Gap under front door (exterior)

Sorry if this is the wrong sub-forum for this question. I wasn't sure which area to post under.
The gap under the exterior front-door threshold was filled with pressure treated wood (it was this way when we bought the house). It wasn't screwed/glued into place so you can pull the wood out - can't be that good right?

I'm trying to get some ideas on what is the right thing to do here. If the wood can remain there, how should it be installed to stay in place and what should I do with the gap around the wood piece (threshold and the walls to the side and the tiled step) to seal it from the elements?

Thanks.


The wood piece was pulled out to make it obvious what we're dealing with. The black paint is there to match the decor of the exterior.

 

Old doors (with sloped sills) were constructed differently from new doors. So when a door is replaced with the new style (aluminum sill) all of the sealing is done (or at least SHOULD have been done) in the rough opening under the door. The piece you are concerned about is basically just there for looks, and it prevents the aluminum sill from bending when it's stepped on. It's a glorified shim.

Without knowing what your house is built of (whether there is wood under the door or if it is masonry) it's hard to recommend whether or not you should attach it. If its wood framing behind it, a couple long ACQ approved trim screws would hold it back tight. Or if it's masonry you could just put a couple big squirts of silicone on the back of it and just push it back into place.

If you are concerned about water getting behind your stoop, you'd probably want to pull that piece completely out and caulk against the house with a polyurethane sealant. Then glue your piece back in..

I would NOT recommend you run a bead of caulk across the front of the aluminum door sill... because all that will do is hold in any water that gets in on the sides.

 

XSleeper,

Thanks for the response. I'm attaching a couple more pictures with the wood out of the way. I can't really tell what was done under there. If I were to caulk it, I would also make sure to fill in the gap on the side to rid of any open space. I was thinking of some type of mortar or stucco patch for the side. At least the caulk/mortar combination will help keep rain water out.

 

Looks like they used a couple layers of flashing membrane under the door, which is good. My only concern from what I see is that hole in the bottom right corner of the first photo where there is a hole and a little chunk of mortar. That should get sealed up better.

 

XSleeper,

Would filling that hole with mortar be ok? My thought overall is to put the wood back and fill the side gaps with mortar. Then caulk (polyurethane?) along the edge of the wood where it touches the sill, the tile and the mortar. Maybe apply a generous amount of caulk under the wood to keep it from moving.

I'm a complete noob in this area so appreciate all of your help.

 

Mortar really isn't best, as it's going to crack on the edges and leak anyway. So just caulk it since the caulk will remain flexible if you use the right kind.