Patio Door Installation in Lynchburg: Sliding and French Doors Done Right

The patio door is the largest piece of glass in most homes and one of the hardest working. It gets opened dozens of times a day in good weather, takes direct rain where there is no porch roof, and often sits on a deck that has moved a little over the years. When an old slider starts to stick, drag or let in water at the threshold, a replacement is usually the lasting fix.

Sliding or Hinged?

• Sliding doors do not swing into the room, so they suit tight kitchens and dining areas, and they give a wide stretch of glass.
• Hinged French doors open fully for a wider passage and a more traditional look, but need clear floor space for the swing.
• Gliding French-style doors combine the look of French doors with the space saving of a slider.

Signs Your Patio Door Needs Replacing

• Rollers that grind or a panel that jumps its track
• Fog or moisture trapped between the glass panes
• Water stains or soft subfloor at the threshold
• A lock that will not catch, or a panel that can be lifted out from outside
• Noticeable drafts along the interlock between the panels

How We Install It

The door is only as good as the sill underneath it. Once the old unit is out, we check the subfloor and framing for rot, which is common where water has been getting in for years, and repair it before the new door goes in. A sloped sill pan goes under the threshold so any water that gets past the door drains back outside. The unit is then shimmed plumb and square, foamed, flashed into the siding or brick and adjusted until it slides or swings smoothly and the locks engage fully.

Glass and Security

Patio doors use tempered safety glass, and insulated low-E glass helps with sun on a west- or south-facing deck. Multi-point locks are available on many models. If the windows next to the door are tired too, our window replacement work can be done at the same time.