Tips for Making a Patio Door Slide More Easily

If you have a sliding patio door that seems tough to slide open or shut, you can probably rectify the problem yourself. You just need to know what to look for - this guide should shine a little light on how to go about it.

Clean the Tracks

Inspect the door’s sliding track one half at a time. Take a close look down into the track. Is it full of dust or sand? Is it rusted out? Any of these things (and many others) can make it nearly impossible to slide open a sliding door without the expenditure of a herculean effort.
So, clean the track out. The best way to do this is with a bottle of compressed air or a vacuum, although you can also do it with a damp rag or sponge. Another helpful tool is a wire brush to get rid of the dirt and grime. You want that track to look mirror-slick.

Check the Tracks for Deformities

After you’ve cleaned the track, you want to check for deformities that could actually be the problem (or working in concert with debris to stifle your efforts to make ingress or egress).

Are there any nicks or dings in the track? Are there any areas where it is noticeably bent? A small angular curve in the track can place a fairly large tension load on the door - making it much harder than you might think to open or close the door.

If you see a bend, and can fix it with pliers or a hammer, do so. Just be quite careful as you don’t want to make the problem worse or have to call a contractor to come out and save you because you ruined the sliding track.

If you need a sliding door track replacement, check out the track caps we have to offer.

Replace the Rollers If Necessary

Many sliding doors are made with sliding patio door roller assemblies that fit into the sliding track and help ensure fluid operation of the door. These can often be easily replaced. If your door is sticking or is hard to push, this is one of the things you can look into replacing.

For our part, we carry a wide range of sliding door roller assemblies that are compatible with popular models of sliding patio doors. Contact us if you have questions about compatibility.

Make Sure the Patio Door Handle Is Installed Properly

Specifically, make sure it is screwed in tightly. A loose patio door handle is the precursor to a broken handle because it’ll rattle in its bearing when you yank it open or closed.

Also, make sure the screws are not only tight but that they aren’t rusted. Rusted out screws are better replaced earlier than later. Here’s another WD-40 tip - if you need to replace the screws that fasten the patio door handle in place, soak them in WD-40 first. It will help prevent corrosion and will also prevent them from seizing, making it easier to replace them if you ever need to do that again.

Broke the Patio Door Handle? We’re Here to Help

If all of this is getting to you just a little too late and you’re still sitting here clutching the broken patio door handle, not to worry, we have replacements for that as well. 

Check our collection via the previous link and get in touch with us if you have any questions before buying.