Had a new Andersen Sliding Patio door installed on a brick house. It replace a standard door and a bay window so it was a completely new frame in. The door install looks fine, but the door has excessive (in my opinion) play in the track. When closed, the door is tight and solid, no air leaks and no problems. When you open the door though, it "falls" off the weather stripping and makes and audible "clunk" as it hits the guide. It then bounces around in the track as it moves the fully open position.

I'd like to get some opinions on whether they think this is excessive or whether they'd be unsatisfied with the door banging around like that. It's a brand new Andersen A-series door and its 8 feet wide. If there is any more information needed then please let me know. I am still working with Andersen and the door supplier, but the contractor who installed the door talked to them and they seem to already be thinking its normal. At this point I am not willing to take that for an answer. This door was too expensive to make this kind of noise when operating.

Picture and Video

I posted a pic and a video in the link for reference. All opinions welcome. Thank you!

 

In looking at Andersen's cross section diagram of the A Series gliding door, it does indeed appear normal. I'd suggest you focus on sliding it left and right... Not tugging it in and out.

 

Can you link me to where you found this diagram?

Also, how is a door designed with this much play in it? Regardless of whether you pulled it exactly left or right, it's eventually going to lean and bang into the header.

 

Check out this video at about 26:00. The only thing I can imagine is that maybe they put the head stop in the wrong holes, allowing too much play. You could take the screws out of the head stop and see if it was pushed in all the way.

 

Thanks. I've watched that video, and the Andersen video start to finish to see if i could catch something that may have been missed during the install. Unfortunately I didn't see anything and it doesn't appear there is any play/adjustment in the head jamb holes.

 

This is normal operation for a sliding door. Majority of sliding door problems is binding and tightness. As long as it seals when closed you're good.

 

I get that most problems are binding related, but it certainly seems Andersen over corrected here with this gap. Maybe the fact that it is a wooden door and not vinyl on the inside makes it more noticeable, but a family member has an 8 foot 200 series Andersen door and the gap is nothing close to what mine is. Theirs is also white and not wood on the inside so maybe that helps, but its a completely different experience opening theirs. Almost completely quiet.

 

Call back the contractor and tell him you have seen other installs and this one is not right. If he refuses then call another contractor and tell the current one that if in fact another contractor agrees you, you will back charge him for the other contractor time and any repairs. Copy Andersen.

 

The service team from the company I bought the door from was here yesterday and he thought it was normal. He put in a call to his Andersen rep and confirmed as well. Not sure if its worth having a second contractor out or not. I'm not really happy with the door but dont want to spend more money to have someone else tell me it's how it's supposed to be.