Sill pan needed with exterior door to garage?
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Sill pan needed with exterior door to garage?
I have to replace the door frame (jambs) for the door to my garage (the "people" door, not the overhead door). Currently, there is an aluminum sill, but no sill pan. I watched a couple of videos on exterior door installs which recommend installing a sill pan (one recommended a custom stainless steel pan and another used a PVC pan).
Since the garage floor is concrete, is a sill pan really necessary?
Thanks in advance.
Since the garage floor is concrete, is a sill pan really necessary?
Thanks in advance.
SturdyNail
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#3
The purpose of a sill pan is to ensure that no water comes in under the door. There are very few cases where I find them necessary. But if you ever have standing water outside the door, or if someone poured a sidewalk right up to the garage pad with no height difference (outside concrete should be lower) then those are instances where water could run back under the door.
When installing a door you should always set it in a heavy bead of sealant, whether you use a sill pan or not. If you skip the sill pan, the sealant should be where the hollow aluminum sill meets the solid part of the sill. And it should block the sides of the rough opening as well, so that water doesn't get past the sides of the door.
Sill pans are just a better more foolproof way to set a door. They expand to fill the whole rough opening and you caulk underneath them, and between any seams. Then when you set the door in the pan, you caulk the interior side only. This allows the door to sit in water (if it gets wet) which is not very good for a wood door. If your door has a composite sill, that won't rot.
Sill pan mfg's want you to use sill pans. I generally don't use them unless I forsee a problem installing it without one.
When installing a door you should always set it in a heavy bead of sealant, whether you use a sill pan or not. If you skip the sill pan, the sealant should be where the hollow aluminum sill meets the solid part of the sill. And it should block the sides of the rough opening as well, so that water doesn't get past the sides of the door.
Sill pans are just a better more foolproof way to set a door. They expand to fill the whole rough opening and you caulk underneath them, and between any seams. Then when you set the door in the pan, you caulk the interior side only. This allows the door to sit in water (if it gets wet) which is not very good for a wood door. If your door has a composite sill, that won't rot.
Sill pan mfg's want you to use sill pans. I generally don't use them unless I forsee a problem installing it without one.
SturdyNail
voted this post useful.
#4
Forum Topic Moderator
I don't see a need for one on a garage man door since there is no wood or finished floor IF there is a leak.
SturdyNail
voted this post useful.
#5
Member
Thread Starter
@Marq1, I'm re-using the existing, steel, door that was there when we bought the house almost 30 years ago. I don't have any manufacturer's recommendations. I'm replacing the frame (jambs) because they are rotted at the bottom. I'm using a composite frame.
This whole process is a real challenge for me since I will need to route out for the hinges to precisely align with their current locations on the steel door.
This whole process is a real challenge for me since I will need to route out for the hinges to precisely align with their current locations on the steel door.
#6
Being able to read a tape measure is half the battle. You just need to measure from the top of the door to the top of each hinge, and write that number down. Then transfer those marks to the door jamb, using a utility knife to score the jamb or else use a very fine pencil. Then take each hinge off, line them up with your top edge mark, and put 2 screws in each hinge to hold it in place nice and square. Then trace around each hinge with a sharp utility knife, score about 1/8" deep. Then remove the hinges and chisel or router out the mortise to the proper depth so that it sits flush.
And remember that you need 1/8" clearance on top of the door. So if you measure the distance of the hinges from the door itself, (and not the distance down from the top jamb) you would need to remember to add 1/8" to all your measurements to allow for the clearance on the top of the door.
And remember that you need 1/8" clearance on top of the door. So if you measure the distance of the hinges from the door itself, (and not the distance down from the top jamb) you would need to remember to add 1/8" to all your measurements to allow for the clearance on the top of the door.
SturdyNail
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#7
Forum Topic Moderator
..... and if the finished mortise ends up being a little too wide/long it's no big deal to fill in around the hinge. Couldn't count the times I've needed to do that.
SturdyNail
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#8
Member
Thread Starter
Thanks marksr and XSleeper
XSleeper, I appreciate your detail with respect to measuring and scoring. I was going to remove the old jamb first and then lineup the new jamb and transfer the locations from old to new. Also, I bought the Milescraft HingeMate200 jig set to, hopefully, keep my old, big, router from choosing its own path.
XSleeper, I appreciate your detail with respect to measuring and scoring. I was going to remove the old jamb first and then lineup the new jamb and transfer the locations from old to new. Also, I bought the Milescraft HingeMate200 jig set to, hopefully, keep my old, big, router from choosing its own path.
SturdyNail
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#10
I don't see a need for one on a garage man door since there is no wood or finished floor
And yes I understand that wont work in this situation!!
SturdyNail
voted this post useful.
#11
Member
Thread Starter
Followup note regarding use of the Milescraft Hingemate jig. The jig didn't work with the composite door frame due to the integrated stop. I tried using a spacer to raise the jig above the stop, as was suggested elsewhere on the web, but it raised the jig so high that the router bit's bushing no longer touched the template.
I'll need to use the method described by @XSleeper for mortising out the hinge or, maybe, make my own jig. It might also be a good excuse for buying a smaller, trim, router. I don't want to mess this up.
I'll need to use the method described by @XSleeper for mortising out the hinge or, maybe, make my own jig. It might also be a good excuse for buying a smaller, trim, router. I don't want to mess this up.