If your house has a sliding door, it is not uncommon for the door to have problems. Sometimes the door does not slide smoothly due to dirt deposits on the rails. Most problems can be solved by temporarily removing the door so it can be fixed. However, sliding doors are made of a fragile material. So knowing how to properly remove a sliding door will minimize the risk of damage to the door and its parts
Step
Part 1 of 2: Removing the Screw and Head Stop
Step 1. Remove the curtains or other decorations
Any decorative items on the door, such as curtains, will only get in the way of your work. Take it all off before you get to work so you don't have to worry about it later.
Step 2. Locate the screws at the base of the door
Most sliding doors have screws located at the bottom. These screws hold the wheel that the door uses to move left and right in its rails.
Step 3. Use a plus head screwdriver to remove each screw
Remove the screws at the base of the door to loosen the wheels so that the sliding door can be removed more easily from the frame. Make sure you turn the screwdriver to the left to remove the screw. Don't stop until you see the heads of the two screws sticking out of the sockets, and the door is loose enough to lift up and out of the rails below.
You don't need to completely unscrew unless there's no other way to get the door off the rails. You can try this by lifting the door after the screw heads are sticking out of the sockets. If the door can lift easily off the rail, do not loosen it further. Continue to unscrew if the door won't lift
Step 4. Lift the door until you can see the bottom wheel
You should be able to see 1 wheel on either side of the door. When the door is lifted, move it as gently as possible. Do not damage the door or its components during transport, especially if the door will be reinstalled later.
Step 5. Open the head stop with a plus screwdriver
Open the door and locate the head stop screw in the top corner of the door frame, where the door contacts the frame when closed. These screws are usually installed quite tightly. So, if you can't unscrew the screw with a manual screwdriver, try using an electric screwdriver.
Your sliding door will fall out of the frame once the door stop is opened. Make sure you have someone else help you monitor the door as you work until the door is ready to be removed from the frame. The person can catch the door if it falls
Part 2 of 2: Removing the Door from the Rails
Step 1. Slip a flat screwdriver under the wheel and push it up
Pushing the wheel up will make the door easier to remove from the rails. Again, move the screwdriver gently. The screwdriver should be able to slide under the wheel without much effort.
Step 2. Lift the door off the rails until the wheels pop out
The door wheels are loose enough if the sliding door can be lifted from the bottom rail. Lift it up gently, and hold it down to start moving it out of the frame.
Step 3. Slide the door over the bottom rail and out towards you
You must first pull the door up before you can move it off the rails. Again, move as gently as possible. The door should be easy to remove because the wheels have been loosened.
Step 4. Remove the door by pulling it off the top rail
The door should slide right off the top rail when it's free from the bottom rail. When the door is completely free of the frame, store it in a safe place, such as leaning against a wall or laying on a large table.
