Installing a Sliding Door
Installing a glass door lets in tons of natural light and is a valuable addition to your home. However, it is a difficult and challenging endeavor and should only be attempted by someone who is proficient with tools and home repair. Most experts agree it should be professionally done.
- If you are installing a sliding glass door where one has never existed, the most important decision is choosing an adequate location. There are several things to consider when deciding where to put in a new door. Check your site from the inside and outside of the home for any obstructions. Look from the basement and the attic as well. Avoid any heating ducts, electrical wires and plumbing lines.
- When measuring for a door space, add an additional seven inches to the top and four inches to each side. This allows for jack studs, shims and headers. Turn off the electricity and reroute any electrical or plumbing lines. It is important to keep the wall braced while putting in the door. Until the jack studs are installed, the wall needs support. Do not skip this step! Installing the door takes two people, so arrange for help before getting started. The doors are heavy and need to be supported as they are put in place.
- Once the rough opening has been prepared, the actual sliding door installation is not difficult. A bead of caulk needs to be placed around the sill and to the top and sides of the nailing flanges. One nail needs to be installed in the right corner to steady the door frame. Use a level to ensure a straight top jamb, then nail the top jamb center, and another at the top left corner. Don’t hammer the nails all the way in until the door is set, and make sure you are using two inch galvanized nails.
- Make sure the door is square by measuring diagonally; make adjustments by pushing on the bottom of the door flange in the desired direction. Check the side jambs for plumb and nail in place. Using a dab of caulking in each screw hole will keep the frame from leaking.
- If the frame is rocking as you work, use shims to help steady. The sliding doors will have rollers to help the door slide smoothly. They are adjustable, allowing the door ride higher or lower, and you can move them to the other side of the door if located on the wrong side.
- Finally, you just need to add trim around the window and add caulking to the gap.