What Goes Wrong During a Sliding Door Installation
Most sliding door problems that show up in the first year trace back to the installation rather than the door. Here are the common ones.
The opening is not square
The single biggest cause of trouble. If the frame goes into an opening that is out of square, the door binds, the gaps taper and the lock never quite lines up.
Shimming is how a good installer corrects it. Skipping that step is how you get a door that sticks from day one.
The frame is not level
A frame slightly out of level means the panel wants to roll to one end on its own. You will notice a door that creeps open or refuses to stay put.
Sealing done badly
Gaps in the exterior caulking, especially at the corners, let water into the wall. That damage shows up months later and nobody connects it to the door.
Weep holes blocked
Sealant or debris ending up in the drainage holes means the track holds water. In Florida that means corrosion and a shortened seal life.
Rollers set wrong
Rollers are adjustable, and they need setting once the door is in. Too low and the panel drags. Too high and it rattles and the lock misses.
Panels handled roughly
Glass panels are heavy and awkward. Chips to the edge during installation become cracks later, because a chipped edge is a weak point in tempered glass.
The wrong door for the opening
An oversized panel on rollers not rated for the weight will wear out fast no matter how well it goes in.
How to avoid all of it
- Ask how they will handle an out-of-square opening
- Ask who seals the outside and when
- Be there for the final test rather than only at the end of the day
- Check gaps, lock, seal and drainage before signing
Need a hand?
Stuck Door repairs sliding glass doors across Orlando and Central Florida. Rollers, tracks, locks and glass. We are family owned, licensed and insured, our parts carry a two-year warranty, and phone estimates are free.
Call or text (407) 900-9412, or send us a message.