Change to a concrete sill?

[DaveT]

I've got a garage access door (32" width) whose wood/aluminum sill chronically allows leakage beneath it, into the garage when it rains. I've tried all kinds of caulking, rubber seals, improved drainage, etc and nothing works - I think it was just a poor installation that needs to be ripped out.

I'm thinking of replacing it with qwikrete instead of installing another wood/aluminum sill.

Good idea, bad idea? It doesn't seem like it would be too difficult to make a form and then level it out to be flush with the existing door bottom, but I haven't tried this before and I don't want to make an annoying situation into an actual bad one.

Thanks

[HerHusband]

Hi Dave,

A few years ago I had a door frame that was rotting because water was leaking around the inside of the frame. Moisture tends to wick up the bottom of the frame near the sill.

I took the old door frame out and replaced it with a composite frame that won't rot (I measured my existing door, hinges, locks, etc. and ordered the frame from Lowes).

Before I installed the new frame, I installed Jamsill flashing in the door opening. This ensures that any water that finds it's way under the door frame gets directed outside the building:

I also used a top quality polyurethane caulk (PL Brand) when installing the new frame.

Anthony Watson

[DaveT]

That looks like a good product.

But I'm wondering whether it might be cheaper and easier just to put in a couple inches of qwikrete, smooth it to a close fit to the bottom of the door with a slope that makes water coming down the door to drain away from the garage.

I've never done much with concrete, and I'm wondering if I'm not seeing some kind of problem inherent in making a concrete garage sill.

[bob haller]

small roof over doorso water has troule making trip indoors:)

[DaveT]

Sensible idea, but the rain here is often wind driven toward the house - sometimes by 20, 30 or 40 mph winds.

[TimR]

I think the concrete sill will work BUT it has to be dead straight from side to side or you'll have gaps, and you probably want a slight slope from garage to outside.

You can't do that by eye and it's hard to fix later. You'll need some kind of jig to help you smooth it straight.

[clare]

Crib it straight and screed to the crib. If you want a profile, make a special float or screed with the desired profile. It is sure not rocket science. I