Draught proofing advice

[Pford75]

Seeing as Autumn has well and truly arrived here in this part of Norfolk, one of the projects on my never-ending list is to sort out the draught proofing on the scullery door.

I have attached a few photos to demonstrate the problem I have.

This shows the door from the inside. As you will see, it finishes a couple of inches from the internal floor level. This second photo shows the threshold closer up - the door closes on top of the stone threshold.

This next photo shows the view from the outside and how the door sits.

The problem we have is that when there is rain driven against the door, it runs down the surface of the door and finds its way underneath. There is also a noticeable draught from underneath the door. It's easy to draught proof around the sides of the door...but I'm looking for advice on how to approach the threshold? Is there a way of stopping the driving rain as well?

 

[AMc]

Seems to me like you want a rain deflector e.g.
http://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/Products/Seals_for_Doors_and_Windows/Threshold_and_Draught_Seals/4384/Standard_Rain_Deflector_and_Drip_Bar/962826

Our front door (similar look) has a strip of timber in the same shape as the rain deflector - if you cut a rebate in the back you could fix a brush strip in there before you fixed to the door and that would discreetly deal with the draught as well?

 

[Lime]

No simple way to prevent rain being driven under the door.
Perhaps a brush seal strip hidden under a wooden drip bar on the front of the door may minimise the problem.
(as well as internal draught strip)

A porch would stop most of the rain hitting the door in the first place.

 

[Lime]

Seems to me like you want a rain deflector e.g.
http://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/Products/Seals_for_Doors_and_Windows/Threshold_and_Draught_Seals/4384/Standard_Rain_Deflector_and_Drip_Bar/962826

Those seals do not last long on a rough stone step.

 

[JoceAndChris]

A very pretty door and flooring! I have just the same issue so read about the rain deflectors and brushes with interest.

 

[Flyfisher]

Seems to me like you want a rain deflector e.g.
http://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/Products/Seals_for_Doors_and_Windows/Threshold_and_Draught_Seals/4384/Standard_Rain_Deflector_and_Drip_Bar/962826

Those seals do not last long on a rough stone step.

But how long is 'not long'? A new rubber strip shouldn't cost more than a few pounds, so even replacing it every year will not be too expensive.

I'd be more concerned about the wear effect on the stone floor though.

 

[Feltwell]

Personally, I'd add a timber weatherbar to the outside of the door - so any rain that hits the door runs down, over the weatherbar and hits the drip stop which makes it drip clear of your stone threshold.

http://www.realoakfloors.co.uk/external_door_weather_bar.php

And for draught proofing, I'd take the door off it's hinges, rout a groove in the bottom of the door and fit a brush strip. Won't wear as quickly as a solid rubber strip and will be almost invisible. You can get face fixed ones that are much simpler to fit but look ugly.

 

[Pford75]

Thanks for all the advice. I am tempted to try the weather bar - I think I would prefer a timber one which could be painted to match the door...do any of them come with rubber strips underneath as per the metal version which AMc suggested?

Fitting a brush into the bottom of the door wouldn't solve the problem, since the door doesn't actually 'sit' over the stone step when closed....so any brush would just be hanging in mid air. Not easy to explain...but I hope you get the picture.

I love the door as well Joce - although it's clearly been butchered about over the years...strips added, mutliple different locks cut into it etc. I have some other pics of my cleaned up pamments which i've been meaning to post....will ty to do so soon.

 

[Lime]

Seems to me like you want a rain deflector e.g.
http://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/Products/Seals_for_Doors_and_Windows/Threshold_and_Draught_Seals/4384/Standard_Rain_Deflector_and_Drip_Bar/962826

Those seals do not last long on a rough stone step.

But how long is 'not long'? A new rubber strip shouldn't cost more than a few pounds, so even replacing it every year will not be too expensive.
I'd be more concerned about the wear effect on the stone floor though.

On a rough stone, about a couple months.
The rubbers strips never fully seal on a rough stone step from day one.

On my front door, that suffers similar problems to the door of this thread, I fitted a cut down brush designed for a garage (extra long bristles) under the wooden weather edge.
It is still working well after 20 years.

 

[Feltwell]

Thanks for all the advice. I am tempted to try the weather bar - I think I would prefer a timber one which could be painted to match the door...do any of them come with rubber strips underneath as per the metal version which AMc suggested?

Don't think so but with a bit of ingenuity and a router I bet you could add one. They do wear though, and of course they wear on the high points of the threshold, which isn't necessarily where the door comes to rest when closed. They also perish and fall apart eventually with being flexed back and forth.

Not saying don't do it, just proceed with caution and make sure you do it in such a way that you can replace it in future.

A timber weatherbar painted to match the door looks fine IMHO.

 

[88v8]

Thanks for all the advice. I am tempted to try the weather bar - I think I would prefer a timber one which could be painted to match the door..

That will work well, or rather it can...
It needs to be fitted very near to the bottom of the door.
In addition to screwing it on - brass screws sunk in with a Jennings bit and finished with a plug cutter - it needs to be glued to the door, otherwise the joint will crack and water will seep down and rot your door. Therefore the paint needs to be carefully burnt off the bottom of the door to get a wood to wood joint. Use a totally waterproof glue such as Cascophen (think it's called something else now). Use the same glue for the screw plugs.
Ideally the ends of the water bar should fit under the jambs either side, so they need to be sculpted out to mirror the profile of the water bar.
You didn't suppose this was simple, did you....

Fitting a brush into the bottom of the door wouldn't solve the problem, since the door doesn't actually 'sit' over the stone step when closed....so any brush would just be hanging in mid air. Not easy to explain...but I hope you get the picture..

Yes, now you point it out one can see this in your pic of the open door.

OK, so in a newer house, such as mine of 1921, the frame would have a bottom rail with a step on the outside and a jamb on the inside against which the door closes. A good solution would be to instal such a rail.
Old or air-dried oak... remove that strip off the bottom of the door, and make a weathered step the thickness of the strip you removed, with an internal jamb which for simplicity could be planted... rebate the rail over the threshold and down to the floor, screwing it down to the threshold &/or the pamments just inside. That will stop the draught in a 'period' and permanent way.
The step should have a water groove cut into the underside near the front, in the groove you put a nice bead of non-Period non-setting gutter seal to keep the water from creeping beneath.

Aha, you may think, why bother with the oak step, why not just the jamb? Because in addition to creating a weathered surface to deter the water, the step gives visitors a visual hint that they have to pick their feet up as they enter.

I have exactly the same problem with the west door of our notnew house, I shall escape having to install the same solution by implementing Lime's answer.

Ivor

 

[AMc]

Our front door (similar look) has a strip of timber in the same shape as the rain deflector - if you cut a rebate in the back you could fix a brush strip in there before you fixed to the door and that would discreetly deal with the draught as well?

I wasn't advocating the metal rain deflector but it came up quickly on google. What I was suggesting was be add a timber weather bar and sandwich a brush strip between the weather bar and the door (by rebating the weather bar)- that would put the brush strip over the stone when the door was closed if I'm reading the pictures right?