How to put a sliding screen door back on track. Sliding patio screen doors utilize different locking mechanisms depending on the specific brand. However, one of the most common types utilizes either a sliding lock or a folding lock that can be operated by lifting it.
This kind of door relies on two plastic wheels to slide along the track on the bottom of the frame and needs to be lifted slightly to get it off of this track.
First, remove your mini door from the top. Next, you will want to replace your larger unit’s broken wheels with some new ones so that they will fit into place again in order to work properly without any issues.
How to put a sliding screen door back on track
If your door gets knocked out of alignment, you can realign the top and bottom metal pieces by removing the door from the track and reinserting it. Start off by making sure the upper rollers are in line with each other.
Next, “walk” the bottom portion of the door back into place until you feel it getting caught on its way up. Try to push as much of the frame upwards without lifting one end too high; this will make realigning easier.
Removing the door from its track
You have to remove the screen door from the track before you can check for damage to the track or wheels. Each bottom corner of your door should have two adjustment screws.
Turn these screws counterclockwise to loosen the wheels and lower the door. With the door lowered, reach down and raise one wheel out of the door track using your fingers or a flathead screwdriver.
You should then be able to lift the entire door up and pull the bottom edge out of the bottom track. Remove the top of the door from its track by pulling down and setting it aside on a large table or balance it on a pair of sawhorses so that you can examine and replace any broken parts such as wheels.
The doors on these old homes and offices are usually about 16 feet high by 7 feet 6 inches wide, with 6-foot height frames at both top corners, so try searching around construction sites for replacements in those dimensions or talk to someone who sells windows & doors (and even screens ).
Keep the bottom track clean
If the screen door on your sliding patio door isn’t working smoothly any longer, there may not be much wrong with the rails: Think about vacuuming out any accumulated dust and grime from the track where the door slides, like dirt, can create a resistance that makes it harder to open or close.
Try to remove as much dust and gunk from the tracks as you can before exchanging tired rollers or lethargic springs, as greasing tracks makes it even easier for more dirt to accumulate in them.
Also keep in mind that most materials used for screen-door hardware, such as nylon rollers or metal hinges and clips, aren’t designed to withstand lubricants like vegetable oil, mineral oil, or anti-freeze fluid.
If this seems necessary to free up your troublesome door, you should replace all problematic components instead.
A straight top and bottom track
Ensure that the top and bottom tracks are free of dents. To straighten the track, you can use a pair of pliers or a wooden object (a block) to press against the problem area. Using more pressure will allow you to straighten the metal dent. Just keep applying pressure until it is straight once again.
Replacing the wheels
Now it’s time to examine and replace the wheels on your screen door. There may be clips holding each wheel and spring assembly in place. Carefully disengage these clips and remove the wheels and spring assemblies from the door.
Bring one of the old wheels with you to the hardware store so you can be sure of buying a replacement wheel that will match. There will most likely be at least three kinds of screen door wheels on offer, and you want to make sure you choose the right one.
If you can’t find what you need at your hardware store, search for replacement parts online using the name of the door manufacturer or distributor and purchase them either directly from them or else locate someone who’s selling spares that fit this model of screen door nearby.
You should be able to find replacement parts for purchase directly from manufacturers via their own web stores, even if having an old screen door although if not then you may have to get a whole new screen door instead.
Putting the new wheels
Putting the new wheels on your hall door, patio doors or folding screen can be pretty straight forward but you should know what exactly to do.
For one thing, it is important to eliminate certain variables by attaching the wheels to the screen door in very much the same way as you had done before so as to prevent any friction from possibly arising especially when using them for the first few times.
What you ought to do then is make sure that the ceiling tracks are correctly aligned with the roller tracks in place by making use of screws and clips.
Once this is done, you will have a smooth sliding screen door without having any problems afterward even after several uses over a period of time because all tracks would have been appropriately aligned with each other during installation prior to using your screen door for an extended amount of time.