Installing sliding patio door

[FL Buckeye]

I'm converting a covered deck to an enclosed 3 season room and LOML wants a sliding patio door. I wasn't expecting it to be a big deal but looking at a door at Lowes I saw that it weighes about 265 lbs. Has anyone installed one in recent years that would know if I can remove the doors from the frame to reduce the weight during the grunt phase of getting it in place? This is a one man project and with a bad leg I don't think I can do it if all together. Lowes had no idea. Any suggestions maybe as to brand of sliders anyone has installed and liked would also be appreciated.

[just started]

Weight will depend on material. I put in Anderson wood sliders with the outside aluminum clad, 8' wide. They were delivered in 3 packages, 1 for the slider, one for the stationary panel and the third for the frame, track, threshold and hardware. Oh yea, and a forth for the screen slider.

[FL Buckeye]

I was looking at the Pella 6' sliders at Lowes and it comes as a single assembly. They have one for $300, without the screen I think, but we want one with grids and they are $450 w/screen. I would like to check HD but the closest one is over 50 miles away. I will try to find other suppliers in the area this week. Don't really want top of the line slider for an unheated 3 season room but this seems to be as cheap as they come. If anyone stops by a HD this week, and can check brands and prices I would appreciate it.

[jonmulzer]

Every sliding door I have ever dealt with could have the glass doors removed for installation. That is not to say that there are not models out there that you can't. I would imagine it would be cheaper to make the fixed door truly fixed versus removable so YMMV. Email the manufacturer to find out for sure before purchasing. Also, a case of beer can go a LONG way towards finding help for putting it in!

[Schleeper]

At the very minimum, you can remove the sliding panel. That will reduce the weight, but it's still going to be a chore to try and install the door by yourself.

There are a lot of great one man DIY projects out there, but installing a sliding patio door ain't one of 'em. If you can't find a buddy who's done this before and is willing to help, pay someone to do it.

Pella would be my first choice. We've owned both the top-of-the line wood doors, and the value-priced vinyl clad ones, and have been satisfied with both.

[Hellrazor]

I installed one by myself 2 months ago. The door was in 4 boxes, the frame, slider, stationary panel and screen door. The doors are heavy, but it wasn't an impossible task.

[parnelli]

I installed one by myself 2 months ago. The door was in 4 boxes, the frame, slider, stationary panel and screen door. The doors are heavy, but it wasn't an impossible task.

Anderson? I put in an Anderson series 200 slider a few years back and it came packaged like that- several boxes- assembly of the frame required.

I chose the Anderson because I figured I could do it myself and wasn't going to be able to do the Pella solo as it came preassembled in one piece.

Long story short, the Anderson can be a solo project, but if I had to do it over again I'd go for the Pella prebuilt and find some help for a few hours.

[Hellrazor]

Actually it was a Harvey Industries slider I installed. It is a vinyl frame and door system with Low-E glass and is Energy Star compliant.

I removed a Pella to put that in. The Pella had the blinds between the glass which wasn't good for R value or heat transfer, had air infiltration issues, the rollers kept breaking, the locking mechanism wasn't that great, etc.

[Mr__Bill]

Many of the pre-built door units can have the door and glass panel/s removed. You can set the frame in place that way and it's much lighter. However you really need to put the panel and door back prior to securing it. It is really easy to get the frame out of square and warped. With it assembled the panel holds it square and you can check for it being warped by moving the door. If it binds then shim to flatten the frame. Remember that both ends needs to be square. The frame will flex in the middle if you are unlucky.

Don't forget to seal well between the bottom and the floor.

Bottom line is, though one can do it, it is far better to have three people.

Bill, been there, done that, don't think I'll do it again.

[Bruce Cohen]

A few years ago, Fine Homebuilding had a great article about installing a slider, which BTW was an Anderson.

I have the issue here, but it's buried under about a zillion pounds of books and magazines due to the fact that the cheesy Staples bookcase its in collapsed last week and I haven't gotten up the energy to dig out of the mess.

Let me know if you'd really want and it may give the incentive to do it.

Bruce

[FL Buckeye]

Thanks for all the ideas and info. I don't think I'll try it without help. The 6' sliders I've seen have one door fixed and only one that slides, so even if I could remove the one slider it would still be a chore by myself.

[Schleeper]

Good decision, Lanny. In the immortal words of Inspector Harry Callahan (Dirty Harry,) "A man's got to know his limitations."

[thiggy]

Andersen, not Anderson.