How to Weather Strip a Wooden Door
In a time of rising energy costs, everyone is looking for ways to make their houses tighter and easier to heat. One very easy way to accomplish this is by weather-stripping your doors. If you have an older home, the entry door is most likely a wooden one. Fortunately, weather-stripping is not only inexpensive but something you can do in an afternoon. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Screw driver
- Wood plugs (optional)
- Drill
- Glue (optional)
- Screws (optional)
- Weather-stripping kit
- Threshold or door sweep
- Measuring tape
- Pencil
- Saw
- Hammer
- Finish nails
Instructions
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Inspect the wooden door and its hinges. One reason your wooden door may not be sealing as it should could be screws on the hinges coming loose, thus allowing the door to hang crookedly and not sealing as it should. If it is just a matter of tightening them, do so with a screwdriver. However, you may find that the screw hole has gotten larger over time, not allowing the screws to bite securely into the wood. If this is the case, remove the screws, squeeze glue into the hole, and insert wood plugs. Drill a new hole for the screws, and reattach the hinges for the wooden door.
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2
Buy a weather-stripping kit for your wooden door. These kits come with various styles of weather stripping: wrapped foam with a wooden flange, wrapped foam with a metal flange, vinyl bulb with a metal flange. Of the three, the wood-and-foam kit is probably easiest to match to the style of your wooden door and you have the option of painting the wood. The kit will include two side pieces as well as a piece for the header. You may have to buy the threshold separately. M-D Building Products has good illustrations in its catalogue which can give you a better idea of the various styles.
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Measure the header, or the top of the door frame. Cut the shorter piece of weather stripping to size. Measure and cut the side pieces as well. Make sure you are very accurate with your measurement and cuts to ensure that your weather stripping creates a tight seal for your door. Dry fit the weather stripping by putting up the header then the side pieces and close the door. You may have to cut the weather stripping again. You don't want to be unable to latch the door once you've installed the weather stripping. Once you have a good fit, nail the weather stripping in place.
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4
Measure and cut the threshold or door sweep. Dry fit it by laying it in place then closing the door. It the door closes easily, nail it securely in place.
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