Home Improvement : Keep Sliding Doors on the Right Track

Sliding doors are widely used on closets because they are easy to install and virtually maintenance-free compared to hinged doors.

But after years of use, even these doors can begin to have trouble moving in their tracks. Most sliding doors are hung from a track mounted on the top door jamb and ride along the track on rollers. A guide on the floor holds the doors in alignment.

Here are some tips on keeping your sliding doors working smoothly.

Maintenance:

--The nylon rollers on sliding doors are self-lubricating, but they sometimes get sticky. If that happens, apply a little powdered graphite to their axles. Don’t use oil; it attracts dirt.

--To clean the overhead track, spray household cleaner on a terry cloth rag, wrap the rag around the tip of a screwdriver, and move the padded tip along the track.

Troubleshooting:

--If a door hangs crooked and one side drags, loosen the adjusting screw on the back of the roller mounting plate on the side that drags. Raise the side until its lower edge is parallel to the floor; check it with a carpenter’s level. Then retighten the screw.

--If a sliding door rattles, check the bottom door guides. Replace them if they are bent or missing.

--If a door sticks, or a roller jumps the track, check for loose screws, an object lodged in the track, a worn or broken roller, or a bent track.

Hint: It’s easier to replace a broken roller or a bent overhead track than to repair it. Here’s how:

1. Remove the door by lifting it until the rollers are free. Note that some doors can be freed only when their rollers are lined up with special “key” openings in the track, generally when the door is halfway open.

2. Remove the screws that hold the broken roller to the door or the bent track to the jamb. Install an identical replacement part, available from hardware stores or home centers.

A door that slides on a lower track may or may not have rollers. In either case, problems usually stem from a dirty or bent track. First, clean the bottom track with a vacuum atttachment or a stiff brush; scrape off any paint or stubborn grit.

If the track is bent, you can usually straighten it provided it’s not too severely damaged. Cut a block of wood to fit inside the track and hammer out the bend from the outside with a rubber mallet.