ServicesPatio Doors
Patio Door Installation in Shoreline
Old sliders and swinging patio doors wear out at the rollers, the glass seal and the sill. Our new doors ride on sealed rollers, latch at several points and drain rain away from your floor. You get one-handed opening, fewer drafts and a written quote before work begins.
When a new patio door makes more sense than another fix
A patio door is the largest moving opening in most homes. A typical slider carries a heavy panel of tempered glass on two small rollers, and it sits low where water collects. When the rollers flatten, the track wears or the sill starts letting water in, the door gets harder to move and the floor beside it pays the price.
Many homes around Shoreline still have the original aluminum sliders from the 1960s and 70s. Those frames conduct cold straight through, sweat all winter and often sit on a bare sill with no pan underneath. Replacing the rollers can buy time, but it does nothing for a frame that drips condensation or a sill that has been wicking rain for decades.
On the call we ask what the door does wrong, then look at it in person. If new rollers and weatherstripping will solve it, we will say so and point you to our window repair service. If the frame, glass seal or sill is the problem, replacement is the honest answer.
What comes with a new patio door
Sliding or hinged, vinyl or fiberglass
We install sliders and hinged French-style doors in vinyl and fiberglass. Fiberglass barely moves as temperatures swing, so it keeps its seal even on a sunny south wall.
Low-E glass with argon fill
The insulated glass carries a Low-E coating and argon between the panes. That slows heat loss and keeps the room-side pane warm enough to stop winter condensation on the glass and frame.
A sloped pan under the sill
The rough opening is taped and a sloped sill pan goes down before the frame is set. Any water that slips past the door runs back outside rather than soaking the subfloor.
Rollers, hinges and locks
Sliding panels ride on tandem stainless or sealed-bearing rollers. Hinged panels hang on adjustable hinges with a multipoint lock that pulls them snug to the weatherstrip at three points.
Trim, sealant and haul-away
Trim is finished inside and out, and the exterior joint gets a flexible sealant matched to the frame material. The old door and all debris leave with us.
Signs your patio door needs replacing
Hard to slide or off its track
Needing both hands to move the panel usually means worn-flat rollers or a damaged track. When the track is bent or pitted, new rollers wear out fast.
Haze trapped inside the glass
Moisture or fog between the panes tells you the insulated unit's seal has broken. The gas fill has escaped, and the haze will not go away.
Damaged flooring by the threshold
Stains, cupped boards or a soft spot just inside the door mean water is sneaking under the sill. The rot keeps spreading out of sight until the door comes out.
Cold, wet frames and moving air
Air leaking at the latch side, or an aluminum frame that is icy and dripping on winter mornings, means the weatherstrip and the frame have both stopped doing their job.
The latch only works with a shove
If the lock catches only when you lift or push the panel, the rollers have sagged or the frame has shifted, and the door is no longer secure.
How the job runs
- 1
Measure and inspect
We measure the rough opening, check the sill and subfloor for rot, and look at the header if you want a wider door. You get a written, line-item quote.
- 2
Order the door
Patio doors are built to size. We confirm the style, glass, color and hardware with you before ordering, and set an install date when the door arrives.
- 3
Remove and repair
We cover the floor and furniture near the opening, remove the old door and show you anything we find underneath. Rotted sill framing is repaired before the new door goes in, and we explain any added cost before we do it.
- 4
Set, flash and adjust
The new frame goes in plumb and square over the sill pan, then gets shimmed, fastened, insulated and flashed. We adjust the rollers or hinges until the panel moves smoothly and the lock engages without force.
- 5
Trim and walk-through
We finish the trim, clean up, and show you how to adjust the rollers and keep the track clear. Most installs are finished in a single day.
What drives the cost of a new patio door
Your quote lists each part of the job on its own line, so nothing is buried. The door is one line among several. The state of the framing under the old sill, and any change to the width of the opening, can move the total as much as the door does.
- Configuration and width
- A basic two-panel slider is the least expensive option. Hinged French doors and wide three- or four-panel units cost more because they call for extra framing and more hardware.
- Frame material and glazing
- Vinyl frames come in below fiberglass. Triple-pane glass, laminated safety glass and blinds sealed between the panes are upgrades that raise the price.
- Rot under the threshold
- In a climate this wet, the sill area of a patio door absorbs years of runoff. When the framing beneath it has gone soft, we rebuild it first so the new door has solid support.
- Resizing or adding an opening
- Widening a slider opening or turning a window into a door needs a new header, and that usually means a building permit. When a permit is required, we pull it.
Patio door questions
Something not covered here? (206) 895-6266
Is a sliding door or a hinged French door better for my space?
A slider keeps its moving panel inside the frame, so it works well where a table or deck furniture sits close to the opening. A hinged door needs swing room but opens wider and tends to seal tighter because the multipoint lock draws the panel against the weatherstrip. We look at the room and the deck and recommend the one that fits.
My old slider still looks fine. Could new rollers be enough?
In many cases they are. When the frame is sound, the insulated glass has not fogged and the sill is dry, fresh rollers and weatherstripping can restore a smooth glide. In that case we point you to our window repair service instead of selling you a new door.
How long will the opening be exposed?
A few hours at most. The old door stays in place until the new one is on site and ready to set, and if rain arrives mid-job we keep the opening covered while we work.
Does replacing a patio door require a permit?
A same-size swap in the existing opening generally does not. Making the opening wider or cutting a new one does, since the header above it carries structural load. We tell you which case applies when we quote and handle the permit when one is needed.
Are there ways to pay over time?
We offer flexible payment options. Bring it up on the call and we will walk through what is available alongside your quote.
Get a patio door that moves with one hand
Describe the trouble with your current door and we will set a time to measure the opening, check the sill for rot and write up a line-item quote. The quote is free and no-pressure, and you commit to nothing until you are ready.