How to Seal the Gap Under Your Front Door
Stop that breeze coming under the door
Have you ever walked past your front door and felt a bit of wind sneaking through underneath it, like the door has decided to channel Antarctica straight into your hallway? You're not alone, and sealing that gap is one of those jobs that's genuinely easier than it looks. Give it an afternoon and you'll notice the difference the same night.
Why that gap is more than just a gap
It's surprising how much trouble something that small can cause.
- Heat loss. Your heater or air con works overtime replacing air that's escaping under the door, and that turns up on the power bill.
- Dust and insects. A gap under a door is an open invitation, and they'll take it.
- Noise and smells. If you live near a road, you'll hear more of it than you need to.
Step 1. Size up the gap
First thing is knowing what you're dealing with. Is the gap about as thick as a coin, or can you get a couple of fingers under there? Shut the door and have a look at it in daylight, because a bright line along the bottom tells you more than a tape measure will. Bigger gaps usually want a combination of two things rather than one heroic product.
Check whether the gap is even across the whole width too. Older doors go out of square, and a gap that's 3mm at the hinge and 12mm at the latch needs an adjustable seal rather than a fixed one.
Step 2. Choose the right sort of seal
There are a few ways to go at this and they suit different situations.
- Adhesive foam or rubber strip. Peel and stick, goes round the frame or along the base. Cheap and quick, and the one to start with if you're renting.
- Brush seal. A strip with bristles that screws to the bottom of the door. The bristles sweep over uneven floors and carpet without dragging. That makes it the usual answer on an older house.
- Automatic door bottom. Drops down when the door closes and lifts as it opens, so nothing rubs on the floor at all. The tidiest fix and the one that lasts.
- Weatherproof door bottom. A seal with a rubber blade for an external door where wind-driven rain is part of the problem.
Most of these go on with nothing more than a screwdriver and about fifteen minutes.
Step 3. Fit it properly
Give the area a quick clean first, because dusty skirtings and floorboards stop adhesive strips sticking and you'll be doing the job twice. If you're using an adhesive strip, cut it to length before you peel the backing rather than after.
For a screw-on seal, hold it up against the closed door and mark your holes before you drill anything. Most seals have slotted holes so you can slide them up or down a few millimetres once they're on, and that adjustment is what gets you a proper seal instead of a near one. If the door is warped, fit the seal to the widest part of the gap and let the adjustment take up the rest.
The quiet is the bit that surprises people
The best part of sealing a door isn't the power bill, it's the hush afterwards. You don't realise how much outside noise has been coming under there until it stops, and the hallway suddenly feels like part of the house rather than a wind tunnel.
Shop related products
- GSA Acrylic Gap Filler 450gm. For the gaps around the frame while you're at it.
- Soudal T-Rex Crystal Clear Sealant and Adhesive. Holds a seal down where screws aren't an option.
- Standard Utility Knife with 4 Spare Blades. For cutting strip to length cleanly.
- Toolking Power Bit Set 208pcs. Whatever head the screws in the pack turn out to be.
Did you know the door seals are in the shop rather than on the website. We carry brush door seals in 915mm and 1220mm, automatic door bottoms and weatherproof seals, and they come in bronze, gold, clear anodised and a couple of other finishes so they don't look out of place. There's also self-adhesive foam gap fill by the roll in a few thicknesses. Give us a ring on (08) 8536 4333 and we'll tell you what's on the shelf.
Where to go next
A door is usually only one of the places air is getting in, so once that's sorted:
There's a range of building materials on the website as well.
I put a brush seal on my own back door years after I should have, and the only thing I'd change is doing it sooner.
Cheers,
Candeece
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