Installing replacement sliding patio door
#1
08-24-18, 06:17 AM
Installing replacement sliding patio door
Next week my son wants me to help install new sliding glass patio door on his home. We picked up the door earlier this week (heavy SOB). This is a cheap replacement, since he plans on moving soon. I've done doors and windows but never a sliding door. Looked at several YouTube's, seem straight forward. Anything in particular that I should look for or do that might not have been suggested in the videos?
I figure the hard part is taking out the old one. And most likely the new one may be slightly smaller than the old and therefor shimming or possible studding may be needed.
Typical supplies or tools...4 foot level, shims, finishing nails, saws all, foil tape?, insulation wrap?, caulking (what type)?
I figure the hard part is taking out the old one. And most likely the new one may be slightly smaller than the old and therefor shimming or possible studding may be needed.
Typical supplies or tools...4 foot level, shims, finishing nails, saws all, foil tape?, insulation wrap?, caulking (what type)?
#2
08-24-18, 07:26 AM
Group Moderator
Padding the door is what it is. I use plywood quite often and caulk behind the padding so air doesnt leak. 6 foot level would be better. You can easily bow the frame with a 4 ft level. If it's vinyl, OSI Quad will be the best caulk to use.
If it has a nailing fin on all 4 sides that will make it easy... just need flashing tape. But if like a lot of doors it may not have a fin on bottom. They can be a little tricky to seal up.
The sill it sits on needs to be level... so do whatever you need to do to make it level... shims, etc. Then put flashing tape over that to create a sill pan. Fold it up the sides 6". Some will fold that flashing tape over on itself to leave about 1" of sticky facing up near the back of the rough opening. You can then caulk the sill heavily and set the door in that. The door should be setting level if you did a good job on levelling the sill... centered in the opening on bottom. Then you just have to plumb the sides and check it for square. Sides should be parallel when you measure across. Top and bottom should be parallel when you measure up and down. Diagonals should be equal. Until you have it set perfectly you should only have 4 screws in the fin... only drive them partway since you may need to move them.
Add shims and screws where the mfg requires them. Usually no more than 4" from the corners and 16" in the field. No shims on top usually. You may need them there temporarily while you foam the door to keep it straight.
Once it's in you can check the door operation. Bring it close to closed and look at the gap where it almost meets the frame... should be perfectly straight. If the gap is bigger on top or bottom adjust the rollers to raise the door up or down. Usually you have to raise both to get it to slide easily... Then adjust just one to plumb the door up with the jamb.
Then you will likely need to trim it. A jamb followed by a base shoe usually is all it needs. Make the jamb symmetrical with the door and shim it as needed. (Don't just nail it tight to the rough opening... that won't be symmetrical with the door.) If your casing has to go in a certain spot, locate the jamb accordingly... You can use baseshoe or quarter round on the inside perimeter of that jamb to cover any gaps.
If it has a nailing fin on all 4 sides that will make it easy... just need flashing tape. But if like a lot of doors it may not have a fin on bottom. They can be a little tricky to seal up.
The sill it sits on needs to be level... so do whatever you need to do to make it level... shims, etc. Then put flashing tape over that to create a sill pan. Fold it up the sides 6". Some will fold that flashing tape over on itself to leave about 1" of sticky facing up near the back of the rough opening. You can then caulk the sill heavily and set the door in that. The door should be setting level if you did a good job on levelling the sill... centered in the opening on bottom. Then you just have to plumb the sides and check it for square. Sides should be parallel when you measure across. Top and bottom should be parallel when you measure up and down. Diagonals should be equal. Until you have it set perfectly you should only have 4 screws in the fin... only drive them partway since you may need to move them.
Add shims and screws where the mfg requires them. Usually no more than 4" from the corners and 16" in the field. No shims on top usually. You may need them there temporarily while you foam the door to keep it straight.
Once it's in you can check the door operation. Bring it close to closed and look at the gap where it almost meets the frame... should be perfectly straight. If the gap is bigger on top or bottom adjust the rollers to raise the door up or down. Usually you have to raise both to get it to slide easily... Then adjust just one to plumb the door up with the jamb.
Then you will likely need to trim it. A jamb followed by a base shoe usually is all it needs. Make the jamb symmetrical with the door and shim it as needed. (Don't just nail it tight to the rough opening... that won't be symmetrical with the door.) If your casing has to go in a certain spot, locate the jamb accordingly... You can use baseshoe or quarter round on the inside perimeter of that jamb to cover any gaps.
#5
08-28-18, 04:14 PM
Today we installed the new patio door. All went pretty well. Hit a few snags. The old door was screwed in and one screw head was stripped. Had to buy a saws-all just for that. But he needed a tool like that anyway. Installed the new door and it fit almost perfect. Little or no adjustment was needed. We just shimmed enough to keep it firm in the opening.
However, not realizing that vinyl doors are not absolutely ridged, I told my kid that we should stuff insulation into all the open areas no matter how small. Well, we over did it and threw it out of square. The middle kept bowing out. So we had to carefully scratch out all that insulation. Quite a mess. Glad we did not use spray foam. Anyway, we just loosely pack in pink insulation in the openings and it all came back into square. It now opens fairly easily.
But you can tell a cheap door from a quality door. This vinyl unit does takes a bit of effort as opposed to the new unit his in-laws bought. That was high end quality unit professionally installed and it can be open with just a slight touch.
But intends to sell within the next couple years, so as long as it works that's OK.
However, not realizing that vinyl doors are not absolutely ridged, I told my kid that we should stuff insulation into all the open areas no matter how small. Well, we over did it and threw it out of square. The middle kept bowing out. So we had to carefully scratch out all that insulation. Quite a mess. Glad we did not use spray foam. Anyway, we just loosely pack in pink insulation in the openings and it all came back into square. It now opens fairly easily.
But you can tell a cheap door from a quality door. This vinyl unit does takes a bit of effort as opposed to the new unit his in-laws bought. That was high end quality unit professionally installed and it can be open with just a slight touch.
But intends to sell within the next couple years, so as long as it works that's OK.
