Replacing A Swing Door With A Sliding Door

Cut away any old caulk between the door frame and the wall.

Replacing a swing door with a sliding door.

To check for plumb run a beam from a laser level. Remove strike side jamb cut out steel track above. You ll need a set of sliding door hardware as well as a door that s large enough to cover your opening. Then attach the hinges with screws.

Next install the hardware. Center swing patio doors. Replacing a regular swing door with a sliding or pocket door is an efficient way to take full advantage of more room area. Use a template to mark the holes for your door hardware then drill the holes making sure to hold the drill perpendicular to the floor.

Use a flat pry bar to remove the casing nails securing the door jambs to the wall. If you are not too keen on replacing your sliding glass doors with double french doors you have the option of choosing patio doors. Cut the existing door out of frame. While this transformation is not an easy or quick job it can be accomplished with sufficient carpentry skills and experience.

Hold a hinge flat against the door jamb surface and trace around it with a pencil. With the hinges attached to the door hold the door into place against the jamb with the hinges in place in the space you chiseled out. We get so many questions asking us how to replace an existing door with a sliding door so we are covering just that. If necessary cut through stubborn nails with a reciprocating saw.

Start by removing the old slider. We wanted to give her a sliding barn door for the pantry doors because they are visible from so many rooms in the house and giving this space a custom look would not only serve a function it would look beautiful on the wall. The new door should be 3 4 inch narrower than the opening and 1 2 inch shorter. Save the trim to be used elsewhere.

Then attach the bottom door guides track so that the door doesn t wildly sway to and fro when being slid open and closed. This means taking down the old swinging door removing the jamb and disassembling the wall framing. Remove molding from around existing pocket door. Carefully cut drywall and pocket door frame to allow a 2x4 stiffener on hinge side of the new door.

Chisel out a space in the door jamb for each door hinge. To hang a pocket door you need a rough opening that is twice as wide as the door itself. You can easily increase your home s energy efficiency by replacing an old glass slider with new insulated hinged doors. In any case for homes with a theme where it makes sense french doors can be a great alternative to a standard sliding door.

Use a pry bar and a hammer to gently remove the interior door trim.