Sliding screen door
Also called: patio screen door, sliding screen
Quick answer: a sliding screen door is a light frame with insect mesh that runs in its own track outside the glass patio door. It lets air in and keeps insects out while the glass door stands open. It rolls on small wheels of its own.
- Screen track, the small outer rail on the patio side of the frame
- Screen door, slid across the open half of the doorway
- Sliding glass panel, opened and stacked beside the fixed one
- Fixed glass panel, which stays in place
If it keeps coming off: what to do
A screen door is light, so most of this is a one-person job. Work in this order.
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Lift it out and clean the railVacuum and wipe the outer rail. Feel along the lip for dents.
Safe to do yourself
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Retract the bottom rollersTurn each screw until the wheel pulls up into the frame.
Safe to do yourself
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Top first, then bottomPush the top into its track, set the wheels on the rail, then extend them evenly.
Safe to do yourself
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It drops off again within daysA roller is broken, the frame is bent or the rail is damaged.
Call a pro
Fix it yourself or call a pro
- Safe yourselfPutting the screen back on, turning the roller screws and replacing torn mesh.
- Take careSwapping a broken roller or straightening a bent frame. Work slowly so the thin aluminum does not kink. On an upstairs balcony, wait for a calm day.
- Call a proThe glass door beside it is also dragging, the rail is cracked or worn away, or you need a custom-size screen.
Step by step: how to put a screen door back on track.
Sliding screens and the other kinds
Screen door off track or torn?
Select Sliding Doors handles sliding door repair, from screen doors to the glass panel beside them, across Dallas-Fort Worth. Mon to Sat, 7am to 10pm.
Questions people ask
Why does my sliding screen door keep falling off?
Usually the bottom rollers are retracted too far, so the frame sits loose in its tracks. A worn or cracked wheel, or a dent in the rail, does the same.
Can I replace just the mesh?
Yes. Pull out the rubber spline, lay new mesh over the frame and roll the spline back in. Trim the extra mesh with a utility knife.
How do I measure for a new screen door?
Measure the height at both ends, from inside the top track to the top of the bottom rail, and the width. Older or unusual frames often need a custom size.
Related terms
Photo: own media library. Diagram: Select Sliding Doors.
