"Marvin French Doors - How to Level"

 

 By Ron Stultz

25 July 2011

 

 

Summary: the trick is that each door can be moved higher off the bottom track by using a screwdriver wedge under the door and then using the bottom track adjusting screws.

 

Background:

Marvin French doors installed in 1991.

Doors not installed by Marvin but by renovation contractor.

Doors always difficult to move and 3 point locking system never aligned correctly

One door had to be removed to repair wood rot in one bottom corner.

 

How to level Marvin French doors:

At bottom of each Marvin French door are 2 plastic caps covering leveling adjusting screws.

Remove plastic caps by carefully prizing them out of their holes.

Deeply recessed is either a Phillips screw head or a small flat blade screw head.

By turning an adjustment screw, that end of the Marvin French door will move up or down on the frame track.

 

Marvin wood French Doors - Show level points at bottom of French door

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Remove trim piece that runs entire length of interior door frame.

This trim piece is attached to the underside of the frame with Phillips head screws.

My trim piece was wedged in tight against each end of the door frame and stayed in place after all screws were removed but yours could be different so go slowly in removing screws so you do not break the trim piece.

 

Marvin wood French doors - Shows trim peice at top of windows that must be removed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marvin wood French doors - Shows screw holding trim piece that must be removed to remove trim

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With trim piece removed, move doors together.

Now looking where the doors meet at the very top, adjust the height of the doors so they are the same at the junction point.

Marvin wood French doors - Shows how doors must be level at top to properly mate and lock

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You might have trouble getting one door or the other to move high enough simply by turning the leveling screw to move door upward, so take a flat blade screwdriver and insert into the edge of the door where it meets the frame track and lift upward while turning the leveling screw. I just did not have enough hand strength to turn the leveling screw with the entire weight of the door on top of the leveling wheels.

Marvin wood French doors - Show where door must be lifted while turning level screw to level door

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once you have both doors aligned at the top where they meet in the middle of the frame, move both doors. Do they move easily? If not adjust outer most leveling screw.

Close doors.

Does latching system work? I have what is known as a 3 point latching system. In my case, I had to move 1 or more of the "studs" sticking out of one door to get them to mate properly with sliding track mounted in other door.

To get doors to mate properly, lock and then move smoothly along tracks may take some time with the leveling screws. Just remember you can move a door higher off the track by using a flat blade wedge under the door edge while turning the adjustment screws.

Once the doors align correctly where they meet and roll easily along their bottom tracks, replace the trim piece removed.

Note that the trim piece also serves as a sort of outer guide for the doors and if you are not careful you will pinch the door as it tries to move along at the top. Adjust trim as needed to keep it from forcing a door inward causing it to scrap the vinyl weather stripping on the outer door of the Marvin French door frame.