We tried fixing it—put a lot of work into it. But the thing just wouldn’t hold square. We can haul it into place and lock it, but the effort sometimes requires a lever to push it into place.
So…we decided this is a non-fixable. We’re getting a nice new door with a screen insert that works, and we’re having the dang thing put in for us, which means no muss, no fuss. We may have to build the door out a bit to accommodate the modern pre-hung frame, but, y’know, that’ll just increase the distance to the house door and maybe make it less of a knuckle buster.
We’re real good at fixing things, but we decided that door-hanging a heavy weight of glass and metal is just way more fun than we like.
Last year, I replaced our old rotten front door with a new fiberglass one. It took me several hours, including drilling and setting new screws for the frame, which needed repair. Prior to that, there was resizing it to fit and drilling the holes for the deadbolt and doorknob. Getting the locks to line up was about as much fun as shimming the door to hang nicely again, I made blue air several times during the operation. DH will assist in home improvement if pressed, but normally avoids it like the plague, so I wrangled it myself. After all that, I know exactly why you wanted to turn yours over to the pros.
Next door replacement scenario will involve replacing the track and rollers on our back sliding door. We are down to metal-on-metal, grinding not sliding, and the original track is nearly flat in spots. I am not looking forward to trying to lift out the glass doors. Does anyone have any clever way to determine the type of rollers needed for the sliding door without pulling it out first? I wonder if I can lift it enough to pop out the old roller without pulling the door…
First thing I’d ask at Lowe’s is whether they’re in any wise standard. But one of those prybars that’s kind of a flattened S might help a lot. An assistant might be necessary, however.
I did find this, which is how to repair a track…https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZdcLIoTx7Q
I once spent part of a Saturday helping my father put in a new back door, when he decided to close in the patio (it had a roof and walls on three sides, having been built that way as part of the house). Solid oak with small-paned window, and my-father-the-engineer made sure the frame was straight to the local gravity field before putting the door in – also straight to the local gravity field.
That door was heavy.
DH & I have replaced the storm door from our kitchen to our deck twice since we’ve been in this house. (17 years) The first time there was rotten wood that needed replacing but since we replaced the rotten wood with that plastic no-rot stuff they sell these days we didn’t have to do that again. Of course last winter the wind caught the door and pulled the closer out of the door jamb, so that’s flopping loose now… Sigh. The joys of home ownership.