You know what one of the things that I really liked about my sliding door here is that I can sit in the kitchen, read the paper and take in the view at the same time. However at night, I get the feeling sometimes that we’re the once that are the view, that we’re actually on stage in here and people walking outside can look right in and see what’s going on. So, my wife and I have decided we really got to do something to give up some privacy. Now we thought about putting up a shade or mini blind, but you know I got two children and two dogs I thought they probably take the toll on them. Plus, every time I want to go in or out, I’ve got to raise and lower them. So, what I decided to do instead is to replace these doors with the once that have the window treatment actually inside the glass.
In order to prevent damage to the surrounding wall, I’m using a utility knife to cut through the painting cork around the edges of the door casing. This will prevent damage to the surrounding wall. Then, I drive a putty knife into the seam, and pull the casing away just enough to insert a pry bar and work the molding free. By taking off this strip on top of the frame, I can remove the sliding door. In fact, anything I can take off from the frame now means less weight to handle when it comes time for removal. On the outside, I removed the screen, then cut through the cork at the edges of the exterior trim. Well, I have an interesting problem, or maybe I should say challenge right here. I want to remove this piece of wood trim, but I can’t get a pry bar behind it, its going to offset in behind the siding of shingle in this side and the doorframe over here. So, want I want to do is locate the nails, the face nails right here and to do that I’m not going to use this but I’m going to use this. Is actually a magnet, I put it here in the casing, move it around, and there we go. So, I know that right behind this is where that nail is, and that’s where is start my digging.
This terrific tool, called a tiger’s claw, has sharp tines that borrow into the wood, and grip the shaft of a nail. As the opposite end of the tool is pushed downward, the buried nail is pulled to the surface. It can then be removed by a flat bar or hammer. With the nails out of the way, the wood trim pries off easily. I find a few nails through this plastic fin of which the tiger’s claw makes short work. Now, sliding doors are installed different ways, the trick is to find all the screws and nails securing it to the framing. In my case, the frame is attached on the left side and along the top. I pull off the sill support just to be sure; there aren’t any screws at the bottom. Next, I take out the fixed door panel, and sure enough, there is more screw down the right side of the frame. With everything removed, I tried tapped the frame free, try is the operative word here. After a lot of hammering, I finally discovered one last screw pinned up inside the latch plate.
Finally, the frame gives up its grip. Well, the old door’s out, now your door might come out differently, couple of things to keep in mind, be patient and look for any hidden fasteners, screws or nails, because even one of them can keep the frame from coming out easily. Now I have to do things to prepare this rough opening for the new door, and the first one is to make sure that sill, down here, is leveled. And at the sides, are plumb, good, and excellent. After measuring the opening, I find that it is just a bit too large for the new door. So, I nail on strips of plywood to reduce it to the correct size. The next step in preparing the opening is making it absolutely watertight. This foil tape has a futile rubber adhesive backing, I press the tape firmly in place making sure to run it at least 6 inches up the jamb, at the corners, I make two small cuts, then fold the tape over the edges. I put down a second strip on the threshold, and then apply it around the entire opening, again, making sure to wrap it around the corners.
I put back the sill support I removed earlier, and nailed it in place. On top of the foil tape, I put down three beads of silicon that will perform a weather tight seal at the bottom of the floor sill. The new door has metal fins that need to be bent outward so that they are at right angles to the frame. Well, I say its time to put this door in. Now, important thing is, I want to put the bottom of the door in first and then tilt it up, so that I don’t disturb these beads of cork down here. Now, even though the sliding panel has been removed, this door is heavy. So, I asked my friend Jeff to give me a hand lifting it into place. Driving a couple of roofing nails in to the fin holds the door in position temporarily. Inside, I checked the sill for level, and the jambs for plumb. Then begin shimming the door to hold it securely in place. Next, I run in two screws to the left side of the frame, through the shims and into solid wood. Then go back outside to put the rest of the nails into the metal fin. Before I put screws through the sill, I fill the holes with silicone to make sure there will be no leaks around the fasteners.
Finally, I drive in screws at the top. Well that door’s not going anywhere. Outside, I placed one final layer of butile back aluminum tape on top of the nailing fin. Then, Jeff and I lift the sliding door on to the track, and test it out. Next, I installed the exterior wood trim, first on top, then on the sides. I’ve cut the trim narrow enough to leave an expansion gap between the trim and the frame. Into that gap, I first press foam backer rod, then fill the remaining space with silicone sealant. If the wood trim expands during humid weather, the backer rod and sealant will compress, preventing the expanding wood from deforming the doorframe. Back inside, I trim the shims, and begin filling the space around the frame with low expansion insulating foam. It is important not to use high expansion foam that could distort the frame, and cause the door to bind. Well, day has turned into evening, but before a call a halt to things, I want to install the interior door casing. Tomorrow, it’s all about the decorative touches. Bright and early the next morning, I grab the door hardware out of the van, and put it on. To install the window treatment, I just open the interior glass panel, and snap them in place.
I’ve got my choice of mini blinds, shades, and grills. Now, from the outside, what I liked about these doors is that they are aluminum clad, and that means no painting. And in the inside, I just love the fact that the window treatment are between the glasses. Now cords, they are virtually dust free, and because themselves are also inside, they are sins to clean. Now if you look through both of these doors, you won’t see a screen, and that’s because, it’s right inside here. It rolls out when I want it, and rolls back when I don’t. And of course, when it comes to energy efficiency, these windows are state of the art, two pieces of glass, with argon gas in between for insulation value. And the glass itself has a low e coating on it that will filter out ultraviolet light and prevent fading on draperies, carpets and fabrics. But you know what I like about this I got exactly what I wanted, I can sit here and enjoy my view when I want to, but if I want my privacy, all I got to do is laugh.
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