i need to replace the glass in a pre glazed aluminum patio door ( there isnt any beads to remove) how do i ascertain the dimensions of the glass unit including the thickness? and once removed is the aluminum jams and heads attached with screws which can be removed on site and is the rubber gasket fitted to the glass prior to re assembling the door.

mike duncan, February 2008

you will need to remove the outer frame, this ids easily done, remove the slider and place on tressels, undo 4 screws at each corner, at the bottom will also be the the carrage adjusters, leave these alone, once the screws are removed carefully take off the ali parts, do not lever on the glass. clear off all old gasket and fit new, lubricate the rubber using wd 40 or liquid soap, gently with a rubber mallet bang back on the outer frame

alan elford, April 2008

To answer the last part of your question: You wrap the rubber gasket around the new glass, then tap the frame back on with a rubber mallet or piece of wood.

WD White, April 2008

Since your door is aluminum it is probably a somewhat older door. The most common size for these is 34 x 76 for the 6 ft patio door and 46 x 76 for the 8ft wide patio door. They are 5/8 tempered insulated (or 3/16 tempered if not insulated) To take the door down: the sliding door just lift up and swing it out on the low bottom sill side. The fixed panel you unscrew the brackets that hold it closed and work it over to the middle enough to pick it up and swing it out. Frame comes apart with screws in each corner. If you take it apart by taking out the 2 opposite screws (you have 2 L shaped pieces after you take it apart) it will be easier to get back together.

W D White, April 2008

Usually you measure the visible glass size from aluminium to aluminium and then add 1cm to each edge - ie so 1cm sticks into the frame at each edge. The difficult bit is measuring the thickness of the glass unit. If you don't have any large calipers,I use a G gramp, believe it or not - I close the cramp so that its shoes are just touching the glass, then bind the thread with some masking tape just where the thread enters the cramp frame - I then undo the cramp from the glass, then screw it back again until the masking tape is returned to the same position, then measure the gap between the shoes - this gives you the thickness. The door heads and jambs are fixed with self tap screws and yes, the rubber seal is placed around the new glass before reinsertion. If you're not happy with this procedure, give a glazier a ring - he'll keep you right.

John, February 2008