Sliding door installation: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What sliding door installation is

Sliding door installation sets a sliding glass or barn-style door in a prepared opening or on a track. The installer levels the track and adjusts the rollers so the panels glide smoothly and seal properly. People call when a sliding door has come off its track, leaks or drafts at the edges, or when they want a barn-style door on an interior wall.

Signs you need it

  • A sliding panel that jumps the track, sticks or will not roll smoothly
  • Drafts or water at the edges and the meeting rail where the two panels meet
  • Worn, flat or broken rollers, or a bottom track filled with dirt
  • Cracked or fogged glass in a panel, or a frame with rot at the sill
  • A barn-style door planned for an interior opening that needs a track and a floor guide

What the pro does

  • Check the track, the rollers and the frame from inside and outside, and check the sill for level and water damage
  • Remove the sliding panels, then set the new track or the existing track level, shimming and fastening it into the sill
  • Install the rollers and set each panel on the track, adjusting height and alignment so the panel runs level
  • Fit the weatherstripping along the meeting rail and the jamb, and set the lock and handle so the panel closes tight
  • Check that the panel glides smoothly in both directions, adjust the roller height, and seal the outside joints

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • Door size, number of panels, and whether the door is a glass slider, a patio door or a barn-style door
  • Track system and rollers, including heavy-duty or soft-close options
  • Condition of the sill and frame, including rot or water damage that must be repaired
  • Glass type, and whether the panels are tempered, laminated or insulated
  • Barn-style hardware and floor guide for an interior opening
  • Access, including upper-story doors and decks that need planning
  • Trim, sealant, and paint or stain needed after the install

What a written quote should spell out

  • Door type, panel count, size and glass package named for each panel
  • Track type, roller type and the hardware included, with the finish named
  • Sill and frame repair shown as separate lines, with photos of the damage
  • Weatherstripping and seals used along the meeting rail, the jamb and the bottom track
  • Lock and handle type, and whether a key lock is included
  • Removal and disposal of the old door, and cleanup of the track and debris

Questions to ask before you hire

  • Will you replace the track and rollers, or only adjust what is there?
  • What glass is in the panels, and is it tempered or laminated?
  • How do you set the track level, and what do you do if the sill is out of level?
  • What weatherstripping do you use on the meeting rail and the bottom, and how will you test the seal?
  • Does the lock work with the panel alignment, and will it latch every time?
  • What warranty covers the rollers, the track and the glass?
  • Who checks the sill for rot before the door goes in?

Red flags

  • New rollers installed on a track that is worn, bent or out of level, with no track repair
  • Sealant used to cover drafts at the meeting rail with no weatherstripping
  • A sliding door set in a sill with rot and no repair in the quote
  • A barn-style door hung with no floor guide, so the door swings and rubs
  • A quote with no line for the lock, the handle or the weatherstripping

What you can do yourself

You can safely clean the track, vacuum the dirt out of the bottom channel, and lubricate the rollers and track with the product the maker recommends. Lifting a sliding panel off its track or changing rollers is heavy work, and a dropped glass panel can cause serious injury, so use two people and go slowly, or call a pro. Call a pro for a bent track, rot at the sill, cracked glass, or a door that leaks around the frame.

Licenses and permits

Sliding door installation is commonly done by licensed window or door contractors, and rules vary by place. Check with your state and local licensing agency, and the local building office if the opening, sill or framing changes.

Sliding door installation questions

Why does my sliding door keep jumping the track?

Usually the rollers are worn, the track is bent or filled with dirt, or the panel is not set level. A pro should check the track, the rollers and the frame before adjusting.

Can I put a barn-style door on an interior wall?

Yes, but the wall needs enough strength to carry the track and the door's weight. Ask the installer to check the header and the wall before the track goes up.

Should I replace a sliding door or repair it?

A repair is often right when the frame and the glass are sound and the problem is the rollers or the track. Replacement is better when the frame, the sill or the glass is failing.

How do I keep a sliding door secure?

Use a lock that engages the frame, and add a security bar or a pin in the track if the panel can be lifted out. Ask the installer which lock suits the panel and the frame.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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