# Sliding Screen Door - Link: https://selectslidingdoors.com/glossary/sliding-screen-door/ - Published: 2024-08-13T17:16:37+00:00 - Author: Rowdy [Home](https://selectslidingdoors.com/)/[Glossary](https://selectslidingdoors.com/glossary/)/ Sliding screen door Moving parts # 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. Light enough to lift One person can lift a screen door in and out of its track, unlike the glass panel. How it stays on Adjustable bottom rollers press the frame up into the top track. Retracted too far, the screen falls out. The mesh is replaceable Torn mesh does not mean a new screen door. New mesh is held in with a rubber spline. Where it sits, seen from above 1. **Screen track**, the small outer rail on the patio side of the frame 2. **Screen door**, slid across the open half of the doorway 3. **Sliding glass panel**, opened and stacked beside the fixed one 4. **Fixed glass panel**, which stays in place The screen closes the opening the glass leaves when it slides back. ## 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. 1. Lift it out and clean the rail 2. Vacuum and wipe the outer rail. Feel along the lip for dents. 3. Safe to do yourself 4. Retract the bottom rollers 5. Turn each screw until the wheel pulls up into the frame. 6. Safe to do yourself 7. Top first, then bottom 8. Push the top into its track, set the wheels on the rail, then extend them evenly. 9. Safe to do yourself 10. It drops off again within days 11. A roller is broken, the frame is bent or the rail is damaged. 12. Call a pro ## Fix it yourself or call a pro * **Safe yourself**Putting the screen back on, turning the roller screws and replacing torn mesh. * **Take care**Swapping 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 pro**The 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](https://selectslidingdoors.com/sliding-screen-door-off-track/). ![Sliding screen panels across a patio door opening that looks out onto a back yard]( https://selectslidingdoors.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/door-bugs-screen-768x768. webp) Screen panels across a patio door opening. ## Sliding screens and the other kinds Sliding screen Simple, light and easy to put back on Pops off its track when bumped hard, and pets push the mesh out Retractable screen Rolls away into a slim case at the side when not in use More moving parts, and the mesh is easier to pull out of its guides Security screen door Strong frame and tough mesh that resists cutting and forcing Heavier, and usually the costlier option ## Screen door off track or torn? Select Sliding Doors handles [sliding door repair](https://selectslidingdoors.com/sliding-door-repair/), from screen doors to the glass panel beside them, across Dallas-Fort Worth. Mon to Sat, 7am to 10pm. [Call 469-915-5230](https://selectslidingdoors.com/glossary/sliding-screen-door/4699155230) [Sliding door repair](https://selectslidingdoors.com/sliding-door-repair/) ## 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 [Metal security window screens](https://selectslidingdoors.com/glossary/metal-security-window-screens/) [Patio door rollers](https://selectslidingdoors.com/glossary/patio-door-rollers/) [Track lubrication](https://selectslidingdoors.com/glossary/track-lubrication/)[Sliding door repair kit](https://selectslidingdoors.com/glossary/sliding-door-repair-kit/) Photo: own media library. Diagram: Select Sliding Doors.