ServicesPatio Doors
Patio Doors in Sammamish
A patio door that drags, leaks or fogs is not always finished. We check the rollers, track, seals and glass first, tell you plainly what a repair can fix, and recommend a new sliding or hinged door only when it is the better use of your money.
Repair the door you have, or choose a new one well
Patio doors work harder than any window in your home. They open hundreds of times a month, carry heavy insulated glass on a pair of small rollers, and sit at floor level where rain and grit collect. Most trouble starts small: a worn roller, a dented track, a weather seal that has flattened with age.
Those parts can usually be renewed, and a door that glides again after a careful repair is a good outcome. When the frame has rotted, several glass units have failed, or the door can no longer keep weather out, we say so and show you why. Then we help you choose a new door in vinyl, fiberglass, wood or clad wood that suits the room and the way you use it.
Either way, the door is measured carefully, set plumb and square, and trimmed so it looks like it was always part of the house.
What our patio door work covers
Rollers and track
New rollers and a cleaned, straightened or capped track can make a heavy slider move with one hand again. It is the first thing we check, because it is the most common fix.
Seals and weatherstripping
We renew worn sweeps, pile weatherstrip and threshold seals that let drafts and water in along the bottom and the meeting stile.
Locks, handles and latches
Loose or mismatched hardware is swapped for sets sized to your door, so it latches firmly and locks without a shove.
Insulated glass units
Fogged or cracked glass can often be changed out in the existing panel. Glass we install is covered by our glass break warranty.
Full door replacement
Sliding, hinged French and multi-panel doors, fitted to the existing opening where we can. We inspect the sill and subfloor, flash the opening and set the new frame so water drains out, not in.
Trim and finish
Interior casing, exterior trim and sealant are finished neatly so the opening looks complete from both sides.
Signs your patio door needs attention
It sticks or drags
If you have to lean into it, the rollers are usually worn or the track is damaged. Caught early, this is a repair.
Fog between the panes
Moisture inside the glass means the seal has failed. One fogged panel is a glass repair; several on an older door may tip the decision toward a new door.
Water at the threshold
Damp or stained flooring after a long stretch of Pacific Northwest rain points to failed sill seals or flashing. It is worth fixing before it reaches the subfloor.
Drafts along the edges
Cold air at the meeting stile or the jambs means flattened weatherstrip or a panel that has slipped out of line.
A soft or twisted frame
Wood that dents under a thumbnail, or a frame that has warped out of square, is past adjustment.
The lock won't catch
Often the panel has dropped on worn rollers and the latch no longer lines up with the keeper.
How a patio door job runs
- 1
We look before we quote
We slide or swing the door, check rollers, track, seals and glass, and probe the sill for soft wood. You get a straight answer on repair versus replacement and a quote broken out line by line. Free, no-pressure quotes are how we start every job.
- 2
Measuring and ordering
For a new door we measure the rough opening, confirm which way it should slide or swing, and order the unit. Repair parts are matched to the make and size of your existing door.
- 3
Installation day
We lay protection along the path and inside the room, remove the old panel and frame, check the subfloor, flash the opening and set the new door level. Most installs finished in a single day, and patio doors usually fit that schedule.
- 4
Finish and walk-through
Trim, sealant and hardware go on, the area is cleaned and the old door hauled away. We show you how it locks and how to keep the track clear of grit.
What affects the cost of a patio door
A roller repair and a new French door are priced in very different ways, which is one reason we look before quoting. Your quote lists each part and task so nothing arrives as a surprise. Flexible payment options are available.
- Repair or new door
- Parts and labor for rollers, seals or glass cost far less than a new door. We start there when it makes sense.
- Style and size
- A standard two-panel slider, a hinged French pair and a wide multi-panel door differ in hardware, weight and installation time.
- Frame material and glass
- Vinyl, fiberglass, wood and clad wood each carry their own cost, as do low-E coatings, laminated safety glass and built-in blinds.
- What is under the sill
- If water has softened the subfloor or framing, that repair is added to the quote and shown to you with photos before work goes ahead.
- Changing the opening
- Swapping a slider for a swinging door, or widening the opening, can mean framing and permit work. We explain that up front.
Patio door questions
Something not covered here? (425) 474-3850
Does a sliding door that drags have to come out?
Not usually. Rollers wear, tracks get dented and weatherstrip flattens, and each of those parts can be renewed on its own. A single fogged glass unit can be changed out too. When the frame has rotted or several problems show up at once, we will lay out why a new door is the better value.
Can you swap a slider for French doors?
Usually, as long as there is room inside or out for the doors to swing. Depending on the width, the opening may need new framing, and that can bring a permit. We go over all of it when we quote so you can decide with the full picture.
What happens if the glass breaks?
Glass we install comes with our glass break warranty. Ask on the call and we will walk you through how it applies to the door you are considering.
How messy is a patio door installation?
Less than people expect. We cover floors along the work path, keep cutting and debris outside where we can, and clean up and haul away the old door before we leave.
Will a new door really be warmer?
A well-sealed modern door with low-E insulated glass cuts drafts and cold glass noticeably. Much of that comes from careful installation, which is why we take time over shimming, sealing and flashing.
Find out what your patio door really needs
Tell us how the door is behaving and we will arrange a look. If a repair will do, you will hear that first.