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How to Adjust a Sliding Glass Door

Does your sliding glass door open slowly? Mine was tough to move and our young daughters could barely budge it.

I decided enough was enough and I had to figure out this problem.

So today I’m going to share 5 simple tips that will help you get your sticking sliding glass door running smoothly again.

Before we start here’s a list of supplies you’ll need:

As you can see this type of quick fix is inexpensive, won’t take long, and will help keep your sliding glass door, well, SLIDING 😉

 

Step 1: Clean the Sliding Glass Door Track

Standard sliding glass doors all have tracks. The track acts as a guide for the door and also allows roller wheels to help the door run smoothly.

Standard sliding glass doors have tracks

Over time the sliding glass door track accumulates dirt and grime. This slows down your door considerably.

Use a toothbrush or wire brush to clean the inside of the sliding glass door track. I tried using a toothbrush at first but then switched over to the wire brush I use for cleaning my golf clubs. If you know someone who golfs you could borrow this kind of wire brush from them.

Use a toothbrush or wire brush to clean the sliding glass door track

Once all the dirt is cleared from the track use a vacuum to suck it up.

Vacuum all the dirt and grime removed from the sliding glass door track

Step 2: Lubricate the Sliding Glass Door Track

Use WD-40 or a silicone based lubricant  and spray the entire track.

Lubricate the entire sliding glass door track

As some fans of Home Repair Tutor know, I love using Blaster’s Garage Door spray lubricant because it’s silicone based and doesn’t attract dirt buildup. It costs about $5 and can be found at any Home Depot or Lowes here in the states.

Make sure to wipe up any overspray that lands on the floor. It will create quite a slippery surface.

Step 3: How to Adjust Sliding Glass Door Rollers for a Smoother Ride

Inside a standard sliding glass door there are adjustable rollers that help it slide back and forth on the track. There are holes on your sliding glass door that conceal the adjusting screws to these rollers.

On my door the holes had plastic plugs in them. I used a steak knife to pry the plugs loose. There are two sets of rollers on each side of the sliding glass door.

Remove the plugs that cover up the sliding glass door roller adjusting screws

I used a phillips head screwdriver to turn the roller adjusting screw. This adjustment screw will move the roller height up or down and thus, your sliding glass door height will go up or down by as much as 1/4 inch or 1/2 cm. Tinker around with the roller screws to see if the door glides better when it’s at a lower or higher height.

Turn the sliding glass door roller adjusting screws to make the door higher or lower

At this point it may not be a bad idea to spray some lubricant into the adjustment screw opening. This will help the sliding glass door rollers operate a bit better.

What’s Next

Our other tutorial shares how to update sliding glass door hardware without spending tons of money.

If you’re doing a bathroom remodel and need help, join one of our online courses – they’ll make your bathroom renovation much easier!

Let me know if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to help.

Cheers,

Jeff




Sliding Glass Door