How to Make a Sliding Door Run More Smoothly

We have all experienced sliding doors that jump or hop when you open them or doors that take a Herculean amount of force to move. Fortunately, the solutions to these problems are relatively simple and can be completed in little time with simple tools. As with about everything in life the old adage an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure is a fitting way to look at sliding doors. Keeping the door even and the tracks clean will go a long way toward stopping problems from developing. Keeping the track that the door runs in clean by sweeping or vacuuming and the occasional application of graphite powder will also help the door stay in good working order.

Open your door just a bit and look at the edge of the door compared to the side of the frame. These should be parallel to each other. If they are not parallel, you will need to adjust the door. Generally one side of the door is held in a fixed position and the other side will adjust with a screw. Once you have found the adjustment if that side needs lowered then turn the screw counterclockwise to lower the door. If that side of the door needs to be raised have a helper lift on the bottom of the door while turning the screw clockwise. Keep doing this until the door is standing parallel to the frame.

Examine the metal track at the bottom of the door as they will often become damaged by getting stepped on or an improperly aligned door. If the track is bent or smashed in any way this needs to be corrected. Lay a block of wood either inside or outside the bent rail and place a foot on the wood while using a hammer to straighten out any bends. You may want to place a wooden block on the side to be hammered to avoid a dent where the hammer strikes the metal. Do this carefully as flexing the metal too much will make it brittle. Once the track is back in place try to avoid the causes of the damage.

Now your door should be in proper order. Check to see that it is working properly. Remember to use the preventive steps mentioned earlier, especially keeping the track clean and free of obstructions.

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