On This Page:

1. Sliding Glass Door Prices
2. Replacing a Sliding Glass Door - What to Consider When Installing
• DIY Job?
3. Maintenance for Your Sliding Glass Door
4. Conclusion

The sliding glass door traces its ancestry to the Japanese “Shoji” and “Fusuma” sliding panels. While these panels are traditionally interior pieces, the Western sliding glass door is an exterior piece also called a “patio door”, for the patio they usually open onto. These doors are made of glass and allow a great amount of natural daylight in. Once an architectural luxury, the post-war building boom saw them installed in many homes, usually ranch-style houses.

Early sliding glass doors looked great, but they were a source of energy loss and a weak point for security. Modern sliding glass doors look even better, are stronger, and much better insulated.

Sliding Glass Door Prices

A basic sliding glass door by itself costs around $300.00. This is the classic door that most people think of, which is a 6-foot pair of plain glass panels that sit inside of a clean, simple frame. An 8-foot door usually runs from $700.00 to $1,000.00.

Some doors are available pre-hung. This is an entire unit that basically only needs a hole in the wall to be put into. These tend to cost $1.000.00 to $4,000.00 or more depending on features such as screens, blinds, triple-pane glass, or a grid that imitates French doors.

Impact-resistant glass is designed to withstand hurricane-force winds. However, this added bit of security can double the cost of the doors.

The price ultimately depends on the manufacturer and what their models offer. For example:

• ThermaStar by Pella – Clear glass, energy efficient insulation, about $340.00. With built-in blinds, about $760.00. Transferable limited warranty.
• Andersen 400 Series Frenchwood – Interior clad in various wood styles with low-maintenance exterior, energy-efficient glass, sliding or retractable screens, hardware upgrades available, about $1,500.00 to $3,800.00. Transferable limited warranty
• American Craftsman 50 Series – Energy Star rated basic pre-hung, vinyl clad, steel reinforced construction, energy-efficient glass, about $300.00. Limited lifetime warranty.
• Masterpiece – 60x80”, energy-efficient glass, composite material, stainless steel rollers, Energy Star qualified, about $750.00. Lifetime warranty.

The length of the warranty varies by manufacturer, specific product, and/or components of the door. Typical warranties vary between 10 and 20 years. Check with whomever issues the warranty to see if modifications, such as glass tinting, voids the warranty.

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Replacing a Sliding Glass Door

Sliding glass doors require a large hole in your wall. If you are installing a new sliding glass door, local codes most likely require a permit and a contractor. It constitutes a major alteration to a load-bearing wall (all exterior walls are load-bearing) and can affect the structural integrity of your house. Get 3 to 5 quotes from licensed contractors who have experience in making wall alterations.

• If you are replacing an existing glass door, the structural work has already been done. Unless you are replacing the old door with a larger door, a straight replacement won’t require any structural alterations.
• If your door has become drafty, leaks, or doesn’t latch securely, it’s time to replace it. You can have a contractor do it if you like (and you might, because sliding glass doors are heavy), or you can save yourself around $300.00 and do it yourself.
• Most places do not require a permit if you are doing a straight replacement. However, if you have to make any changes to the framing, permits are required to ensure that the required amount of ventilation is maintained and that no safety issues arise.

Removing the old door is a moderately involved process that usually requires a helper. Remove the interior trim first, then lift the movable pane out. Next, remove the trim and anything holding the stationary panel in. Once the panels are removed, remove the exterior trim, the jamb, and then the frame. Finally, clean the opening out of any old screws, nails, or other debris left behind.

Pre-hung doors install relatively easily, usually taking about a day. This doesn’t count the clean-up work like repairing the exterior and interior wall areas. This is considered a moderate DIY job. Custom hung doors, however, usually require altering the supports in the walls. This should be done only by a professional with experience in altering load-bearing walls. The location of interior components such as vents may prevent you from placing the door where you want, and electrical wiring should always be altered, moved, or handled by a professional.

Materials

• Wood – The natural beauty of wood can’t be denied. Many manufacturers treat the wood to be resistant to rot and insects. They can be stained or painted to match your home décor.
• Clad wood – Offers natural wood inside with metal outside. The durable baked on finish is available in many colors to suit your tastes.
• Vinyl – Vinyl is durable, easy to maintain, and available in many different styles.
• Aluminum – Lightweight and strong, aluminum is most popular in mild climates, where heat loss is not much of an issue.

Features

• Configuration – Sliding glass doors are available with anywhere from 2 to 4 panels. They open left-handed or right-handed (determined from the outside looking in).
• Grids – Grids mimic the look of a multi-paned glass door. This is often chosen to complement the rest of the house, which may have similar windows. It also gets chosen as an accent piece.
• Glass – The glass itself can be impact-resistant, high energy efficiency, UV protection, textured, or tempered. Some are double-paned and have blinds inside.
• Pet Panel – Pet panels add right onto your door. A narrow panel with a pet door integrated at the bottom, this will give your pets easy access to the outdoors without requiring you to constantly get up.

Locks

Locks have long been the weak point of sliding glass doors. Any burglar wishing to avoid the noise of broken glass could simply jiggle the door strongly enough and get it open. Modern locks for sliding glass doors are much more secure, and auxiliary locks can be purchased for added security when you are away.

A basic lock for a sliding glass door costs around $10.00, but other options are available for between $20.00 and $40.00. These locks include foot locks, deadbolts that install at floor level, and telescoping security bars.

Screen Doors

Screen doors for patio doors come in two types: sliding and retractable. Sliding screen doors cost about $125.00. Retractable doors work like sideways venetian blinds and cost around $330.00.

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DIY Job?

Replacing a sliding glass door can be done DIY, but the doors are heavy. You will need an extra set of strong hands. Also, a truck will be needed to deliver the doors to your home, and they won’t fit in the family car. If you don’t have a truck of your own that can haul the doors, you will have to pay for delivery. Finally, whether DIY or professionally done, the job should be done during fair weather. You will have a large hole in your wall for at least a day, and you don’t want cold air, rain, or other discomforts getting in. Starting early in the morning will give you the most time and the best chance of getting the job done in one day.

As a side note, keep your children and pets away from the work area. If glass gets dropped, they can get injured on broken glass.

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Maintaining Your Sliding Glass Door

To keep your patio door opening, closing, and locking well, some basic maintenance is needed. Fortunately, most of this is easily accomplished with a screwdriver, a rag, and maybe some nylon shims.

Keep the tracks clean of debris and build-up. When you vacuum, use the window track attachment to vacuum the track for your door. This is easiest way to keep it clean. During wet weather it can become clogged with whatever gets tracked in off of your feet. All you need for this is a rag, some cleanser, and a little elbow grease.

If your door is starting to drag, add a little lubrication to the track. If this doesn’t do the trick, check the rollers on the top and bottom. They could be wearing down. The good news is that these are easily removed and replaced. If the rollers haven’t worn down, they may just need adjusting. An adjusting screw is usually found toward the bottom and top of the door.

Like rollers, locks also can get out of adjustment or need lubrication. If the latch is fighting you when you try to lock it, and hardware store should have lock oil. The more handy homeowner might even open up the lock and clean and lubricate the inner workings. If the lock just isn’t catching, it may be out of adjustment. Loosen the lock a little and move it to where it catches.

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In Conclusion

Sliding glass doors, once a luxury found only on the finer homes of America, are now practically a staple. They allow great daylight, which can cut down on lighting costs. They also provide a great view of the outdoors and a way to go and enjoy it.

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