Pimping my door (i.e. making it better)

[Bill]

As I have been tending to details in finishing the drywall I installed in my shop, I feel as though I've been tip-toeing around an "Elephant in the room". It is the board which looks likes it's part of the door molding, but perhaps also supports the threshold (between the house and the shop). It is so ugly, I took 3 pics of it (shop side view):

be generous, it is obviously an OEM part. : )

Almost anything else would be an improvement. Somehow after learning how to shim my other door, I'm less tolerant of this "problem"--even though I don't know precisely how to best fix it yet.

If I couldn't ask anyone, I might take a 2by4 and work it down to size,

1" wide, and maybe put a bevel on the outside edge of bottom and the ends for the sake of its protection and style, and screw it in place. I'm not sure whether I'd want to hide the screw heads under joint compound or not. Then I'd prime and paint. I don't know whether the sides you don't see are supposed to be finished or not (to prevent warping?)

Okay, now what's the right way to do it? : )

Thank you!

Bill

[G. Ross]

While you're beautifying the door, a kick panel between the threshold and top step might be nice, finished with a hard finish.

[Bill]

Yes, thank you for mentioning it!

There is no end, is there? : )

Bill

[Leon]

I would simply finish nail a 1x4 in its place and perhaps angle the ends so that the bottom edge is shorter than the top edge, but not much. Putty nail holes and paint. Treat it like regular trim.

[Bill]

But that would leave the threshold plate extending 1/4" over the edge of the new trim (unless you mean a real 1" 1x4).

[tiredofspam]

Take it off, put up a piece of solid pine, it will act as a kick panel. Paint it or leave it raw. 3/4 inch pine will leave only 1/4" overhanging.

[Leon]

Is your molding thicker than 3/4"? Have you actually measured it?

[Bill]

Yes, It's 1" on the inside (where it alighs with the threshold plate), and 5/4" on the outside. Because of that, I plan to go with a 1" board. The 2nd picture shows that it really is "super wide":

[Bill]

Yes, I meant "super THICK".

[dpb]

On 8/15/2012 11:30 AM, Bill wrote: ...

The moulding around the door is brick mould whereas somebody just stuck a piece of interior sash trim along the bottom.

You can buy short section of brick mould to match the rest and use that if want although I'd look at what's below the threshold itself. What you really should have is a regular full threshold underneath and that would be the actual support, not a trim piece serving dual function. If there's an opening under there, the ideal would be to insert it under there and then the trim would be under it to simply dress it up...

--

[dpb]

On 8/15/2012 11:51 AM, dpb wrote: ...

[-MIKE-]

thing that jumped into my mind was PVC garage door jamb. It is thick and wide, lasts forever, and doesn't need painting.

[Bill]

Yes, thank you for informing me I had "brick mould"! I just returned from Big Orange, with a matching piece, already primed, for $1.32/ft. They even entrusted me with a miter saw to cut as much as I wanted!

I will still do the inspection of the threshold, but since it's been solid for the 3 years I've used it, I don't anticipate finding any problems with it.

Thank you for teaching me a little more about doors! Besides this one, I'm still happy about the one I learned to shim earlier this summer (we'll find out if it's "fixed" when it gets cold)! : )

Bill

What

[Larry Jaques]

I just fixed some brick mould today. The client had me remove a perfectly good security door, so I drilled and doweled the holes it left. Then I installed the nice $200 glassed screen door he bought to replace it. It's a 3/4 light.

He wanted me to haul off the security door, so I told him I wanted to keep it. He gave me keys for it, even, so I don't have to replace the locks.

-- Make awkward sexual advances, not war.

[Bill]

It's always a pleasure to share how things come out with the folks here who help and are supportive. I documented the short story if you care to view it (I tried to make it interesting).

you, Bill

[dadiOH]

Speaking of bricks, that is another option to fair out under the threshold...brick, veneer brick, quarry tile, Saltillo tile, etc. One advantage is that it gives you a chance to squish mortar under the aluminum threshold to firm it up. In my limited experience, those thresholds are often rather casually afixed.

[Larry Jaques]

What I see is a thicker moulding which will try to catch your toes on the way into the house every time you step over it. I would have replaced the moulding with one as thin or thinner than the existing one so that wouldn't be a problem. When you're in a hurry, you don't always watch your foot positioning, so you'll trip.

Hey, and clean the mud off your paint under the door and on the porch, eh? (Right after you caulk.)

-- All of us want to do well. But if we do not do good, too, then doing well will never be enough. -- Anna Quindlen

[dadiOH]

I would have just made it wider...all the way to the floor.

[Bill]

Well, that's how we (all) learn!

I don't think that is a problem because there is a preceding step. One's inclination is to step at least to the middle of the threshold--not to the front edge.

Yes, I'm preparing for a total repaint (soon as I finish the drywall).

[Bill]

Yes, they are (rather casually afixed). The last person who worked on the door inserted a small strip of wood (which I left) where you are suggesting mortar.

I may sort of go with your other idea down the road by putting something Under the molding which extends to the top of the step. That way it will look sharp and stay clean and protected.

At least I understand better the way my door works now, so if it needs further work in the future I will have a much improved starting point.

Bill