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My sliding glass door frame sticks up 3-3/4" from the finished floor in my living room and 2" above the entryway deck outside. I'm looking for creative ways to make this transition less dangerous for tripping on.

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  • Yeah, most sliders are hopeless on the ADA front, and the ones that aren't are only available as architectural spec/commercial hardware, not through normal builder channels AIUI
    – ThreePhaseEel
    Sep 19 at 4:13
  • Can you raise the entire deck? Or will that create a problem with the deck stairs that we can't see? Can you cut back the threshold to the door so there aren't two places to trip and a ledge too small to stand on?
    – jay613
    Sep 19 at 15:48
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    The problem with putting residential sliders at floor level is the dirt that fills the track ruins the cheap wheels even faster than if a small ledge keeps some of it out.
    – jay613
    Sep 19 at 15:52

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You can't. Any sloped ramp shallow enough to prevent trips will necessarily be several feet deep, creating an even more awkward situation in your room.

Post a sign. Color the ledge in a contrasting manner. Remind guests.

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  • You'd need a 3-4 foot long ramp if you're shooting for commercial ADA compliance, but that's almost certainly overkill. A 1-foot ramp with a 1:4 slope may not be out of the question depending on room layout. Not sure at what steepness the ramp just becomes the tripping hazard, though.
    – Nuclear Hoagie
    Sep 19 at 13:52
  • Yeah, that's not enough slope to prevent trips. A shoe's rubber sole will catch on it almost as readily as it will currently if the wearer is unaware of the ramp.
    – isherwood
    Sep 19 at 13:56
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Lock the door! That'd work right? No traffic = no tripping hazard. Not the answer you want?

What you have is basically cursed, move the door down by 2".

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Bevel one edge of 1x6 or 3/4 inch plywood and fasten to floor. It’s non standard looking. We did this for wheelchair access.

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    That's a very different problem than a trip hazard, and I'm not sure how it even begins to address a 4" ledge.
    – isherwood
    Sep 19 at 13:57
  • Thanks for responding. They have 1.5-2" of lumber plus about the same of door track. We added layers of lumber to reduce the changes to 1/2", recommended for wheelchairs and walkers. We didn't address the door track. Although it looked weird and encroached on the room, it did the job and actually reduced tripping.
    – GeezLouise
    Sep 20 at 18:39

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