If you look at the bottom of your door, you’ll be able to find the threshold. You might not think much of it. However, this structure has many essential purposes. Since it closes the gap between your doorway and the surface of the floor, it defends against various elements. Noise, rain, air, and dust are just some of the things that the sill keeps away.
Do you want to enforce the effects of your door sill? Then, you should think about sealing them. When you do, it will provide stronger protection against different types of pollution and bad weather. If you are interested in doing it yourself, here are the steps on how to seal a door threshold:
Measure the gap between the floor and the door.
The effectiveness of your door threshold depends on how tight its seal is. Since that factor is important, you need to start by measuring the gap between the floor and the bottom of your door. If you want, you can also get the horizontal length of your door, but it will be better to get an allowance for that. The numbers you get should be extra accurate since you will bring the measurements when you buy your seal and threshold.
Purchase your seal and threshold.
With your measurements on hand, you can start buying your threshold. First, decide on what type do you want to buy. There are saddle-type thresholds, panic-type thresholds, interlocking type-thresholds, and vinyl-tape thresholds. While all of these types protect against noise and pollution, some have more specialized uses than others.
When you buy, you should also consider the material. Do you want one made of metal or wood? Wood can look better with some doors, but they are also more vulnerable to erosion from liquid elements like rain or flood. While you are in the store, you should also buy a sealant for extra enforcement.
Mark the area and drill holes on the floor.
Before you install the threshold, you’ll need to mark the floor first. You’ll need these marks when you drill later. The holes are essential because you’ll insert the screws there. You will use them to connect the threshold to the floor.
When marking, there is an ideal distance of where the first and last holes should be positioned. They should be 3 inches away from the edges. For the ones in between, they can have 8-10 inches between each of them.
After marking, you can use a drill on the marked areas. The recommended depth per hole is 1 and ½ inches deep, but you can have an allowance of half an inch.
Install anchors and the thresholds.
Once you are finished with the preparations, you can now install the anchors and the thresholds. The anchors should be placed around the marked edges. These anchors are necessary to create a stronghold for the sill.
Set the threshold on the floor. Use screws to connect it to the surface through the holes. Make sure that each screw is properly tightened.
Apply a sealant.
If you want to enhance the effects of the sill, you should apply a silicone sealant. It will create a tighter seal for your threshold. When you apply it, do it on the bottom side of the sill. After that, wait for the sealant to dry. Make sure that no one is passing through the doors while you stand by.
Sealing your door threshold is essential because it can help protect your home. Whether you are doing it for the first time or replacing an old door threshold, this is a task that you can do on your own. If you have the proper materials and measurements on hand, you can finish this task successfully.