant opening and closing. This damage can lead to various issues that may affect your patio’s appearance or its functionality. Some problems are listed below:
- The track may have become warped due to wear and tear, resulting in uneven movement, which is why it keeps getting stuck at one point.
- The sliding glass door frame might have bent due to excessive weight being applied on one side of the door. This may lead to jamming as well.
Sliding glass door frames should be straight at all times to prevent jamming. In case you notice a bend on the frames, you can straighten it using a metal bar.
The glass may have become uneven due to the weather conditions or because of being exposed to extreme temperatures for too long, which is why it keeps getting stuck at one point. Hinges might be loose, so tighten them up and apply some lubricant to the bolts and screws.
The Impact of Damaged Weatherstripping on Sliding Glass Doors
Damaged weatherstripping is one of the overlooked causes of a sliding glass door sticking. The weatherstripping prevents air and water from penetrating your home, so it must be functional at all times.
If you notice any torn or ripped spots on the weatherstripping, replace them with new ones to prevent doors from jamming. It would also help if you make sure to remove any debris from the tracks and weatherstripping regularly.
When left for long, damaged weatherstripping makes sliding glass doors stick. Broken weatherstripping also causes the door to repeatedly open and close, which can damage other parts of your door system.
Get Professional Sliding Glass Door Repair Services
There comes a time when, no matter how well you clean, lubricate or repair your sliding glass door, it won’t slide as it used to. At this point, you need to get professional sliding glass door personnel to handle the door.
At Fast-Fix Sliding Door Repair, we offer fast, reliable, and affordable sliding door repair services in the Bay Area. By hiring us, you will get a team of skilled, trusted, and licensed professionals to work on your sliding glass door at friendly prices.
You can easily schedule an appointment with us online, and we can discuss any issue concerning your sliding glass door and provide FAST help.