Give Sliding Glass Doors A Refresh With An Easy Swap

Sliding glass doors can be a great way to let in light and air, and allow you to keep an eye on your family while you're busy inside. However, they do have some problems. One is the handles, which aren't always very durable. Thankfully, if you want to refresh your slider without completely replacing it, swapping out the handle is an affordable and practical solution, as even the expensive options cost under $50.

However, you can't just go and grab any old handle you find at your local hardware store. Though the actual process of the swap is easy enough, making sure you get the right handle is a little challenging. They might look similar, but in truth, there are a lot of factors to take into account. For example, you have to think about the thickness of your door, the size of your lock mechanism, and the spacing of your screw holes. 

It's a little intimidating to do yourself, but thankfully, by pulling out your sliding glass door handle and bringing it to the store with you, you can ensure you're getting one close to the size of your original. If you are having additional issues with your slider, like getting it to close or move properly, you can also fix your stuck sliding glass doors with an under $20 hardware store find, so you might as well get both while you are out shopping.

Though there are a couple of factors, the best way to identify a match is to see if the screw sizes are similar, as well as the distance between the screws. You also want to make sure the lock plate will fit in your door and be similar in size. The easiest option is to try to buy the same handle, but that's not always possible. 

Before putting on the new latch, go ahead and give the area underneath a good cleaning. Sliding glass doors typically last 30 or so years, but you can increase this by taking care of your door, keeping it clean, and replacing parts as needed. Then, you simply put in the lock.

Start by putting in the metal mechanism that sits in the door. Then, check and ensure all of the holes match up. If you're satisfied, screw it in place. If your door handle replacement comes with multiple screws in different sizes and lengths, try to pick the one closest to what was previously there. The final step is to install the plate attached to the frame, which you may have to play around with to get into the right place if the door doesn't seem to close smoothly on the first try. Now that you've replaced the handle, you can refresh your slider even more by transforming ordinary sliding doors into a work of art with an affordable DIY using window film.