Patio Door Installed Incorrectly -- Need A Fix

[jim evans]

As I understand it my patio doors were supposed to be installed on a step down cut into the slab so it wouldn't leak water into the house. They weren't and I have four of them. Whatever the reason they all leak.

This sketch shows one way they leak. This leak doesn't seem to bother the areas if adjacent tile but ruins an area of adjacent carpet.

This picture shows the other way they leak. This leak rots both door jams on all four doors. First, does anyone have a way to fix this without removing the doors?

Second, my idea is to seal the place it's coming under the bottom plate (sketch one above) with something that will bond to the aluminum and the cement, is permanent and is impervious to water.

What product do you recommend?

Then to seal the place where it leaks in picture two with something (I assume the same stuff) that will bond to the aluminum, is permanent and is impervious to water.

What product do you recommend?

[Eric in North TX]

I think the product you are looking for is called Unobtainium.

100% Silicone caulk might have to do. If it needs to be paintable look for that grade. that will bond to the aluminum, and the cement is semi-permanent (they claim better than 20 years) and is impervious to water.

[Oren]

Anything now would be a band-aid fix. My guess is the installers did not use silicone caulk under the tracks (two 1/2 " beads along the width and a bead along each side end). This would stop air and water infiltration under the tracks. Not to mention pest from entering the home under the track.

Have you called the installer back? They should fix the new door installations - warranty?

Many patio door tracks sit on the slab, and the caulk will prevent leaks.

The product is clear silicone caulk...

[Robert King]

I have two of these sliders installed as yours. I have found it next to impossible to seal these doors if they are exposed to heavy rain especially with wind. The only solution I have found is to provide some shielding of the door either through the use of shutters or an overhang such as a patio cover. I my case the doors are exposed to a wide-open marine environment. I installed external roll-up shutters on both doors which solved 99% of the leakage problem. Good luck.

[dadiOH]

How thick is the river rock? Was it added after the doors were in? Is the bottom of the track higher than the top of the river rock, buried in it or flush? ______________

This picture seems odd to me. Been a long while since I had a door like this but it seems to me that the vertical part on the inside - near your bottom arrow - should be continuous. Mine was gapped like that but on the outside so any water entering could run out. Is it possible the track was flipped when installed? Is their now a provision for trapped water to exit? ______________

No _______________

To caulk under the track it really should be removed. If you want to caulk, use silicone caulk.

For a truly permanent fix you need to...

1. Have the bottom of the track higher than the top surface of the outside floor.
2. The outside floor should slope.
3. The track should have a provision for the exit of wind driven rain.

That river rock may be part of your problem too depending on how thick it is because it is not impermeable and drains poorly.

[jim evans]

River rock?

[jim evans]

No one suggested epoxy or epoxy paste. Why?

[dadiOH]

Pebbles in epoxy over concrete. On second glance, maybe your pebbles are integral to the concrete?

[dadiOH]

It deteriorates - rapidly - from UV for one reason. Maybe if you took up the track and embedded same in it but even then a good caulk would be better IMO, more flex.

[jim evans]

Oh, I see . That's a patio outside the door, in the yard and about three inches below the slab level. It just happens to be in the picture -- ignore it.

[salty]

Bedding compounds used on boats would be candidates. I think the OP is dreaming about something he can squirt in the openings. That's not gonna happen. To make a reliable fix, that frame has to come back out and be re-installed properly.

[charlie]

that's called pebble-tec.

[HeyBub]

An awning.

[aemeijers]

Back in the stone age, we called it 'exposed aggregate'. Took an experienced flatwork guy to get a consistent finish with no loose pebbles. Float the top surface of soupy mix, spread the rock, float it some more to get it to sink in, and at just the right moment, hit it with a hose at just the right pressure and angle to wash off the 'cream' without blowing the rocks out. Some guys would site-mix the concrete using pea gravel for the aggregate, so they could skip the step of hand-spreading the rock that would get exposed. Very popular in late

60s and early 70s. Not surprised they have come up with other ways to get the same look without requiring an artist for the original installation.

-- aem sends...