How to Adjust Patio Doors

1. Preparation and Planning

Before you start to adjust your patio door, you should make several preparations. Please take time and prepare the working area and plan the different steps. A perfectly planned procedure guarantees a smooth adjustment.

It is also very important to have all of the necessary tools within reach. This step ensures that the process does not need to be interrupted.

2. The Structure of a tilt-and-turn System

In order to properly adjust a patio door, it is important to understand its opening mechanism. The most common type is the tilt-and-turn mechanism. Pay attention to the following steps:

• The locking pin is located at the side of the handle. The handle allows you to open and tilt the element.
• The lower corner bearing is located on the opposite side of the handle in the lower corner.
• The upper stay bearing can be found on the side of the corner bearing, but in the upper section.
• A locking or mushroom cam can normally be found on the side of the handle. Security windows are the exception.

3. Determining the Type

In the first step you have to determine the type of your door. The procedure for modern uPVC, wooden, aluminium and composite patio doors is performed with the same schematic. Older models often enough only need renewed seals. Should there still be a problem with these doors after the renewal of the seal, you should instruct a professional window fitter. For the adjustment process of older doors it is necessary to remove the entire leaf. This step demands a high grade of technological understanding and expert knowledge.

4. How to adjust the Components

Similar to windows, you can adjust patio doors in four different ways. It is often not necessary to adjust the entire balcony or patio door. Please identify, where the problem occurs and try to fix the respective location first.

• When the leaf grinds against the frame or hangs askew, you have to adjust the entire construction diagonally.
• If it knocks directly at the frame on the side, you have to make a parallel adjustment.
• When patio doors grind against the upper or lower section of the frame, you have to level the heights parallel.
• To regulate how tight your door is, you have to adjust the contact pressure.

The adjustment procedure of patio doors is very similar to the process with windows and balcony models. The instructions may be used for both windows and doors. Please be aware that the method for sliding models differs.

a) How to adjust Patio Doors diagonally

If you have to fix a skewed hanging door, you have to follow these steps:

• Measure the deviation between leaf and frame on both sides with a tape measure or yard stick. The distance should be the same on both sides after the adjustment
• Use pincers and remove the plastic cover from the corner bearing at the opposite side of the handle in the lower section.
• Turn the adjustment screw with an Allen key. Turn clockwise to lift doors and anticlockwise to lower them.
• If you adjust via the corner bearing and it is not enough; you have to apply the same steps with the stay bearing.

b) The parallel adjusting of the Sides of Patio Doors

To adjust the distance between the frame and the sides, you have to turn the screw in the corner as well as the stay bearing. After diagonal adjusting has already been performed, the following steps will be very easy:

• Determine the distance between leaf and frame. As with the diagonal method, the distance must be the same on both sides.
• Remove the respective covers from the corner and stay bearings on the opposite side of the handle.
• Now adjust the screw in the corner bearing anticlockwise and the one in the stay bearing clockwise, to move the component into the direction of the hinges. When turning the screws in reverse directions, the component will move away from the hinges.
• Check the fit of the construction element during and after adjustment. This prevents jamming of mechanical parts.

c) The parallel adjusting of the Height of Patio Doors

In order to adjust the height of a patio or balcony door, you have to use the corner bearing:

• For perfect height levelling, the upper and lower distance between the leaf and the frame must be exactly the same. Determine the distances before the procedure.
• First remove the existing covers from the corner element.
• Turning the adjustment screw clockwise or anticlockwise, please adjust the height. If the element hangs askew, you have to adjust the screw in the stay bearing until the position is parallel.

d) How to adjust the Contact Pressure of Patio Doors

If a draught is noticeable or opening and closing requires too much effort, the contact pressure of the patio door and frame will need to be adjusted.

• Locate the mushroom or locking cams. They can usually be found at the side of the handle. They can also be located on the opposite side, when working with security doors.
• Pull out the locking cam and turn it clockwise to increase the contact pressure. Turning it in an anticlockwise direction will lower the pressure. After the pressure is properly adjusted, you can let the cams snap back.
• After the contact pressure is regulated you have to check whether the leaf can be opened and closed smoothly – and if it is tight at the same time. Too low pressure can lead to weak heat and air sealing, whereas to high pressure can damage the sealing.

5. A perfectly adjusted door with a few simple Steps

Adjusting patio doors and other models is not a difficult task. With all the information in this manual, you should be able to save money on expensive professional help and adjust the patio models yourself. Regular maintenance of doors and windows can prevent you having to adjust them regularly.