Whatever lubricant you use, make sure you clean the tracks first and then try the door. You may not need any lubricant.There are instructions here: How to Clean and Lubricate a Sliding Glass Door There's a long thread on the subject of the lubricant itself on Google Groups. The suggestions range from silicone spray to nothing. You probably do not want something that's going to dry up, attract and stick to crud, or get gummy over time.Edit: here's some door and window lubricant you might try. (I haven't tried it yet.) LUBRICANT BOTTLE WITH APPLICATOR Vacuum the track to your door while it is closed.Slide the door all the way open to access other side of the track.Scrape out the dirt and debris from the track using a flat blade screwdriver.Vacuum the loosened dirt using an attachment with a narrow tip.Use an old rag to apply generous amounts of a non-stick silicone lubricant to both tracks of the sliding door.Slide the door open and shut several times so that the entire track gets lubricated.
Sources: How to Clean and Lubricate a Sliding Glass Door, Retractable Screens for All Styles of Doors & WindowsFirst of all, it should never be necessary to lubricate the top track. It the door is rubbing the top track, then you have larger problems than you can/want to handle yourself. Replacing the rollers (roller assemblies) might cure your problem, but as Mr. Streiff advised, " You do not own the property and its maintenance and upkeep is the landlord's responsibility". If the landlord is unwilling to fix the problem, suggest to her that you will fix it if she will deduct the cost from your rent. Then get it in writing, even it is just an e-mail. But before going that far, try adjusting the roller assemblies at each end of the door. Most sliding glass doors are adjustable, as it is common for the wheels to wear down, and the door to drag on the bottom of the track. Turn the adjusting screw so that the wheel comes down and the door rises. Use graphite on the wheels. I do not recommend anything else.
There are a couple of 'dry' lubricants, on the market, but I have not had enough feedback/experience with them to be sold on their use. If you must replace the wheels/wheel assembly, then you need to remove them and take the best looking one to your local hardware department. There are many different styles and sizes, so you will need to match the old one to be sure of a proper fit. Sometimes, you can get away with just replacing the wheels. If you cannot tell if you have the kind that allows just the replacing of the wheel, ask the salesman. If neither of you are sure, buy the entire assembly. The price difference is usually not that much. I, personally, have always replaced the entire assembly. If the wheel is worn that bad, I know that the wheel frame is the same age, with same amount of wear. Why take the chance of having to open her back up again in a few months to replace the rest of the thing. Preview your own home with PGT products! Upload pictures of your own home and try out the various PGT windows and doors!
Find the right PGT product for you. Browse our gallery of the industry's best windows and doors. Literature and Additional Info Whether you prefer email or literature by mail, PGT will send you the information you need to help you choose the best PGT products. For Dealers and Architects PGT now offers ProZone, an easy access resource for technical data. Now you can easily spec products.Show All ItemsI built a couple of wooden sheds (okay, glorified yard barns) and wanted to equip one of them with sliding type barn doors. I like the look of sliding doors and they are very practical for a shed, allowing a much wider access opening than a normal door. But after visiting my local building outlets to check out the cost of the track and installation kit hardware I would need for such a project I developed a bad case of sticker shock. The cheapest place I could find was Tractor Supply, and even there the price for just the barn door hardware (not the doors themselves) ran from $246 to $326, depending on how fancy I wanted it to look.
So I began to snoop around for some sort of alternative I could fabricate myself. And the biggest obstacle to any DIY sliding doors turned out to be the wheels/rollers. I needed something that was made for exterior use, would roll smoothly, and that was heavy duty enough to take abuse while not costing an arm and a leg. While prowling around in my shop for something that fit the bill I happened to stumble on my son’s old skateboard. And the wheels looked like a perfect candidate for the job.After a few minutes of price shopping online I ordered a set of four skateboard wheels and bearings from Newclue Inc. via Amazon. The total price of the wheels with shipping was $17.35.Next I needed a rail for the wheels to glide on. I found the solution in the electrical department at Home Depot. It’s called Superstrut, and a 10' length sells for $15. Superstrut is a three-sided channel of heavy gauge galvanized steel. Unfortunately it didn’t come in 12' lengths, which is what I would have preferred to use, so I had to purchase two ten-footers for $30.
To provide a little additional strength I topped off the Superstrut with two 6-foot lengths of 1x1 angle iron at a cost of $26. I doubt this extra precaution was necessary and think the rail could be built without it.The hangers themselves are fairly simple. 1½" x 1/8" flat stock steel was bent into a U shape and then drilled to accommodate the axles for the wheels/rollers. I bought two 4' lengths of the flat stock from Orchard Supply for a total of $18. The other miscellaneous nuts and bolts I used came to $3.My finished sliding barn door hardware cost a grand total of $95. Yes, this is quite a bit more than simple hinges and a hasp lock, but it is also well under the cost of the very cheapest commercial price for barn door sliders of $246.Here is how I fabricated the barn door skateboard rollers.Step 1: The rollers/wheelsShow All ItemsThese photos show the skateboard wheels and bearings as they arrived from Newclue. The wheels are 1 9/64" wide and 2" tall.« PreviousNext »View All Steps Download