How to Remodel a Sliding Door

Measure the door space. Figure out whether to make the door space taller or wider to add more light. Order a French door system to add a fixed door and two doors that open and close, for example. Open the indoor space in a kitchen to dining space on an outdoor patio, for example. Figure out how these changes will affect the home's exterior. Use graph paper to draw the exterior house facade with the enlarged space.

Review available door options. Choose materials that fit well with surrounding homes and their value. You may install a high-quality oak door unit and paint it white or a steel-framed unit in a dark brown finish. Don't install a cheaper unit to save money. Visit a closeout sale, instead, to find a high-end energy-efficient unit for a fraction of its original cost.

Cut brick or siding to fit the new unit's dimensions. Hire a mason with appropriate saws to remove brick or masonry. Build framing to hold the new unit by installing a wooden header and side support columns. Insulate well around the rough edges of the opening after securing the sliding doors or multiple doors in place.

Improve the exterior and interior surrounding space. Plan to build an awning or patio outside or install a new furniture grouping on the inside. Landscape the exterior of the sliding door by adding large concrete planters with shrubs. Use hanging baskets for the sliding door space on the inside of the house. Direct attention to the door space by making the interior wall the focal point wall of the room. Add window treatments or blinds to beautify the sliding door space.

Add security features. Install motion detector lights outside. Buy deadbolts for standard doors installed in the space that simply open and close. Use a long rod laid in the tracking slot, if it's a sliding door system, to prevent forced entry by unwelcome visitors. Use this rod at night or when you leave the house. Treat the sliding door area as one of the most vulnerable places for break-ins.