I'm new to the forum and completely new to home remodeling. Nonetheless, I'm interested in doing some remodeling to my home. One of the first projects I was interested in doing was replacing the sliding glass door in the back of my house with some patio doors.

I've heard installing doors can be pretty tricky?? I'd like to do it myself if I can, but I also don't want to bite off more than I can chew. So, I'm a little apprehensive.

Where to start? How to properly take measurements? What is involved in putting in patio doors? What to watch out for? Trouble areas that will arise?

Perhaps there is a good resource on tackling this type of project?

What are the pitfalls? Is this something a professional should do or is it a reasonaable project that a first-timer could do and begin their learning process?

Thanks for any help and suggestions!
Regards,
-D-

 

-Dman100-

Welcome to DoItYourself.com and the Door & Window forum.

Installing a set of patio, or french doors in place of an existing slider shouldn't be that difficult for an experienced DIYer, but it may be biting off more than you can chew for a first timer. I don't want to discourage you, but they are a bit tricky. They have a lot of adjustments to be made for the doors to fit and operate properly, and you have to know WHERE to make the adjustments in order to make things fit.

Also, they are HEAVY! That means you'll need 2 or 3 helpers to get the door into the hole. Do you have any friends with construction experience who you could recruit?? If so, then I would say go for it. Otherwise, I would suggest that you leave this project to a pro and start on something a bit simpler.

 

Hi Lefty,

Thank you for replying to my post. I appreciate your input. I kind of figured it might be a little bit more involved than what I could do, being a novice DIYer.

I do have a someone that is pretty good with home repairs, that might be able to help me if we decided to tackle it together.

If I may ask a slightly different question...based on my beginning knowledge level are there some aspects of replacing the door that I can do to cut back on the overall cost of having a professional come and do the installation.

For example, Home Depot wanted to charge me $30 to come out and do the measurements? Granted I don't squat about how to measure for the door, but I did a basic rough measurement that showed approximately 6' X 80", which they said was standard. They also mentioned that there could variations in the measurements to take into account. I didn't know if they were just blowing hot air at me for an extra $30?

So, is there a way I can do the measurements to feel secure in having the proper measurements? If so, how? Is there an online diagram or article that describes how to take the measurements? I admit, I'm not sure of the right way to take the measurements.

What about possibly removing the current doors to cut back on the cost of labor involved to have the professional remove them?

Basically, is there any prep work that I could do to help lower the cost? And, help me learn a little in the process.

Thanks again!
-D-

 

-D-

Tell HD to stick the $30 in their ear!! Every contractor in the world (or at least the ones in THIS neck of the woods) is going to come out and give you a free estimate, which INCLUDES measuring for the door. And sliding glass doors are STANDARD!! These guys don't even have to come out, assuming that you can read a tape measure fairly close! Stick the tape in the left side of the door and measure to the right. You're going to have either 6', 8', 9' or 10' of width. Put the tape on the floor and measure up, and you'll probably have 80". (OK, so I just read farther into the 4th sentence of your reply -- you have a 6/0 X 6/8 slider!) "VARIATIONS??" -- when cows fly!!! You're seeing it. The rough opening is going to be 72-1/2" to 74" wide. The height of the rough opening is going to be 80-1/2" to 82". I don't even have to come to your house to tell you THAT!!

You have someone willing to help who is pretty good with home repairs -- go for it, assuming he's willing to help. Like I said, french doors are tricky, but they certainly aren't rocket science. You'll be ordering a set of doors to fit your rough opening. Pop the casing (trim) off of the inside so you can see the edge of the studs. Measure that width. That's your rough opening width. POP the casing off of the top, and measure up to the header FROM THE SUBLOOR (top of the carpet plus 1/2"). That's your rough opening height. It doesn't have to be EXACT -- just accurate to within 1/4" or so and you are fine.

Find the doors you like and order them to fit inside that opening. Assuming that they aren't on the shelf at HD, or wherever you order them from, you'll have about 2 weeks to plan this installation, and to get back in here and ask your questions.

They ARE tricky, they ARE a bit time consuming because you don't want to rush through the installation, and they ARE heavy and awkward to manuever around. But the actual installation ISN'T that difficult if you take your time!!!

 

Thanks Lefty! I really appreciate the information. Okay, so once I make the measurements from the rough opening, I'll order the doors at those dimensions, correct?

Is there a proper way I should remove the trim around the door on the inside, so I don't damage the wall? A specific tool that I should use? I was assuming I could just take a flat head screwdriver and hammer and gently tap around the edge of the trim until it comes off enough where I can remove it. Is that the best way to go about it? Sorry for the silly question, but I just didn't want to go banging around the door and damage the wall. So, I thought I should ask.

Then I just measure from the edge of the studs that will be visible once the trim is removed to get the rough opening. And for the height just add 1/2" to the measurement from the edge of the stud at the top to the floor?

Thanks,
-D-

 

-D-

You are going to be ordering a set of 6/0 X 6/8 patio doors. The doors will have a jamb around them and a threshold under them. The actual size of the unit will be something like 74" or 75" wide, and about 81" tall. It will fit inside your rough opening, with some space on the sides and on the top. That's fine. That's exactly what you want. this will allow you to shim the sides as needed to compensate for any out of square conditions that the rough opening will have. You want the treshold to sit fully on the subfloor. DON'T SHIM ANYTHING UNDER IT!!

When I installed a set last summer, I needed to raise the ENTIRE door about an inch. Easy! I got a 12' length of composite decking, ripped it to the proper width, cut it's length to the width of the rough opening, and caulked it in place under the door. The doors are still fully supported.

Use a small wonder bar and a 1" or 1-1/4" putty knife to remove the trim. Start at the slider side of the casing and work it loose. If you have to do any prying on the sheetrock side, use a scrap of 1/4" wood about 6" long (or more) under the wonder bar to keep it from punching into the 'rock.

 

Hi Lefty,

I've been pricing different patio doors and I'm trying to find a door with a wooden threshold, which I haven't been able to find yet. All the doors I've found have the metal threshold. I've seen the wooden threshold and I personally think it is nicer and would like to find one.

I was also trying to find a door that had the internal blinds in the single panel glass, which seems to be only with the metal doors and not wooden.

I was curious if you knew of any companies I might be able to contact that sold patio doors with wooden thresholds and had the internal blinds where the door isn't metal.

I've been calling around and just haven't found any. If I can't find the internal blinds with a wooden door that's okay, but I really do want the wooden threshold. Ideally, both the wooden threshold and internal blinds with a wooden door would be great.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
-Dwayne

 

hi
depending on your location in canada theres bonneville, laflamme and robert makes wooden glass sliders.
you can order to your specification but remember
special order cost $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ and there no refund if you mess up the measurments.
So measure twice and cut once i say.
good luck

cheers

pg

 

Pella also makes the doors with blinds inside.

 

pgtek

There are several companies that make doors that are CLAD (not metal) that have the integral blinds, and a wood threshold is certainly an option.

Try Sierra Pacific, Marvin, Andersen, Pella, ...

These are high-end windows -- they will be priced accordingly. (You aren't gonna find a Ferrari at Chevy prices!!)