How to align a plastic door. How to adjust the plastic balcony door with your own hands

  • 27.06.2020

Experience shows that it is more practical to install plastic doors on a balcony or loggia. Firstly, it is cheap, and secondly, they perfectly retain heat, do not allow drafts or moisture to enter the room.

Initially, when installing plastic doors, the craftsmen adjust them, but after a while, difficulties may arise with closing or opening them. In this case, there are two options for resolving the problem - call the wizard, or adjust balcony door on one's own.

To begin with, consider what problems may arise during operation:

  • The door has dropped and touches the threshold;

All because of the load of the canvas with glass on the hinges, from which sagging occurs.

  • The door does not close or does not close well in the middle of the leaf;

The canvas may shift to the free edge of the box, due to temperature or increased constant humidity.

  • The canvas does not close tightly, and into the room - from the door, penetrates cold air or draft;

It can occur during operation, when the regulating mechanism is slightly loosened.

  • The handle dangles;

The handle begins to dangle due to frequent use and this is a common practice for using a plastic door.

How to troubleshoot with your own hands:

1. Sagging canvas on the threshold

We start the adjustment from the top hinge, for this the door needs to be opened. At the very top of the hinge is a hex or star screw (in different models are different). We select a suitable key and make several turns with the key clockwise. Do not overdo it, it is better to tighten it up once again after checking.

If, after the work done, the sash touches the threshold, then it is necessary to look at the lower loop. If there is a protective cap on the loop, then it must be removed. We are looking for the same hexagon or asterisk, it will also be located at the top of the loop. We make several turns with the key clockwise. We check, this procedure should solve the problem completely.


2. The canvas touches the middle of the door frame



This nuance can be solved by tightening the bolt on the canopy. We start everything from the lower canopy, only this time we are looking for a bolt on the side. We select the key and make a few turns back the same clockwise. Such a procedure will pull the canvas to the canopy and automatically move it away from the free edge of the box.

If, after such manipulations, the door still rubs against the box, then we carry out all of the above with an upper canopy.

Do not be lazy, check several times whether everything suits you, if there are flaws, it is better to eliminate them immediately.

3. The gaps between the box and the canvas, moisture or cold penetrate into the room. How to adjust the plastic balcony door to the clamp:



This disadvantage can also be solved at home on your own. We open the door and look for trunnions (or eccentrics) from the free side edge. Often there are three of them: at the top, in the middle and at the bottom.

Pins or eccentrics need to be turned slightly towards the sealing gum with a screwdriver or pliers. After each change in the position of the eccentrics, you need to check the door clamp. This procedure must be carried out with all three eccentrics.


This may take some time, because the work is delicate and scrupulous. On the hinge side, you also need to check the clamp. We close the door and in the canopies at the top and bottom we are looking for a bolt, and we need to tighten it up a little.

Replacing a wooden balcony door with a plastic one is a popular and very effective method make your home more comfortable and warm. But all PVC structures have one feature: even the highest quality windows and doors have to be adjusted with a certain frequency. If you feel that something is wrong with your door, do not panic to rush to the phone to call an ambulance in the form of a team of locksmiths. With a careful study of the instructions, adjusting plastic balcony doors is not difficult.

When should a door be adjusted?

PVC balcony door adjustment should be done immediately if:

  • to open the door you have to apply excessive force;
  • when closing the door leaf clings to door frame;
  • the handle of the lock turns tightly or, conversely, is too loose;
  • at open castle the door does not stay closed;
  • even tight closed door lets cold air in from the outside.

All these signs are, so to speak, critical. They indicate that the door is already in a state of disrepair. It is possible that in this case a simple adjustment will not work and some parts will have to be repaired or changed. This can be avoided if you adjust the plastic balcony doors with your own hands and do it in a timely manner. Here are some ways helping to identify implicit violations in the position of the door leaf:

  1. Open the balcony door and leave it in that position. If it spontaneously tends to slam or swing open (of course, in the absence of wind or drafts), it's time to start tuning.
  2. Take a simple pencil in your hands and take a position on the side opposite to the side of the door opening. After closing the door, outline its perimeter, using the edge of the door frame as a ruler. Now open the door and take a closer look at your own art. If the lines you drew turned out to be parallel to the edges of the door leaf, then everything is in order. If not, then there is a slight bias and it's time to prepare the tools.
  3. Take a notebook sheet or a fragment of a newspaper page and slam the balcony door so that the paper is sandwiched by it. Now try to remove the sheet, paying attention to the effort you had to make to do this. In this way it is necessary to check the tightness of the clamp around the entire perimeter of the door. Ideally, the force with which the paper had to be pulled out will always be the same. If, on different parts of the door perimeter, the sheet is pressed unevenly, then it is necessary to adjust the clamp.

Self-adjustment of the PVC balcony door should also be performed with the onset of cold weather or, conversely, with warming: in the first case, the door pressure is increased, in the second, it is weakened.

Tip: Loosen the pressure for spring and summer should definitely, because when tightly closed (winter mode), some parts of the door block wear out faster.

Instructions for adjusting the plastic door

First of all, you should take care of the availability of such tools:

- screwdrivers with cross-shaped and flat profile;

- pliers;

- a set of hex keys (for some models, you will need keys with an asterisk profile);

- PVC gaskets;

The design of the door attachment points in PVC door blocks provides for the possibility adjustment of its position in three directions:

- horizontally (the gap between the door leaf and the hinge post is adjusted at the top, bottom or immediately along the entire height);

- vertically (the height of the door suspension relative to the door frame changes);

- frontally (the density of pressing the door to the sealing elements of the doorway is adjusted).

The adjustment screws can be accessed by removing from the hinge decorative panel with the door open (use a 3 mm hexagon).

Let's take a closer look at all three adjustment options.

Horizontal direction

For the movement of the door leaf to the right or left (toward or away from the hinge post), a long adjusting screw is located horizontally under the decorative trim. If the door when closing clings to the box from the side of the latch in the middle part or along the entire height, the screws should be turned clockwise one or two turns in all three hinges. If the lower edge of the canvas farthest from the hinges touches the threshold, you need to tighten the screws only in the upper and middle hinges.



Vertical direction

The vertical adjustment screw on the hinge is responsible for moving the door down (turning the screw counterclockwise) or up (clockwise). This adjustment is used when if the lower edge of the door rubs against the threshold when closing or opening or it closes normally, but dents are visible on the upper or lower seals. Use a 5mm Allen key to rotate the screws. The same key, but 2.5 mm, will be needed to adjust the position of the strikers at the top and bottom of the door frame. For this operation, in addition to the hexagon, you will need a flat screwdriver. The main striker plate will also have to be displaced, armed with a Phillips screwdriver.


Front Direction (Pressure Adjustment)

Before adjusting a plastic balcony door, it is important to know that the density of pressing the door to the frame in various models regulated in different ways:

  1. On the vertical end of the door on the opposite side from the hinges, there can be three eccentrics that must be turned using the appropriate tool.
  2. Some models have a trunnion on the door hardware, which must be turned with pliers. For maximum pressure, it should be given a direction perpendicular to the plane of the door block, for a minimum - parallel.
  3. Sometimes the clamp can be adjusted by the frontal offset of the striker. For this purpose, there is a hexagon head screw under the bar.

Adjusting screws can not always save the situation. It happens that a defect exists, but the corresponding screw is already in its extreme position. In this case, use another glass door adjustment method. Carefully prying with a chisel, it is necessary to remove the glazing beads holding the double-glazed window. Then, PVC gaskets are installed between the double-glazed window and plastic using special blades in the right places (depending on which defect has to be corrected). By correctly selecting the location of the gaskets and their thickness, you can change the geometry of the door and thus eliminate the skew. When installing the glazing beads in place, they should be carefully knocked out with a rubber mallet.

Tip: When removing the beadings, mark them so that you can then install each exactly in its place. Often, manufacturers use different types of glazing beads to fix the double-glazed window from the inside and outside.

There are two problems with plastic door handles:

1. Handle is hard to turn or not fully

Most often, this problem is caused by the incorrect position of the door leaf, and after adjusting it according to one of the methods described above, the lock mechanism should work properly. If the adjustment does not help, the lock will have to be replaced.

2. The handle is loose

If the trim installed at the point where the handle is attached to the door is rotated 90 degrees, access to two screws will open. Tightening them with a Phillips screwdriver will fix the defect.


Seal replacement

If the door long time is operated with a warp, it can deform. In this case, it must be replaced with a new one having a similar cross-sectional shape. The old seal is removed from the groove with a screwdriver, which is then cleaned of dirt and adhesive residue. When installing a new seal, make sure that it is not stretched. Before mounting the profile, the groove must be smeared with glue, especially in those places where the ends of the seal will be located.

Prevention

In order for the plastic balcony door to go longer without adjustment, equip it with two very useful devices: microlift and opening limiter. The microlift holds the weight of the door in the closed position, preventing it from sagging. The opening limiter prevents the hinges from loosening when the door rests on the jamb (when fully open).


Do not hang bags with heavy contents on the door handle (especially an open one). The plastic door itself is heavy and the extra weight can cause it to sag quickly.

Periodic lubrication with a silicone compound will help extend the life of the seal and make it more ductile and susceptible to deformation.

Do not forget, also, to regularly lubricate the lock. If its handle turns with difficulty, users begin to put pressure on it (and at the same time on the door) with all their weight, while pulling the door strongly towards themselves. In such circumstances, distortion is inevitable.

Adjustment of plastic balcony doors video

In this section, we invite you to watch a video on the topic of our article "Adjusting plastic balcony doors: do-it-yourself setup instructions." You will see how the procedures that we described above are performed in practice.

Plastic windows and doors are a great option for apartments and houses. But they are not eternal, and it happens that there are problems with the balcony door. If this happened during the warranty period, professionals from the installer will deal with the trouble for free. But after the warranty expires, repairs can be expensive. We will tell you how to properly adjust the plastic balcony door with your own hands and save money.

When the door needs adjustment

Metal-plastic balcony doors usually do not require preventive adjustment. If you have no complaints about how they work, then you don’t need to do anything.

But if you notice that the door does not start to function as it should, then this is a sure sign that adjustment is needed.

The most common are the following signs.

Making adjustments on our own

Whatever the cause of the problem, you may need the following tools to fix it:


When sagging

If the balcony door, when opened, touches the frame with the lower edge of the sash, the sagging should be eliminated by adjusting. To do this, the door leaf is "taken away" upwards and shifted to its upper hinge.

Step-by-step instruction:


Note! Some fitting systems are equipped with adjusting screws for the “star” key, and not for the standard hexagon. If necessary, it is better to buy such a key in advance.

When touched in the middle part

In this case, the sash must be moved closer to the hinges.


Usually such a procedure is enough for the sash to stop clinging to the frame.

Pressure adjustment

Adjustment of the pressing force of the door leaf to the frame is carried out using locking elements. They are on the very edge. Most fittings are equipped with locking elements in the form of eccentrics. Turn them with pliers or an adjusting wrench to the optimum pressure.

To achieve greater efficiency, before the adjustment process, read the relevant diagrams in the instructions or on the website of the hardware manufacturer.

Pressure adjustment

Pressure adjustment is usually advised to be carried out twice a year: a tighter pressure is set for the winter, and a weaker one for the summer.

Handle adjustment

This is the most simple task which you can easily handle a short time. A common problem with handles is that they get loose over time.

Handle adjustment

  1. Rotate the plastic cap at the base of the pen 90 degrees.
  2. Tighten the exposed screws with a screwdriver. Do this carefully so as not to damage the pen body.
  3. If the play does not disappear after tightening the screws, this may indicate a crack in the pen body. In this case, the handle needs to be replaced.

Troubleshooting measures

It is very important to be able to properly adjust the balcony doors in case of problems. But it is even more useful to know how to prevent these problems, or at least make sure that you encounter them as little as possible.

  1. When choosing windows and a balcony door from a metal-plastic profile, pay attention to the characteristics of the fittings. They must exactly match the weight of the door leaf. Most fitting systems from modern manufacturers allow you to install sashes weighing up to 130 kg. Usually this is enough.
  2. The so-called microlift, or sag compensator, will help prevent sagging of the sash due to its own weight. Such a detail is necessary for heavy door leaves with large dimensions or with a two-chamber package. The design of this element can be different: from a small lever on the side of the sash to a roller on its lower part.
  3. Install the opening limiter - a special support rail. This will help prevent jamming and sagging of the sash.

In addition, it will be useful to control the installation of the door. Pay attention to the following options:

  • how tightly the door is pressed against the frame profile around the perimeter;
  • whether there was a vertical displacement of the sash;
  • how static the door leaf is in the open position.

If the installation of the plastic balcony door was carried out correctly, then you may need to adjust it very soon.

Video about the process of adjusting a plastic balcony door

Using our tips, you will protect yourself from unnecessary financial expenses. Share with us your experience in adjusting PVC doors. Good luck to you!

Over time, the plastic door to the balcony may begin to close poorly, which worsens heat and sound insulation. However, the occurrence of such problems is not a reason to change the balcony block. Most often, the problem can be solved by adjusting the fittings.

If the plastic balcony door closes loosely or with difficulty, then you should not try to close it by force. You can damage the mechanism, after which you will have to repair the structure. The source of the defect must be identified and repaired as soon as possible.

Are you faced with the fact that the balcony door closes badly, loosely or too tightly? It is necessary to eliminate any malfunction of the balcony or loggia door immediately. Otherwise, a small defect can lead to costly repairs.

The most common cause of difficulties with closing a balcony door is sagging plastic sash. Under the weight of the heavy sash, the hinges weaken, the canvas lowers and begins to touch the threshold.

Sudden changes in temperature and humidity lead to the fact that the balcony door moves in the opening and does not press in the middle. At the same time, she begins to touch the door frame in the middle part.

Difficulties in using the balcony structure can also be associated with improper operation of the clamping fittings. Over time, the mechanism needs to be adjusted to ensure high-quality clamping of the leaf to the door frame.

It is often seen that the handle plastic construction turns too tight or too loose. This complicates the closing and leads to rapid wear of the mechanism.

If you have recently installed a balcony block, then in case of problems, it is best to contact the company that installed the plastic glazing. During the warranty period, the company is obliged to send a master to you to fix the problem free of charge.

But if the balcony glazing was installed a long time ago, then you can try to deal with the problem on your own. Adjusting a plastic balcony sash will not take you much time and does not require professional skills.

Troubleshooting

To set up a plastic balcony door, you will need:

  • set of hex keys;
  • Phillips screwdriver;
  • pliers;
  • building level.

Prepare your tool ahead of time so you don't have to worry about searching while troubleshooting.

The sash sags on the threshold

To fix this problem, you need to adjust the awnings. You need to start tuning from the top loop. If the problem cannot be fixed, then it is necessary to do the same procedure with the lower canopy.

Adjusting the hinges of the plastic sash is as follows:

  1. Open the door to the balcony and remove the protective cap from the canopy.
  2. Turn the screw on top of the hinge 1-2 times clockwise.
  3. Close the sash and check its operation.
  4. If the problem persists, make a few more turns of the screw.

In some cases, it is not possible to eliminate the sagging of the sash by only adjusting the hinges. In this situation, moving the double-glazed window closer to the canopies can help. To do this, you need to dismantle the glazing beads and press the glazing towards the hinges.

The canvas touches the frame in the middle

In this case, you also need to adjust the door canopies. The hardware setting starts from the bottom hinge, using the screw on the side. It is turned clockwise, pulling the sash to the hinge. If adjusting the lower hinge does not solve the problem, then the same operation is carried out with the upper canopy.

After closing, gaps remain between the canvas and the frame

Loose fit of the plastic sash to the box is eliminated by adjusting the clamp. To do this, turn the trunnions or eccentrics located at the end of the door towards the sealing contour. The trunnions are turned with pliers, and the eccentrics with a hex key.

After each rotation of the pins or eccentrics, check the clamping force. To do this, you can use an ordinary sheet of paper. Insert it into the hole open door, close the sash and try to pull the leaf out. If it is removed freely, then you should continue the adjustment.

If you set the pressure, but it still blows from under the sash, then the cause may be a worn rubber seal.

The handle turns too tight or, on the contrary, is very loose

If the handle of the balcony sash turns too hard or not completely, then this may be due to a clogged mechanism. To restore the normal operation of the sash, you will need to clean and lubricate the fittings.

The incorrect position of the strikers is another reason that the handle does not turn all the way. To cope with this problem on your own is quite difficult, it is best to invite professional craftsmen.

An excessively loose handle must be tightened with a screwdriver by tightening the fixing screws with a Phillips screwdriver. If the defect cannot be eliminated, then it may be necessary to replace the fittings.

Prevention measures

In order for the plastic door to the balcony to function properly for many years, it is necessary to regularly and properly care for it. The clamping mechanism must be adjusted twice a year - in spring and autumn. Before the onset of summer, and with the onset of cold weather, they are reinforced so that the sash fits as tightly as possible to the frame.

So that the plastic balcony door does not have to be adjusted too often, you can install a microlift. This mechanism will not allow the plastic door to sag on the threshold. This solution is especially relevant for plastic sashes with heavy double-glazed windows. To reduce the risk of door sagging, you can also install a sash opening limiter.