Exterior door scrapping wood floor
#1
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Exterior door scrapping wood floor
Recently hung an exterior door. The weather stripping on the bottom is scrapping the wood floor whenever the door is open. This is because the floor is uneven.
I cannot sand the floor and the door is properly hung.
Can I remove the weather stripping on the door and use another kind of seal?
Any suggestions would be helpful.
I cannot sand the floor and the door is properly hung.
Can I remove the weather stripping on the door and use another kind of seal?
Any suggestions would be helpful.
#2
Assuming this was a prehung exterior door, you should have laid a piece of 1/2" or 3/4" plywood down in the bottom of the rough opening before installing the door. You should always have enough room for the door to swing over a floor rug, at a minimum. If needed, you would enlarge the rough opening on top in order to facilitate that.
So I'd say remove the door and install it higher.
Only other thing might be that if the door/wall is not plumb, (top of door jamb leaning in) the door could also be swinging DOWN toward the floor making the clearance problem at the floor worse than it would be if the door was plumb. I understand that your floor is out of level, just mentioning this because it would compound the problem.
If this is a door slab that you hung on an existing jamb, let us know what kind of door it is... wood, fiberglass, steel, etc. Any change to the bottom of the door would mean you would need a higher threshold on the door sill.
So I'd say remove the door and install it higher.
Only other thing might be that if the door/wall is not plumb, (top of door jamb leaning in) the door could also be swinging DOWN toward the floor making the clearance problem at the floor worse than it would be if the door was plumb. I understand that your floor is out of level, just mentioning this because it would compound the problem.
If this is a door slab that you hung on an existing jamb, let us know what kind of door it is... wood, fiberglass, steel, etc. Any change to the bottom of the door would mean you would need a higher threshold on the door sill.
#3
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Thanks for the response. the door is plumb.
But if I raise the door would that not create a space on the door sill.
One issue is that the door sill has to be even, (or close to even as possible) with the floor because it has to be handicapped accessible and the sill cannot be to high.
But if I raise the door would that not create a space on the door sill.
One issue is that the door sill has to be even, (or close to even as possible) with the floor because it has to be handicapped accessible and the sill cannot be to high.
#4
I don't know what your door sill/threshold looks like without pictures, (can't see it from here!) but yes, raising it 1/2" would create a 1/2" lip on each side. If you need a smooth transition, you would probably need to create a ramp out of oak 1x4 (or steel/aluminum plate) on each side of the threshold if you need a chair to pass over the door threshold smoothly.
The door HAS to swing over the floor, so IMO this is your best option.
The door HAS to swing over the floor, so IMO this is your best option.
#5
They make interior mechanical seals that flip down right as the door is closed...but that doesn't solve the issue of weather intrusion from outside...it's mostly for air sealing...and not all that great at that. That why most door bottom weather stripping has multiple fins.
Sounds like an ADA approved sill/threshold is needed.
Sounds like an ADA approved sill/threshold is needed.
#6
Even the ADA sill/threshold probably won't help unless the door is raised 1/2" or so to clear the floor.
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I'll get some pictures up for you to look at it.
What exactly are "interior mechanical seals" and what do you mean by air sealing?
I know, these are probably ridiculous sounding questions.
What exactly are "interior mechanical seals" and what do you mean by air sealing?
I know, these are probably ridiculous sounding questions.
#10
Which part of the door is dragging? Is it the latch side or the hinge side? If it is the latch side, you can try to put a small shim under the bottom hinge to see if it will raise the latch side just enough to clear the floor. Use some clear plastic (from say a battery blister packaging), cut it to size. unscrew the hinge from the door jamb, insert plastic shims and re-attach hinge.
#11
What Is an Automatic Door Bottom?
This is one type...M-D Building Products 7179 36-Inch Flex-O-Matic Automatic Door Sweep - Amazon.com
This is another type...CRL Dark Bronze Finish Commercial Medium-Duty Automatic Door Bottom Seal for 36" Door - Amazon.com
Neither one are real attractive and I've never used the cheaper one. Can't find exactly what I've used before....more mechanically like the expensive one, but with a flap like the cheaper one.
This is one type...M-D Building Products 7179 36-Inch Flex-O-Matic Automatic Door Sweep - Amazon.com
This is another type...CRL Dark Bronze Finish Commercial Medium-Duty Automatic Door Bottom Seal for 36" Door - Amazon.com
Neither one are real attractive and I've never used the cheaper one. Can't find exactly what I've used before....more mechanically like the expensive one, but with a flap like the cheaper one.