How to fix a metal water bar in stone threshold?

[Delta]

I have stone step or threshold at my back door, that has the remains of a weather/water bar set in, but it is well past it. Whilst it may be good ventilation for the house, the rain and leaves that blow under are a bit of a pain.

I have considered replacing the entire stone step, but it has character and I thought maybe I'd have a go at replacing the water bar myself. A spot of grinder action to chase out the remains of the old and drop a new one in. £4-5 for a new galvanised bar online, so got to be worth a try.

Now to the point, how do you fit the bar into the step?
Fiction?
Molten lead?
Other?

Picture alert -



I'm not 100% sure if it is a weather bar or a water bar. I see references to both, but the wood overhang attached to the door is also described as a weather bar.

 

[worms]

Don't know how you would fit that, but it sounds like a trip hazard to me!

 

[Zebra]

My sister and I fitted a similar thing in her garage, as the floor sloped inwards under the door, and water got in. Admittedly, my sister's garage floor didn't have any character which we might have been worried about losing, but what we did was use a grinder to chase out a channel slightly wider than the aluminium bar, wedge it in with stones, and then use cement mortar to point it in, slightly flaunched towards the bar. Once set, the flaunching allowed her to bump the wheelbarrow up and over easily, and might make it slightly less of a toe-stubber.

 

[88v8]

I had a similar situation with our west door. The PO had 'solved' the problem by filling under the door with expanding foam, and siting furniture in front of the door during viewings. "We don't really use that door" quoth he.

When it rained, the water ran in.

Impossible to tell what sort of bar had been there. Only the rusted screw stubs remained. I screwed down a piece of oak, with a slight weathering on it, to make a threshold. Bedded in non-setting mastic and fixed with brass screws, then oiled. The door closes against expanding tape which fixes to the inner face of the oak.

Our door also has a 'water bar', 'weather bar' on it. I had to raise it slightly to make a clearance for the oak. Ideally the weather bar would extend further so that it completely covers the threshold.

Ivor

 

[plasticpigeon]

I understand the layout now, thanks for the photos, I shall try and recreate something similar.

 

[88v8]

I understand the layout now, thanks for the photos, I shall try and recreate something similar.

Yes, sorry, I should have posted them in your thread, 1,000 words....

Ivor

 

[davidbrac]

Humm its a hell of a job to grind out that bar, especially in the corners, if you do it make sure you spray with water to keep the dust down. I would also make some sort of guide as its easy to grind a bit you don't want removing.

Fixing lead would do it, however l would use a modern product, epoxy. I would heat the epoxy in boiling water then mix it, this way it will run into every part of the slot when you insert the bar.

If you use molten lead, it will have to be very dry or it will spit back at you.

I suppose it the grinding fails then you have the bar to put into the new stone step when you get it, and it will be easier to grind with the step out

 

[Penners]

how do you fit the bar into the step?
Fiction?

I imagine this means that you're considering fixing the bar by leaning a few P D James books against it. That's probably a short-term solution at best. :wink:

Given the poor state of the edge of the step nearest the door, I think I might consider cutting this part away, cutting down vertically along the line of the weather bar with an angle grinder, and then cutting horizontally flush with the floor. You could then drill your weather bar in several places and screw it to the new vertical edge that you've created with your cut.

You then have a choice - leave the arrangement as it is or re-create the back edge of the step with a new piece of stone glued in with epoxy resin.

I hope that rather woolly explanation is understandable.

 

[88v8]

I hope that rather woolly explanation is understandable.

Or....
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Draught-Excluder-Sheep-/271450501974?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3f33b5f356

 

[Penners]

What a baa-a-a-a-army idea!

:wink: