How To Repair Damaged Second Floor Door Sill Plate

Pity the poor wooden threshold. That stomped-on, scuffed-upwards, taken-for-granted plank bakes in the dominicus, gets soaked by the rain, and endures the grit from every shoe that tromps in or out of the house. Without regular attention—an occasional lick of pigment and some caulking—sooner or later that wood's a goner, and the underlying framework isn't far backside.

It's best to start replacement work early on in the 24-hour interval, and then in that location's time to fix whatever problems that come to light subsequently the old threshold is out. A rotten subsill, punky joist ends, or a termite-riddled rim joist can stretch this two-hour chore into a full day's labor.

Here's a stride-by-stride tutorial on how to install a door threshold.

How to Replace a Door Threshold in 9 Steps

Step ane: Know the Parts That Brand Up the Exterior Door Threshold

Click ''enlarge this image'' to view illustration labels.

Step two: Prep With Replacement at the Ready

Measure out the length, width, and thickness of the old threshold, and have a replacement with a similar profile on manus. Information technology should be an inch or two longer than the distance between the door casing'due south outside edges and then you can trim it for an verbal fit afterwards on.

Remove the tempest door and any weatherstripping attached to the threshold.

Tip: You'll spend a lot of time kneeling on the outside of the house. Place safe mats on the porch, as Tom did, or invest in a good pair of genu pads.

Footstep 3: Remove the Old Threshold

Man Using Wood-Cutting Blade To Slice Into Door Threshold

Fit a forest-cutting blade, at least as long as the sometime threshold is deep, into a reciprocating saw.

Slice across the wood in ii places, almost x inches from each jamb. Concord the blade so its teeth are almost parallel to the surface, and spotter its tip so yous don't cut the flooring.

Cease sawing as soon as you feel the blade cut through the threshold. Expect until the blade stops moving before lifting it out of the kerf.

Footstep iv: Pry Out Outside Board & Care for

Man Sticks Flatbar Between Threshold And Subsill

Stick a flat bar (aka pry bar) between the threshold and the subsill and pry upward the center section. Wiggle the ends away from the jambs, if you can, or split them with a hammer and chisel and take them out piece by piece. Use patience and finesse, not animate being strength; yous don't desire to harm the ends of the door stops.

Pry off the toekick (the exterior board below the threshold), and probe the wood underneath for signs of disuse.

Replace any rotten woods you find, and spray it all with a borate solution like Bora-Care to preclude rot and repel termites.

Step 5: Install the Rubber Seal

Man Adds Rubber Seal Between Jambs On Threshold

A layer of flashing on the subsill prevents water from reaching the framing below. Tom uses Vycor Plus, a rubbery, cocky-adhering membrane that he cuts to fit betwixt the jambs and a few inches wider than the subsill. The flashing goes over the subsill, adhesive side downward, with merely plenty overhang in front to comprehend the superlative edge of the toekick.

Afterward smoothing out the membrane, Tom grabs the edge closest to the inside of the house and rolls it over onto itself, forming a small dam against water infiltration.

Step half dozen: Lay Out the Notch for the New Threshold

Man Measures Notch For Threshold Replacement

The ends of the new threshold take to be notched to fit around both door jambs. This creates a "horn" that extends nether the casing. First, mensurate the width of the right-hand casing, then hook the record on the threshold's back right-mitt corner and transfer that measurement to the threshold's back edge.

Next, mensurate the width of the jamb and finish, hook the record on the same corner, and transfer the measurement to the terminate of the stock. Utilise a square to draw a perpendicular line from each mark until both lines intersect.

Step seven: Cut Out the Notch By Measuring Jamb to Jamb

Cut forth the layout lines with a jigsaw or circular saw; finish circular-saw cuts with a handsaw.

To mark the cuts for the left-hand notch, measure the width of the opening from jamb to jamb, then hook the tape on the cut-out notch and transfer that measurement to the threshold's back edge.

Marking the width of the jamb and stop on the threshold'southward left cease, join the marks with a square, and cut out the notch, every bit shown.

Trim the horns flush with the edges of the casing. Sand the threshold with 120-dust paper and spray it with borate.

Pace eight: Install the Threshold

Slip the notched threshold into position under the door stops, then nudge it into place by borer a hammer on a forest block against the threshold'due south edge.

Change the block's position and then neither finish of the threshold gets too far ahead of the other.

When it's tight to the subfloor, slide pairs of shims—ones cut from cedar shingles are best—under the center and both ends of the threshold, just not under the horns.

Arrange the shims so the sparse end of one rests on the fat stop of the other. That style, as you tap on the fat end, the threshold will lift without tilting.

When the threshold is tight against the door stops and casing, snap the shim ends off flush with the subsill.

Step ix: Seal with Foam

Squirt expanding foam sealant under the threshold to hold it in place and plug whatever air gaps. Immediately put the toekick up under the flashing and tight against the underside of the threshold, and spiral it to the subsill.

Run a bead of sealant betwixt the threshold and each door stop.

Finally, protect the woods with deck pigment or several coats of spar varnish.

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