New Door Installation Question

I just had a new door and frame installed today. It looks great, except I am not sure if the door sill (threshold or whatever it is called) is done right.

It is the metal part that one walks on, or over, when entering the foyer. It is a bit flexible when one stands on it, and my old sill was very stable.

Do I need to call the guy back to put some type of support underneath it? If I don't, could a heavy person standing on it dent it?

Thank you!

Kate

Reply to
Kate
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If you let it go, over time it will gradually bow in the middle so the door bottom seal won't be as good as it should be.

I'd say it was a shortcut that shouldn't have been taken and so it should be fixed.

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Reply to
dpb

are they noramlly shimmed underneath?

Reply to
Duesenberg

On 6/20/2012 8:21 PM, Duesenberg wrote: ...

Should be if needed--and if replaced a solid wooden threshold w/ an aluminum one, it'll need it 'cuz they're not as thick. The ends will be supported by the frame but the center has no support and w/ time people _will_ walk on it and the inevitable will happen.

Not to mention that if it's flexible enough that it's noticeable, "that just ain't right".

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Reply to
dpb

It seems pretty normal for them to be installed that way. I don't like it. A shot of low expansion door and window foam inder the sill-plate will firm it up, but it is REALLY easy to make a big mess using that stuff. A properly milled peice of wood or some thin-set when installing would be a lot better. If I were YOU, I'd talk to the installer.

Reply to
clare

Don't know about the OP, but mine is concrete.

Reply to
clare

Mine was the same, and eventually the plastic/rubber strip which was screwed to the top cracked - I glued that back together and added more support under the metal part, so it shouldn't happen again.

cheers

Jules

Reply to
Jules Richardson

Thank you. I guess I will call the installer back, or simply mix some powdered concrete with water and neatly push it underneath the sill.

Reply to
Kate

That's one option.

That's probably what I would do since it appears that you have access to get some type of filler material under the threshold. I think a small bag of mortar mix would probably work -- they sell small, maybe 5 or 10 pound plastic bags, of mortar mix at Home Depot etc. Or, if you see the right type of filler material in a caulking tube, and if you have a caulking gun, you may want to get that and just pump the stuff in under the threshold with the caulking gun.

Reply to
TomR

e quoted text -

It depends on what is under the threshold as to whether or not that will work.

If it's just block like my garage entry was, then all you'll be able to do is get concrete on the front lip and maybe along the ledge where

2 block meet.

Other than that, the more concrete you push in, the more will just fall into the block cavity.

The support really should have been added before the door was installed, but I guess you know that by now.

I'd be interested to hear what the installer tells you.

You might consider calling the manufacturer of the door first and get their opinion. If the "flex" is going to void the warranty, you need to know that before the installer says "Don't worry about, it'll be fine."

Reply to
DerbyDad03

One thing that the OP (Kate) may want to consider trying, if it is possible in her situation, is the following:

Place a block of wood next to the metal threshold and tap on the wood lightly with a hammer to see if you can cause the metal threshold to slide out from under the door jamb/frame. If so, you will be able to slide it out, see what is under it, and maybe add a filler piece or some filler material while it is out, and then put it back.

I am not sure how the threshold is attached to the door jamb/frame, but I had one that I did that to and it slid right out without any problem. Of course, you would have to be careful when trying this to make sure that no damage to the jamb/frame occurs while tapping on the wood to move the threshold.

Reply to
TomR

quoted text -

Thank you so much. I will call the manufacturer first.

I have concrete underneath the door. Behind that concrete is my crawl space.

Reply to
Kate

I do have the concrete mix. The man who did my back door simply applied concrete underneath the sill after the door was installed. Thanks.

Reply to
Kate

It appears to be screwed down on one edge. I will have my friend check it out tomorrow. Thanks.

Reply to
Kate

I do not believe there is a manufactured door frame made where the aluminum threshold, step, or whatever you want to call it is not fastened to the wood frame in some way which would cause damage if you tried to knock it out. DO NOT TRY IT!!!! I've handled HUNDREDS of entry systems - NONE of which had a "loose" step-plate, thrshold, step, or whatever you want to call it.

Reply to
clare

Okay, that may make it easier. I read your other posts and maybe the installer put the door in, poured the concrete underneath, and put some screws in along one edge (maybe while the concrete was setting) so the threshold wouldn't slide back and forth. If that's the case, you may be able to have your friend just take out the screws, slide the threshold out, put filler in underneath to support the threshold, and replace the threshold.

Reply to
TomR

I would have thought the same thing, and when I have bought prehung entry doors the aluminum threshold was attached to the frame. But, I once had a prehung entry door installed in a basement between the basement and a back patio area and it was installed over the existing concrete basement floor and patio area which were all one flat surface. Later, when I was doing a bunch of demo work of a chimney etc. that resulted in lots of bricks and debris in the basement, I wanted an easy way to get all of the debris out onto the patio. The threshold created a barrier that would have kept me from being able to just slide/shovel the debris from the basement to the patio. I wondered if the was a way to get the threshold out of the way and I tried tapping on it and it just slid right out. I don't remember the exact details of how it was attached, but there was no damage etc. Maybe it was just tack-glued to the frame or maybe a staple or two -- I don't know. All I remember is that to my surprise the threshold just slid out with a little tapping. So, that's the only reason that I thought to suggest that as one option for the OP. But, since the OP's threshold is screwed down along one edge (mine wasn't), my idea wouldn't work unless at least the screws are taken out first.

I'll have to look at the threshold on a prehung entry door the next time I get a chance and see how the threshold is attached.

Reply to
TomR

I agree, it does seem strange. I didn't put that door in -- a contractor did that one. And, they did some goofy things with this door (the trim was on backwards), and with some interior door slabs that the did (they cut the hollow door slabs to size, but didn't replace the filler piece so the doors were open/hollow where they made the cuts on the top or bottom).

So, maybe when they did the basement entry door, they intentionally or inadvertently took off the threshold from the frame during the installation and then just slid it into place when done.

Of course, I stopped using those contractors and I ended up resolving the other interior door problems on my own.

Reply to
TomR

Perhaps the staples had rusted out.

Reply to
clare

Doesn't sound like muxh of a contractor - and I'd bet they had butchered the frame and threshold.

Reply to
clare

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