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Doors and Components Category

Improvement Project:

How to weatherstrip a door.

Tools / Materials (See Below for Applicability):

• Tubular vinyl gasket weatherstrip (fastened either with nails [3/4" finish wire-type nails or similar, usually included], screws or staples)

• Door sweep / door bottom

• Power drill with an appropriate drill bit

• Tape measure

• Awl

• Pencil

• Paper

• Hacksaw

• Carpenter's knife

• Hammer

• Screwdriver

• Staple gun

Guide:

One of the most basic means of weatherizing your house and simultaneously having it become energy efficient to a certain extent is to install weatherstripping on your exterior doors.

Caution: When dealing with sharp objects, such as a hackshaw and carpenter's knife, make sure you take precautions; read all product manufacturer instructions.

Installing weatherstripping on a door can be done in a few steps, and here's how:

1. Make sure the door frame is clean of debris.

2. With a tape measure, measure the hinge, latch and head door frame sides along the inside stop.  If need be, measure again given the adage, "Measure twice and cut once."  Write down your measurements on a sheet of paper with a pencil.

3. With a carpenter's knife, cut the tubular vinyl gasket weatherstrip you have into three strips of certain lengths:  One weatherstrip cut to the measurement of the hinge door frame size, another weatherstrip cut to the measurement of the latch door frame size; and the other weatherstrip cut to the measurement of the head door frame side, all from the measuring point of the inside stop.

4. First install the cut-to-size weatherstrip on the hinge door frame side, setting this tubular weatherstrip flush with the inside stop of said frame side, securing it with either nails (usually included with the weatherstrip) with the use of a hammer, screws with the use of a screwdriver, or staples with the use of staple gun; for the screws, you may want to drill pilot holes with a power drill with an attached appropriate bit before screwing in the screws with a screwdriver.

5. Then install the cut-to-size weatherstrip on the latch door frame side, setting this tubular weatherstrip flush with the inside stop of said frame side, securing it with the same fasteners you used for the hinge door frame side.

6. Then install the cut-to-size weatherstrip on the top door frame side, setting this tubular weatherstrip flush with the inside stop of said frame side, securing it with the same fasteners you used for the hinge door frame side.

7. Finally, with a tape measure, measure the bottom length of the door and write this measurement down on a sheet of paper with a pencil.

8. Cut the door sweep you have to the measurement of the bottom length of the door: Use a hacksaw to cut the metal portion of the door sweep and a carpenter's knife to cut the gasket element of it.

9. Having the door closed, set the cut-to-size door sweep against the bottom interior side of the door so that it just barely comes into contact with--touches--the door's threshold; though, make sure that neither obstruct the other from allowing the door to open without difficulty.  Either using a pencil or an awl, mark the locations of the holes that will be made to secure the door sweep in its current position.

10. If you are using screws, drill pilot holes through such markings with a power drill that has an appropriate drill bit attached.

11. Finally, install the door sweep on the interior bottom side of the door, as previously set into position, by either screwing in screws with a screwdriver (screws of which, again, usually come with the door sweep) or driving in nails with a hammer (if you find no screws are available to you and as a last resort).  Screws as best suited for the fastening of a door sweep.

Taking the following steps will lead you on your way to saving house energy costs:  The heat generated by your heating system during the winter season will not easily escape through the door crevices now covered by the weatherstrip; vice versa, when it is the summer season, the cool air generated by your cooling system will not easily escape through the door crevices now covered by the weatherstrip.

Ed the Handyman

            &

Your Handyman Zone Team

 

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