Product Types
Sliding glass doors
A sliding glass door is a multi-panel unit where one or more panels roll on a bottom track while others stay fixed. Sizing is driven by the overall width and the panel count, with each panel marked O (fixed) or X (operating) — for example a 3-panel OXO has a center panel that slides past two fixed ends. These are heavy, labor-intensive units: budget roughly 4 crew-hours per panel plus a separate screw-inspection return trip before the trim covers go on. Because the work scales with panels, sliders are priced per panel, not per linear foot.
- Labor: ~4 crew-hours per panel
- Pricing: per panel (not per LF)
- Buck pieces: 3 (head + 2 jambs, NO sill)
- Jamb cut: each jamb −1.5" (door rule)
- Extra trip: 1 screw inspection before covers go on
- Config example: 3-panel OXO = 2 fixed + 1 operating
- Configuration is written in O/X notation: O = fixed (stationary) panel, X = operating (sliding) panel. Common layouts are OX, XO, OXO and OXXO — read left to right as you face the door.
- The bottom track IS the sill, so the buck is only 3 pieces: a head and 2 jambs. Sliding glass doors and bifolds follow the door rule — jambs are cut −1.5" (windows are −3" because they also get a sill).
- Plan the screw-inspection trip into the schedule: anchors must be seen and signed off before the head/jamb covers are installed, or you'll be pulling covers back off later.
- Masonry-opening math is the same as any unit: from a nominal size add 3.5", from a labeled R.O. add 3.0", and a labeled M.O. is used as-is; the finished hole is the door plus 1/2" shim space.
Pros
- Priced per panel, so a wider unit with the same panel count doesn't blow up the quote like LF pricing would
- Only 3 buck pieces (no sill) — fewer cuts and the track does double duty as the sill
- O/X notation makes the operating layout unambiguous on the order and on site
Watch-outs
- Heavy labor: ~4 crew-hours per panel adds up fast on 3- and 4-panel units
- Requires a dedicated screw-inspection return trip before covers — easy to forget when scheduling
- Glass and frames are heavy and awkward; setting and shimming the track level is critical for smooth operation