Sliding door problems Start with what the door is doing.
Pick the symptom that sounds like yours. Each page walks through the usual causes and what’s safe to try before you book.
Most doors that stick, grind or jump the track don’t need replacing. They need rollers, a track repair or an adjustment.
What’s your door doing?
Pick the one that sounds like your door.
- Hard to push or stuck
Sliding door fighting you?
A door that takes two hands to move usually has worn rollers or a track full of sand and dents. Usually: Worn or broken rollersSand and grit in the track Causes and fixes - Grinding or noisy
Hear it grind every time?
Grinding and scraping usually mean the rollers have worn out or seized and the panel is dragging on the track. Usually: Worn or seized rollersSand and grit in the track Causes and fixes - Jumped the track
Door off the track? Stop sliding it.
A door that jumps the track usually has worn rollers or a bent track, and it isn’t safe to keep forcing it. Usually: Broken or worn-out rollersA bent or flattened track Causes and fixes - Won’t lock
Door closes, but won’t lock?
When the latch misses the keeper, the door has usually sagged, and an adjustment or a new keeper puts it back in line. Usually: The door has droppedLoose or bent keeper Causes and fixes - Drafty or water in the track
Water in the track after it rains?
Drafts and water in the track usually trace back to worn weatherstrip, tired brush seals, blocked weep holes or a door that has sagged out of line. Usually: Worn weatherstrip and brush pileClogged weep holes Causes and fixes - Screen door falling off
Screen door keeps falling off?
Screen doors fall off when the rollers wear out or the frame gets bent, and both are usually fixable. Usually: Worn or broken rollersRoller tension too loose Causes and fixes
Where it goes wrong
The same few parts cause most of it
Worn rollers alone can make a door stick, grind, jump the track and miss the lock. That’s why we look at the whole door, not just the symptom you noticed first.
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Rollers
The wheels under the panel. Worn, cracked or rusted, they’re behind more of these problems than any other part.
Shows up as: Hard to push or stuckGrinding or noisyJumped the trackWon’t lockDrafty or water in the track
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Bottom track
The rail the rollers ride on. Sand packs into it, and dents and wear roughen it.
Shows up as: Hard to push or stuckGrinding or noisyJumped the trackWon’t lock
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Roller adjustment
Screws at each end of the bottom rail set the panel’s height. When they slip, the panel drags or binds.
Shows up as: Hard to push or stuckGrinding or noisy
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Head track
The channel at the top that keeps the panel upright.
Shows up as: Grinding or noisyJumped the track
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Lock and keeper
The lock hook inside the panel, and the keeper on the frame that it catches.
Shows up as: Hard to push or stuckWon’t lock
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Weatherstrip and interlock
Brush pile along the edges, and the meeting point of the two panels. Worn or out of line, they let air and water in.
Shows up as: Drafty or water in the track
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Weep holes
Small drain slots in the sill. Blocked, they leave water standing in the track.
Shows up as: Drafty or water in the track
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Screen door rollers and frame
Small spring-loaded rollers on a light aluminum frame.
Shows up as: Screen door falling off
Free estimate
We find the real cause on site
These pages tell you what’s likely. The real answer comes from a specialist standing at your door.
Every door is different, so we don’t guess over the phone. A specialist looks at your door and gives you an exact price, free, before any work starts. No quotes over the phone, by text or by photo.
- Free estimate.
- No trip fee.
- No same-day fee.
- No after-hours fee.
- No minimum.
Send us a photo so we come with the right parts. It isn’t a quote, but it can save a second trip.
We don’t replace glass or install new doors. We fix the one you have.
Not sure which one it is?
Tell us what you’re seeing and hearing. Send us a photo so we come with the right parts. We reply within 30 minutes, 7am–9pm, 7 days.
Free estimate. No trip fee. No same-day fee. No after-hours fee. No minimum.