How Do You Fix a Sliding Door That Is Off-Track? 7 Solutions

If your sliding door goes off its track, you’ll end up scraping the track and wearing down the rollers. Furthermore, the door will be very hard to close and slide. I have a three-part sliding door in my bedroom that occasionally comes off its tracks, so I’ve learned a handful of tricks to fix this common problem.

To fix a sliding door that is off-track, tighten the screws along the track, then lift and shift the door to align it. Lubricate the rollers and wheels with oil to ensure they slide and don’t bump off-track. You can also replace the foam stripping and try a different track if it looks worn.

If you’re looking for a surefire way to get your sliding doors back on track, you’ll be glad to know that I have a simple 7-step solution listed below.

Tighten the Track’s Screws

All sliding door tracks have numerous screws that pin the tracks to the ground. They loosen over time, especially if you recently got new flooring. Sliding door tracks also loosen if there’s been a lot of heat o humidity recently.

Use a screwdriver to hand-tighten each screw. I recommend avoiding power tools for this project because they can strip the screws and cause the door tracks to bow. This mistake makes it even more difficult to slide your doors and keep them from going off-track.

I always use Loctite Threadlocker. A small drop of Loctite on each screw in your sliding door tracks will prevent the screws from loosening. This means you don’t have to worry about them stripping or warping the tracks when the weather changes.

Lift and Adjust the Sliding Door in its Track

Every time my sliding doors go off-track, I lift and shift them. Each door has a specific track. You’ll notice that multi-door sliding tracks have three lanes, one for each door.

Angi explains some sliding doors have track guides that can be removed or realigned to keep the tracks in place. These guides look like thin, white pieces of plastic near the edges of each track lane.

Note: If your door paint bubbles, you’ll rip it and crack the paint when lifting or adjusting the doors. Always look for damaged paint before applying these steps.

Lubricate the Wheels on Each Sliding Door

A small drop of oil on each wheel and roller can help tremendously. Most sliding door wheels can be lubricated without removing the doors. Simply apply one drop of lubricating wheel oil to the center of each wheel, then slide the door on its track.

Lubricating the wheels and rollers will prevent your sliding doors from going off-track because they don’t bump and shift as easily. This also stops the bottom of the track from getting scraped and leaving metal shavings everywhere (this happened to me when I was forcing my sliding doors closed).

Align the Doors to Ensure They Can Slide Properly

Each sliding door has its own lane, even if you only have one door or three doors. Use a leveling door to make sure they’re level, then check if they’re perfectly aligned with their lanes.

Once you’re done aligning your sliding doors on their tracks, you’ll likely have to clean them (especially if they have glass windows or mirrors). Check out my guide on cleaning floor-to-ceiling mirrors.

Replace the Foam Weather Stripping

Some sliding doors have foam weather stripping. Foam stripping is most common on sliding doors that open to entrances and exits. For example, your sliding door going to the backyard likely has weather stripping. Once the stripping falls apart, your sliding doors will go off of their tracks.

Here’s how you can replace the weather stripping:

1. Remove each of the doors from the sliding tracks.
2. Use a blow dryer to loosen the weather stripping, then gently peel it off of the track.
3. Wipe cleaning alcohol on the tracks to remove the leftover adhesive, then dry the tracks.
4. Apply a thin foam weather strip to replace the old one.

Replace the Track if It Can’t Support the Sliding Doors

There are many different sliding door track materials that can improve your doors, such as:

• Plastic
• Metal
• Precision track rollers

InTech Power prefers precision track rollers for their longevity and ease of use. If you don’t want to get modern tracks for your sliding doors, I’d go with aluminum. I have aluminum sliding door tracks, and they’ve worked for many years without bending or breaking.

Check if the Doors Are Level or Worn

If your sliding doors are damaged, they likely need to be replaced. Much like acclimating kitchen cabinets, your door material can slowly degrade in the wrong climate. Wooden sliding doors are much more sliding to expand, so this is quite important if you have indoor doors on tracks.

Chipped and cracked sliding doors are very difficult to repair. In the long run, it’s better to replace them. You’ll avoid prolonged repairs while helping your sliding doors stay on their tracks for many years to come.

How to Stop Your Sliding Doors From Going Off-Track

To stop your sliding doors from going off-track, follow these preventative steps:

1. Check and secure the track screws on your sliding doors annually. The tracks should be flush with the floor to prevent them from moving the doors and door lanes.
2. Clean the sliding door tracks to prevent debris from loosening the doors, screws, and weather stripping. I’ve had my sliding doors come off their tracks from forgetting a sock in front of one of the wheels. One small obstacle can shift the door off of its lane.
3. Avoid bumping or slamming the doors. This is a surefire way to knock them off of their tracks and potentially damage the tracks, screws, wheels, rollers, and doors.
4. Never slide the doors when they’re off of their tracks. I’ve done this enough to cause lots of scratches, metal shavings, chipped paint, and worn door tracks.

Sliding doors can last many decades, so these tips and tricks will ensure they stay operable for as long as possible. They can also help if your bedroom door is hard to close.