While this transformation is not an easy or quick job it can be accomplished with sufficient carpentry skills and experience.
Replacing a swing door with a sliding door.
Center swing patio doors.
This means taking down the old swinging door removing the jamb and disassembling the wall framing.
Use a pry bar and a hammer to gently remove the interior door trim.
In any case for homes with a theme where it makes sense french doors can be a great alternative to a standard sliding door.
If you are not too keen on replacing your sliding glass doors with double french doors you have the option of choosing patio doors.
Carefully cut drywall and pocket door frame to allow a 2x4 stiffener on hinge side of the new door.
If necessary cut through stubborn nails with a reciprocating saw.
Use a flat pry bar to remove the casing nails securing the door jambs to the wall.
With the hinges attached to the door hold the door into place against the jamb with the hinges in place in the space you chiseled out.
You ll need a set of sliding door hardware as well as a door that s large enough to cover your opening.
Make sure the opening is plumb and level.
Use a template to mark the holes for your door hardware then drill the holes making sure to hold the drill perpendicular to the floor.
Next install the hardware.
To check for plumb run a beam from a laser level.
Once the railing is up and the door is cut to form if need be the next step is to screw in the door rollers and brackets to the upper end of the door according to the hardware kit sspecific install instructions.
Putting the door in the wall frees up the usual swing path area of the standard door and allows the wall usually hidden by a swing door to be used as a part of the rest of the room.
Then attach the hinges with screws.
The new door should be 3 4 inch narrower than the opening and 1 2 inch shorter.
You can easily increase your home s energy efficiency by replacing an old glass slider with new insulated hinged doors.
To hang a pocket door you need a rough opening that is twice as wide as the door itself.
Remove strike side jamb cut out steel track above.
Cut away any old caulk between the door frame and the wall.
Cut the existing door out of frame.
We get so many questions asking us how to replace an existing door with a sliding door so we are covering just that.
Start by removing the old slider.
Hold a hinge flat against the door jamb surface and trace around it with a pencil.
Save the trim to be used elsewhere.
Remove molding from around existing pocket door.
Chisel out a space in the door jamb for each door hinge.