For most of us with a back patio or screened-in porch with a sliding screen door, it can be very easy to have dirt, dust, and more build up in the tracks. Not only that, but life can get pretty hectic. Accumulation of dirt from the outside can begin to grow along the tracks, making it more difficult to use your sliding patio door and screens.
Over time, your sliding patio screen door, exposed to the weather, can begin to show wear and tear. The fiberglass screen meshes not properly installed or too old can begin to sag as it ages. Pets, kids, and everyday accidents can begin to poke holes in your screen and allow small insects, dirt, and debris into the home.If you’ve begun to find it more and more frustrating to open your sliding screen door, or that it simply won’t budge while holes, sagging or insects have become more common, it’s probably time to clean and replace.
Have you ever wondered how to remove the sliding patio screen door and do both? It isn’t as hard as it sounds and can be extremely easy with the right prep and resources.
Supplies:
Screwdriver
Lubricant
Steel brush
Broom
Classic sliding patio screen door kit
With just a few simple steps you’ll have a screen door that will glide easier and a new screen to keep pests out of your home.
1. Order Your Replacement Kit You will want to have the measurements for your sliding patio screen door on hand. If you still have your old one installed or at hand, it should be easy to measure. Simply measure the height and width.
When it comes to the replacement kit, you’ll want one with the top-tier materials so that it outlasts your older screen door and, you’ll no doubt want it affordable. Take a look at Quality Window Screen’s kits, highly reviewed and well trusted in the business of window treatments. You can easily match the width and height of your old door, pick a frame color, several different custom screen types, and ships ready to assemble with a roller tool as well.
2. Remove your Old Sliding Screen Door Your sliding screen door most likely contains two wheels. These wheels are what allow the door to move along its track. Held within a cartridge, this cartridge can move up and down inside the screen door and is held in place by screws. That means if you loosen the screws yourself with a screwdriver, the cartridge can be adjusted up or down. By loosening the screws to allow your door to move up and down you’ll be able to pull the door from the track it runs on. Your patio screen door may only have two wheels or it may have four, either top or bottom. Locate the wheels, loosen the screws, and pull the door to maneuver it out of the track.
3. Cleaning and Lubrication Once your sliding patio screen kit has been assembled you should notice it has wheels. Those wheels are commonly found at the top and the bottom. Both of these wheels rest on top of a track. That track on your patio door looks like a metal tab. It is important to lubricate all wheels so they operate efficiently. Dirt and debris built up here and along the track are one of the main culprits in making patio doors harder to open.
It is important to use a silicone-based lubricant that helps fight dirt build-up on your new screen door and to remember to clean and lubricate again at least every six months. Maintenance and cleaning will ensure a longer life from your sliding patio screen door.
4. Tackle the Track Next is the other main culprit to hard to close sliding patio doors, the track. Use your handy wire brush to get into the track to lift and remove the toughest build-up. Next, take your broom and sweep out all the loose dirt. If you can’t get it all, you might want to go ahead and try the small nozzle on a vacuum.
5. Place Your New Sliding Patio Screen Door Last, but not least, time to enjoy your new screen door! Insert the new sliding patio screen door into the top track at an angle. Make sure to position and that the two wheels, if any on the top or bottom sit or rest on the metal track tab.
Now push up on the door and allow the bottom two wheels (if any) to align with the bottom track. Now the door should be firmly in place, and all you have to do is tighten the screws in the cartridge that carries the wheels. And that’s it!
That’s all there is to it for replacing a sliding patio screen door and cleaning it up for a smoother, better door! When it comes to super easy, high-quality window treatments, with the right experts and products it can be a painless DIY experience that saves you time and money.
