How To Lift A Sliding Glass Door

In today's blog post, we will be talking about how to lift and fit a sliding glass door. A sliding glass door can be a great way to welcome natural light into your home and open up any space making any room feel instantly bigger.

It is possible to fit a sliding glass door yourself, providing you have the right tools ready to go and best of all, it could save you money.

However, you should only attempt to do it if you are confident enough to give it a go yourself - so if you fancy giving it a go we have included instructions down below on how to remove your old door and replace it with a new one.

How To Lift A Glass Door

Before you fit anything, you need to know how to lift such large panels. For jobs such as this one, glass suction lifters come in handy. Glass suction lifters are tools that are designed specifically for lifting anything large and awkward to carry.

They can be used on glass and any other non-porous material such as acrylic, marble and stainless steel and can even be fixed on appliances and pieces of furniture too.

A suction lifter otherwise known as glass suction cups work by suctioning onto a surface for a secure fit and therefore ensures a safe and secure lift. In this case, you will greatly benefit from having these tools when you come to lift the door.

Different devices can hold different weights and you will benefit from having more than one attached to the door at the time of lifting and another set of hands will be useful and much safer to help you lift it.

Different suction cups can lift different weight capacities, so always be sure to check the product description details for the lifting capacity. Details of the full range of the suction cups we stock at GGR Glass can be found here.

Is It Possible To Fit A Sliding Door Myself?

Installing a sliding door can be a tricky and fiddly job but it is possible to do, which is why we have put this guide together to help you.

Unlike an internal door, a door that separates the inside from the outside has to be the perfect fit, sealed correctly and with a secure and effective lock system. A wonky hanging door will not be acceptable, you have to have a door that sits perfectly level - which can take a lot of time.

Only consider fitting sliding doors yourself if you are confident in your abilities and are a handy person with DIY, if not, you could be risking your home to dampness and break-ins. If you have decided you are capable of your abilities then keep reading to learn more about how to lift and fit a sliding glass door.

Removal

Before you install your new door, you need to remove the old one - this may need two people due to the possible size and weight of the door. You will need to take down any blinds or curtains before you start the removal process of the door.

Next, you want to remove the adjustment screws found at the bottom of the door with a flathead screwdriver - one at the front and one at the back. This will raise the rollers that the door runs on and will give you space to ease the door out of the hole.

Take The Sliding Door Panels Out

Stand on the inside and gently ease the door up and out until you can pop the door out of place, carefully tilt the door and slip it out. You will definitely need a helper at this point in the process, and it's very useful to have a glass transport unit to help you reduce damage to the glass and other sensitive materials you will be using. You will need to remove any caps, trim or stops that support the sliding panel.

When all nails, screws and trim are removed, only then is it time to fit the new door.

Prepare To Fit The New Door

To prepare to fit your new door you must get all your tools together and you should read the manufacturer’s instructions.

The door frame may or may not come assembled - if it has come assembled then you will have an easy job, if not then you will need to assemble the frame according to the instructions whilst remembering that the tract that carries the sliding door should be facing outwards.

Use a spirit level to check that the frame is straight, place spacer shims to level any gaps.

Fit The Panels

Start with the stationary panel first and then the sliding door panel, you should easily spot the stops that will hold the panel in place but do not tighten until both panels are in place.

Seal Around The Door

Use a waterproof sealant to ward off any water that may get in and double and triple check for cracks, gaps or any holes to make sure your door is totally water-tight and draft-proof. Wait until the sealant is dry before using the door, the door should now be secure and safe to use.

Can I Adjust A Sliding Glass Door Once It Is Fitted?

Once your door is fitted with screws and sealant it is hard to adjust your door frame, this is why it is so important to get things right the first time - do not rush on any step and make sure you prepare fully.

Taking your time on each step to make sure you are doing things correctly will be worth it for the overall finish. If you still need to adjust a sliding door after all the correct preparation and time taken in the fitting process then the best way to do this is by using shims and packers.

Every sliding glass door has an adjustable roller that helps it slide back and forth within the track on the bottom portion of your sliding glass door, roller adjustment screws can be used to remove the sliding door from the track.