Determine your patio door handing.
How to determine active side of sliding glass door.
All gliding patio doors are handed based on the location of the operating or sliding patio door panel when viewing from the outside of your home.
If your old patio slider needs replacement the most important thing is to measure correctly so that your new door will fit properly.
Since you are removing the track check it for wear.
Using the picture below you see a x on the moving or operating panel and a o on the non moving or stationary panel.
If entire sliding door needs replacement due to physical damage commonly a similar door unit could be put in using new track if different design though at that point if they cannot find a close match that fits easy you might be getting close to the cost of a whole new complete unit.
This might be the best time to replace it and keep the door sliding smoothly.
Custom size doors can be ordered too based on your careful measurements.
You will need to most likely reverse the door handle since most doors have the hardware mounting holes on one side of the door.
Most contractors use the x o to indicate x for exit and o for ouch it s a quick and easy way to remember similar to lefty loosey righty tighty.
However here in nw oh and for most stock sliding door manufacturers from the outside you call out the operable door side either left or right.
Regardless of the reason for the odd installation if the sliding door is set on the incorrect side of the track or the entire unit frame and all faces the wrong way you have some.
While these larger systems do much with a larger price tag many products actually are more affordable than they were a few years ago making it less of a luxury item and more geared toward the average consumer.
Patio sliders generally come in standard sizes so it should not be a problem finding a new door that will fit.
If the operating patio door panel is on the left side your patio door is a left handed unit.
Sliding glass door replacement options.
The most common types of sliding glass patio doors are.
Developments in the door and window industry have accommodated this as sliding glass doors can now go up to 12 feet or more in height.
Patio door handing how to.
Most sliding glass doors are 4 5 or 6 feet wide but you may have custom doors.
A great place for information comraderie and a sucker punch.
When determining handing for sliding patio doors you always view the door from the exterior or outside facing the door.