Choosing a French Door Threshold Replacement
Thresholds eliminate gaps in the bottom of doors and protect against rain, draughts, and bugs throughout the year. A threshold that is lower also offers the safety of pushchairs and wheelchairs and more seamlessly connects both outdoor and indoor spaces.
When you are advising your customers about their options for thresholds for french doors, it is crucial to know the various options available.
Weathered
The threshold of an exterior door is an essential element of any door system, offering protection from the elements as well as a seamless transition between outdoor and indoor space. However, it is essential to strike the right balance between security and fashion when selecting the threshold for an exterior door system. Alongside being a necessity for keeping the home weatherproof, thresholds play an important role in user safety by preventing tripping, and restricting access to people with mobility problems or wheelchairs. Therefore, there are several thresholds to choose from that allow customers to pick the most appropriate one for their home.
repair french doors that is weathered is a great option for doors on the outside, since it provides exceptional weather protection, and creates a solid barrier that keeps water, wind and draughts out. This type of threshold is recessed/sunk in the floor, leaving a 14mm rise. This minimizes the risk of tripping and provides an effective seal against the elements. Weathered thresholds are recommended for all external doors because they provide higher levels of weatherproofing compared to unweathered options. The higher elevation of thresholds with weathered coatings may make them unsuitable to some users, particularly those using wheelchairs or pushchairs/prams.
Unweathered thresholds are generally smaller in height. Many are only a few millimetres off the ground. This means they are less likely for them to cause tripping hazards. They also offer a seamless transition between indoors and outdoors, allowing the two to be connected in a manner that is accessible and open. They may not provide the same levels of weatherproofing that a weathered option does however they are a great choice for homeowners looking to enhance the look of their home without sacrificing functionality or security.
Whether your french doors have an unweathered threshold or you're planning to replace the threshold, a new threshold is a DIY project that can help to smooth uneven gaps at the bottom of doors, and also protect against drafts and water intrusion. It is possible to fit a new threshold to an existing sill, but the old threshold will need to be removed first. To take off the old sill, you need to place an aluminum bar between it and the subsill. Carefully pry up the middle section. If the ends of the threshold are nailed to the subsill using a hammer and chisel, to break them off from the jambs. After removing the threshold then sand it and clean off any mortar remnants. When reinstalling the threshold it's recommended to squirt expanding foam sealant underneath it to hold it in place. Also, make sure to plug any air gaps.