How to Remove Sliding Glass Doors

Sliding glass doors can be heavy, and two pairs of hands are better than one.

Things You Will Need

Hammer Pry bar Cordless drill Drill bits Reciprocating saw Metal cutting blade Utility knife

Patio Doors

Remove the interior door casing and the exterior brick molding. Door casing and brick molding are the wood trim pieces that frame both sides of the door. Begin with the inside door casing by cutting the caulking that is between the back of the casing and the wall. Cutting the caulking will prevent damage to the drywall. Use your pry bar and hammer to remove the casing. Work from bottom to top on each side of the door to remove the casing. Remove the top piece last. Repeat this same process on the brick molding on the outside of the door. Once the casing and brick molding are removed, you will be able to see screws or nails that were used to hold the door in place. Use the reciprocating saw and metal cutting blade to cut the screws or nails. This will allow you to remove the door.

Sometimes it isn't necessary to remove the entire patio door. Glass gets broken from hyper dogs, or a ball flying through it. In this case you can just replace the single sliding door or have a glass technician replace the pane.

Sliding Glass Shower Doors

Step inside the shower or bathtub. Turn and face the sliding doors. Grasp the door that is closest to the inside of the tub or shower. Sliding glass shower or tub doors overlap each other as they slide, and one will be closer to the inside. Lift up on the door until the rollers clear the bottom rail, and pull inward. When the door has cleared the rail, lift up and pull out, the top of the door will come off of the top rail. Repeat this process with the remaining door. Use your cordless drill and Philips head drill bit to remove the tracks from the shower or tub. You can begin by removing the outside door, but it is easier if you start with the inside door.

Removing Sliding Glass Closet Doors.

Use your cordless drill and Philips drill bit to remove the door guide from the floor. The door guide is usually located in the center of the doors. Begin by grasping the door closest to you; lift up to disengage the rollers from the top track, and pull the door out. Repeat this same process with the remaining door. Use your drill to remove the tracks from the door frame.

Removing an Andersen Sliding Glass Door

Located above the sliding glass door on the interior side is a wood stop. A stop is a narrow board with a screw in it that holds the top of the sliding door in place. Ask a helper to hold the sliding door, and the remove the screw with a cordless drill. When the screw is removed the stop will come off the frame, which will allow the door to tilt inward. Tilt the door inward and lift up to remove it from the frame and the bottom track.

Removing an Andersen Sliding Stationary Patio Door

To remove an Andersen stationary patio door, you must first remove the sliding door as in the previous step, and get a helper. Located at the bottom of the stationary door is a screw or screws that secure the door to the bottom sill. Remove the screw or screws with a Philips screwdriver or cordless drill. Ask your helper to brace the door as you remove the screw from the bracket that holds the top of the door. Together, slide the door to the center of the frame. Lift the door up to remove it from the bottom track, and let it down to tilt it inward to completely remove the door from the frame.