Hurricane force wind resistance sliding glass door assembly and associated methods

A sliding transparent door assembly resistant to hurricane force winds comprising:

• a door frame to be positioned in a structure opening and comprising a roller track extending along a bottom portion;
• a sliding door panel slidably positioned in said door frame and comprising
• a sliding wood door sash and at least one reinforced transparent panel carried in said sliding wood door sash, and
• at least one roller extending outwardly from a bottom of said sliding wood door sash and engaging said roller track;
• and
• vertical constraining means adjacent a top of said sliding door panel for constraining said sliding door panel against upward movement when in a closed position so that the at least one roller remains engaged on said roller track despite hurricane force winds on said sliding door panel, said vertical constraining means comprising a first shim carried by said sliding wood door sash and a second shim carried by said door frame, said first and second shims being positioned to engage one another when the sliding door panel is moved to the closed position.

A method for making a sliding door assembly resistant to hurricane force winds, the method comprising the steps of:

• positioning a door frame in a structure opening, the door frame comprising a roller track extending along a bottom portion;
• positioning a sliding door panel in the door frame, the sliding door frame comprising a sliding wood door sash and at least one reinforced transparent panel carried by the sliding wood door sash, and at least one roller extending outwardly from a bottom of the sliding wood door sash and engaging the roller track;
• and
• positioning a first shim adjacent a top of the sliding wood door sash and a second shim adjacent the door frame so that the first and second shims engage one another when the sliding door panel is moved to the closed position and to vertically constrain the sliding door panel against upward movement and so that the at least one roller remains engaged on the roller track despite hurricane force winds on the sliding door panel.