How to Replace Weather Stripping on the Bottom of a Door

Weather stripping on the bottom of doors plays a crucial role in the fight against high heating and cooling bills. Old and worn weather stripping can allow exterior air in and interior air out, making it harder and more expensive to heat and cool your home. Check your exterior doors once a year and replace worn weather stripping.

There are two basic kinds of weather stripping. One is stapled to the bottom of the door and consists of a series of fins that run parallel to the face of the door. The other is attached to the face of the door and is a single fin. Some doors have both installed. To replace the first type, you must remove the door from its hinges. The other type can be replaced with the door in place.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Weather Stripping Fastened Under the Door

1. Remove the door from the hinges. Either remove the hinge pins or unscrew the hinges from the door.

2. Lay the door across a pair of sawhorses to allow easy access to the bottom of the door. You also can lay the door on the floor and prop up the bottom end on a few books.

3. Use needle-nosed pliers to remove staples from the bottom of the door that hold the weather stripping in place, and remove the weather stripping.

4. Place the new weather stripping along the bottom of the door. Place it flush with one side of the door and mark the other side of the door on the weather stripping. Cut it to length using tin snips.

5. Install the weather stripping, making sure that the small flanges on either side of the stripping overlap the sides of the door, and staple it in place. Orient the staples so they run parallel to the fins on the weather stripping and not across them.

6. Hang the door.

Weather Stripping Fastened on Side of the Door

7. Remove the screws that fasten the weather stripping to the door using a drill or screw driver. Do not remove the door from the hinges.

8. Measure the door and then cut the new weather stripping to that length.

9. With the door shut, install the new weather stripping. Adjust it up or down as needed to lightly brush the surface of the floor or porch. Then tighten the screws to fasten it in place.

10. Open and shut the door to make sure the weather stripping is at the right height and does not bind on the floor.