Sliding glass doors are the best option if you desire a broad view of nature. They increase the sense of openness in your home and let natural light into your den, living room, and even bedroom. Sliding doors require routine maintenance and care, just like the majority of the things in your home, to keep them operating at their best. A sliding door's ability to move back and forth smoothly depends on an upper and lower track, as well as rollers that keep it in place. No amount of lubricant will help if the track is clogged with grime or if the rollers and tracks are cracked or damaged. It is only possible to successfully lubricate a sliding door when all the parts are free from contamination and in perfect condition.
Three Easy Steps For Lubricating Sliding Glass Door Tracks
A sliding glass door may be lubricated rather simply. Apply the lubricating solution to the areas where you hear squeaking after cleaning the tracks. Apply the solution uniformly by bouncing the panels back and forth continually.
Step 1: Clean Both Upper & Lower Tracks
- Before using any lubricant, thoroughly clean the tracks on both the top and lower surfaces. It is strongly suggested to vacuum the trackways in order to remove hair, insects, stones, or anything else that can obstruct the trackways. Before vacuuming, you can easily break up dirt clumps with an old toothbrush.
- After vacuuming the tracks, lubricant should be applied to a rag and the tracks should be cleaned. Grit and oil deposits can be removed more quickly and effectively than with soap and water by using a petroleum-based spray lubricant.
Step 2: Check & Adjust The Rollers If Applicable
- If necessary, inspect and adjust the rollers. When the door opens or closes, it makes a "bump, bump, bump" noise, meaning one of the lower roller wheels is broken. Before the door can be adequately lubricated, it must be changed. The roller needs to be lowered so that it pulls the door upward if it grinds on the lower track while being pushed.
- Turn the adjustment screw located between the track rails at the bottom of the door to achieve this. The door and wheel are raised and lowered by turning the screw anticlockwise. The wheel and door are lowered by rotating the screw in the opposite direction. To totally remove the wheel for replacement, fully back out the screw.
Step 3: Spray Lubricant On The Tracks And Wheels
- On the tracks and wheels, lubricant should be sprayed; do not wipe it off. Although petroleum-based lubrication will function better, it will also draw dirt. According to Homelyville, a silicone-based lubricant will work well and won't draw dirt.
- If you frequently clean the tracks and rollers on your sliding doors, go with a petroleum-based lubricant. Select a silicon-based lubricant if the sliding door tracks and rollers are not regularly cleaned or if the sliding doors are not used frequently.
Is WD-40 Good For Sliding Doors?
- Ask any professional, and they will likely all advise using WD-40 as a lubricant. And this is true because the solution's lubricating qualities give it a universal application.
- It works on corroded and rusty tracks and is quite simple to use. WD-40 can be used on a variety of materials, including rubber, vinyl, plastic, and metal.
- Additionally, the solution is very resistant to temperatures between 100°F and 500°F.
- However, it is advised to only use a tiny amount of WD-40 on wood because larger amounts could cause the material to corrode and decay.
Best Lubricant For Sliding Glass Doors
- The other top lubricant options, outside WD-40, are silicone-based and non-sticky.
- In comparison to lubricants derived from heavy oil-based solutions, silicone-based lubricants have a thin viscosity and are less oily and slippery. The door panels can, however, roll quickly since the surface is sufficiently slick.
- They are also superior to oil-based lubricants in that they do not draw and gather dirt as much. The mechanism of the sliding doors won't be hampered by dirt while using silicone lubricants, which are dependable.