Better door draft excluder...

[Colin]

Hi, I have recently fitted an external wooden door frame that had a draft strip imbedded in it. This was some sort of synthetic material in a routed groove all around the perimeter. This compresses when the door closes. Seems to work well and means that the door is still easy to close. (I have had problem with stick-on draft strips and badly closing doors in the past...)

It strikes me that I may be able to retro-fit this type of draft-excluder to the other exterior door to the house. I was thinking of removing the doors from the hinges, routing a groove in the doors (not the frame) and gluing on a draft strip. (Rather the same way as an intumescent strip would be fixed.)

Two questions:

1. Where could I buy a strip of draft excluder?
2. Is this a good idea (i.e. is there a better solution, any problems.)

TIA Colin

[Colin]

I must learn to spell draught. I must learn to spell draught. I must learn to spell draught. I must learn to spell draught. I must learn to spell draught. I must learn to spell draught. I must learn to spell draught. I must learn to spell draught. I must learn to spell draught. I must learn to spell draught.

[Tim Mitchell]

In article , Colin writes

You can buy the strip at Wickes. However I don't think it would work on the edges of the doors if that's what you are suggesting, it would just pull out of the groove.

[Colin]

I could route a groove in the frame but I am not sure how to do the bits near the ground and the corners.

I guess the reason behind a strip pulling out of the door and not pulling out of the frame is some sort of 'physics'-type reason. What if I were to grip-fill the strip in?

Colin

[gribblechips]

Axminster do a router bit and matching doorseal:

search for A33412TC. This is for the frame but looking at it, it could also go in the door. Not cheap mind

[Owain]

"Colin" wrote | I could route a groove in the frame but I am not sure how to do | the bits near the ground and the corners.

Chisel?

Owain

[Colin]

What's one of those then ;-)

[Owain]

"Colin" wrote | > Chisel? | What's one of those then ;-)

A special sort of screwdriver used for opening paint tins, but in days of old when men were bold and routers weren't invented, men cut their grooves with sharpened tools and went away contented.

Owain

[Jerry Built]

Mighton on

(I think) sell a strip for sash windows that might do the job;

You used to be able to get something called "Atomic Strip" - I don't know whether you still can.

J.B.

[Ian Stirling]

A dremel can be very handy for this sort of stuff. Both as a very light-duty router, for tight spaces, and for getting rid of most of the wood in that corner, before moving to the chisel. Of course you can remove the door and hang it upside down to do the groove at the bottom.

[N. Thornton]

interesting: what kind of bits would you put in a 3.2mm collet?

Regards, NT

[Ian Stirling]

The "router" bits sold for use with it. Of course it does not compare with a proper router, but can be handy for tidying up. Plus, of course, you can use things like 2mm "ball" bits freehand to clean up the edges of things.

There are even solid carbide 3.2mm bits available, which are nice.