How to insulate the front door with your own hands (10+)
Insulation and sealing front door
The front door is often the source of a draft. Cold air blows through it into the living space. IN apartment building this air comes from staircase along with cigarette smoke and other foreign substances. The seal not only protects from the cold, but also saves from foreign odors. In suburban housing, sealing is even more important, since the front door in this case usually opens directly onto the street.
The traditional sealing method is inconvenient
Usually special self-adhesive seals are sold for insulation. They are proposed to be glued between the door and the frame at the points of their contact. But this approach has shown to be ineffective. The seal installed in this way is very sensitive to door distortions. The slightest misalignment leads to loss of tightness, as the seal no longer fits. Installing such a tape is also not easy. Only if the door is perfectly positioned can you simply glue the strip on. Otherwise, the distance between the door and the frame is different in different places. So you have to put something under the sealing tape to ensure a secure fit.
How to properly insulate your front door
Another approach is reliable. It is shown in the picture.
The seal is not installed between the door and the jamb, but on the jamb, so that it fits snugly against the door. At the same time, the seal has a greater degree of freedom and, accordingly, ensures tightness even with greater door deformation. This installation method does not depend on the initial position of the door relative to the frame, since when gluing, the seal can be installed exactly in the position that will ensure sealing.
For this work I use Moment glue. The work is done like this. The door frame in the place where the seal will be glued is lubricated with glue. The sealing tape itself is cut to the required length. The edges are cut at 45 degrees to join other strips of tape. The side that will be glued is also lubricated with glue. The glue is kept for 15 minutes. Then the door closes. The tape is applied to the area coated with glue so that it fits snugly against the door, and is pressed firmly with your hands for 2 - 3 seconds. Then the glue is left for a day to dry completely.
It is convenient to use a rubber tube as a sealing tape (only the rubber must be stable, not decompose or stain) or a special sealing cord round section made of foamed polyethylene.
Disadvantages of such insulation
The only drawback of the method is that if you accidentally touch the seal, it can be torn off. Okay. Gluing it in place is not difficult at all.
Example of a sealed door
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During the cold season, some of the heat can seep through the cracks and gaps of windows and doors that do not close tightly. Heat loss can reach up to 20%, and the main reason for this is, first of all, insufficient or poor-quality insulation, which leads to the occurrence of drafts. This problem is especially acute for owners of their own houses, bathhouses, and apartments on the lower floors.
Due to frequent use, even an initially hermetically sealed door frame, be it wooden or metal, ceases to provide protection from the cold. But complete replacement doors - the procedure is quite expensive. It is much easier to understand the causes of drafts and eliminate them with your own hands.
What types of doors are there?
Modern manufacturers offer consumers a wide range of different entrance doors, mainly from the following materials:
- metal;
- wood;
- plastic;
- glass;
- combined.
Metal doors are the warmest, since several layers of thermal insulation materials are already laid inside, which reduces additional insulation to a minimum. However, a significant drawback of these doors lies in their high cost.
Modern wooden doors can satisfy any requests, needs and purposes; they are more popular and affordable.
Wooden entrance doors are presented in the following assortment:
Important! When choosing a wooden door, in terms of the best thermal insulation properties, preference should be given to a door made of solid massif. Such doors are strong, durable, provide good protection from the cold, but require additional installation costs associated with thermal insulation of the door frame and the door itself.
Concerning plastic doors, then plastic blocks are the most frost-resistant. When insulating such a door, you will have to resort to the help of professional craftsmen.
A good option for preserving heat in the house is to install a second door, which will create air cushion and prevent heat loss.
When starting to insulate yourself, you need to carefully inspect all the components. Essential elements wooden door the following:
- door leaf;
- box;
- wooden platbands;
- hinges, handles, locks and others decorative elements and accessories.
Preventing door condition
From the state of everyone structural elements subsequent use depends. But to care for your door, it is recommended to regularly carry out a number of preventive measures:
Materials required for work
It is important to remember that the final result of the work largely depends on the quality of the selected materials.
Sealing elements
This group includes materials used to create a hermetically sealed connection between the door leaf and the frame, preventing the entry of moisture, cold air, and dampness into the room. Seals are available in one, two or three layers. There are also sealing elements with an adhesive base, installed using self-tapping screws or requiring a special clamping strip.
Thermal insulation
Foam rubber, batting, technical or mineral wool, synthetic winterizer, expanded polystyrene or polyethylene foam are most often used as heat-insulating materials. However, some previously used materials quickly become unusable, losing their properties due to the swelling of the fibers under the influence of atmospheric humidity.
Recently popular synthetic insulation materials are more durable, reliable, less hygroscopic and have good thermal conductivity.
Most often decorative finishing doors are produced using durable types of canvas, specially designed for construction work. As a rule, this is synthetic leather or its substitutes, such as leatherette. Natural materials are used extremely rarely due to their high cost, but they are more elastic, durable and advantageous as a finishing element.
The end result will look more aesthetically pleasing if you use decorative nails for the work.
The following tools and materials may also be required:
- fishing line or wire;
- screwdriver and screws;
- cutter for making a groove for the seal;
- to eliminate cracks and gaps between the wall and the door frame, you will need polyurethane foam;
- furniture stapler with staples;
- roulette;
- building level.
Insulation. Step-by-step instruction
Step 1. Elimination of wear and tear
When starting thermal insulation work, the first step is to eliminate visible and actual signs of wear, as well as minor defects, discovered during the inspection of the door and frame. Without the troubleshooting step, the insulation will be of poor quality.
If there is sagging or distortion of the door leaf, and the door itself closes poorly and squeaks, you should adjust the hinges (by tightening the fastening screws) or replace them with new ones.
In the case when adjusting the hinges does not help, the gap between the door and the frame remains significant, and the sagging of the leaf leads to difficulty opening the door, you can lightly plan problem areas door array with a plane.
Gaps and gaps between the doorway and the wall need to be filled polyurethane foam around the entire perimeter, cutting off excess material after drying. Or remove the old foam and re-seal.
When planning to replace fittings (eyes, door handles, locks), everything necessary should be prepared in advance.
Step 2. Installation of sealing elements
There are a number of requirements for door seals, the main one of which is the ability to withstand loads during constant use. Seals are made from various materials.
Foam rubber. Such self-adhesive seals are not durable, quickly become unusable, but are low in cost.
Rubber. A popular version of this seal is a rubber tape with an adhesive backing. However, it is permissible to seal the door with strips of rubber attached to doorway universal glue or silicone sealant, or just nails.
Felt. Felt strips are nailed around the perimeter of the box; the thickness of the strip is determined individually in each specific case.
Silicone and plastic. Sealing products made from these materials are more elastic and durable, and are also resistant to deformation and cracking. In addition, silicone seals provide excellent sealing.
The seal is placed around the entire perimeter of the door frame. The length of the required material is determined by measurements using a tape measure. The width is determined by the distance between the door leaf and the frame.
The thickness of the insulation is calculated visually or using plasticine - for this, a piece of plasticine mass is glued to the door frame, after which the door is closed. If the thickness of the factory material exceeds the calculated one, then the seal is laid in the groove and pressed with a construction angle or clamping bar, which will provide stronger fixation and extend the service life of the seal.
Step 3. Upholstery
This stage of work is carried out when the thickness of the canvas itself is insufficient to protect the room from the cold. The combination of decorative material and insulation is the most reliable and durable thermal insulation.
Door trim, diagram
As a rule, insulation with all materials is performed in the same way.
Door leaf dismantled from the hinges and placed horizontally on a flat surface. All fittings are temporarily removed (if necessary, old elements can be replaced with new ones).
How to knock down a door
The decorating material is cut out according to the measurements of the canvas, plus a hem allowance of 5-7 cm. One piece for each side, if insulation will be done on both sides. Additionally, strips 10-12 cm wide are cut out (two along the width and two along the length of the door leaf).
If the quality of the door leaf is unsatisfactory, you can reinforce it with a sheet of galvanized iron.
The prepared strips are nailed to the door leaf face down so that at least 3/4 of the width extends beyond the door.
The insulation is cut to the size of the door and fixed on its surface with a furniture stapler or glue. The number of insulation layers is determined arbitrarily, but the most advantageous will be a combination of several types. Speakers for stripes upholstery material Excess insulation is cut off. The recommended thickness of the insulating layer is at least 20 mm.
Bundles of sufficient thickness are twisted from foam rubber or the same heat-insulating material, placed on strips of upholstery material and nailed to the door leaf. The resulting rollers are connected to each other at the corners. When closing the door, they will have to cover the junction of the door and the frame, as well as at least half of the door threshold.
The upholstery material is rolled out over the surface of the canvas, the edges are folded inward and secured with decorative nails. It is important that the folded edge overlaps a small part of the roller with insulation.
If desired, you can stitch the upholstery fabric with decorative nails over the entire area. There are many suitable geometric designs, some of which require fishing line or thin wire.
Installed peephole, handle and other fittings, after which the door is installed in place.
As a rule, iron doors are already equipped inner layer heat-insulating material, but in cases where this is not enough, you can additionally insulate the canvas. To do this you will need to remove interior lining and add layers of the selected insulation to the niches between the stiffening ribs (or replace it completely), securing it with liquid nails or other glue. Most effective mineral wool, foaming resins or polystyrene foam and its derivatives. After the glue has dried, the sheathing is returned to its place and secured.
It would also be useful to insulate the door frame with a wide rubber seal, which minimizes the possibility of cold bridges.
It happens that a metal door is a non-demountable structure, this significantly complicates the insulation process. In this case, using self-tapping screws, it is necessary to secure wooden blocks around the perimeter of the door, equal in height to the thickness of the heat-insulating material, and lay the resulting compartments with a layer of insulation, covering the entire door structure with a sheet of plywood or fiberboard on top.
In some cases, it is possible to “inject” foam-forming insulation into a hollow door through a viewing eye or holes for a lock / door handle.
Plastic and combined doors are insulated by gluing a sealing tape around the perimeter of the frame.
Thermal insulation of a door is a simple process, in which a strict sequence of actions and accuracy of the work performed are important.
If you start to notice that there is a draft in your apartment, or an unpleasant smell begins to come from the entrance, this is a signal that the door needs to be sealed. This problem will definitely not escape those people who have a metal door installed in their apartment. For this reason, we invite you to consider how you can fix or prevent the problem by sealing the door yourself.
Selection and classification of sealant
Often metal doors do not cope with their leading role, namely by maintaining heat in the house. Although these doors are insulated, the result often leaves much to be desired. You can choose a special seal that can solve the problem of drafts and unpleasant odors, coming from the entrance. There are a large number of seals that differ in type and method of application. For example, some are glued along the entire perimeter of the door. If the door has a double sash, then the seal is glued to each of them. At the same time, it is recommended to choose insulation in each individual case individually. So, for example, if you buy a very thick seal, it can cause obvious problems. Conversely, very thin material will not give the desired result.
Seals for metal doors are classified according to several technical characteristics.
- Material type. It can be foam rubber, plastic, polyethylene foam, rubber, silicone.
- Design. The seal can be equipped with a metal clamping strip or made from one material.
- Fastening method and system. Seals can be self-adhesive or self-tapping. As for the latter, special strips can only be installed on wooden doors.
If you have a desire, you can make the seal yourself. To do this, you can use foam rubber, having previously wrapped it in artificial leather or leatherette.
For metal doors, seals are sold in rolls. One roll can be up to six meters. If the door is standard, then one roll will be enough to seal. Remember that for metal doors it is best to buy a self-adhesive seal.
Sealant for metal doors
The choice of sealant will directly depend on the size of the gap that needs to be eliminated. For example, if the gap at closed door is from one to four millimeters, then you can purchase a rectangular section seal, for example, made of polyethylene foam, PVC, foam rubber. But in most cases, rubber seals are used for metal doors. They may have different shapes, the cross-section of which resembles the letters of the Latin alphabet:
- C - profile is used for those cracks that are up to three millimeters thick.
- K – profile is similar to the first.
- P and V - profile can eliminate cracks with a thickness of three to five millimeters.
- O and D - the profile is mounted in those doors where the gap is up to seven millimeters thick.
Seals are produced different colors. This allows you to individually select the color for your door. So, the aesthetics of the doors will not deteriorate in any way. The most common colors are white, black and brown.
Note! According to some studies, the dye can reduce the quality of rubber. For this reason, it is best to sacrifice aesthetics and stick on a standard black seal!
The main requirement for all seals is to seal the door. Based on this, the seal must comply high standards. The seal must be waterproof and airtight, and must provide excellent shock absorption for the door leaf when it is closed and slammed. When closing a metal door, a light and soft click should be heard, not rattling or noise. Among other things, the sealant should not freeze or harden in the cold. Regardless of the conditions in which it is operated, the seal must maintain its basic characteristics under all circumstances.
Installation on a metal door
If you have a branded door, then the manufacturer makes a profile that already has a specially designated place for laying the seal. From the point of view of tightness, such metal doors are the most reliable. Therefore, when purchasing them, pay attention to this detail.
In the event that you do not have the funds for such a door, you should purchase and install the seal yourself. Using self-adhesive tape this is very easy to do. The most important thing is to choose the appropriate thickness. We talked about this above. Gluing the seal is quite simple. Wrap the plasticine in polyethylene and place it between the door and frame. Afterwards, close the door tightly and open it. As a result, you will have a finished cast of the required thickness. As for the seal sticker, do not rush to immediately remove the protective layer from the entire tape. As the film peels off, glue the seal to the frame. At the same time, press it tightly.
Note! If the seal comes off after a few days or weeks, then glue it with Moment glue.
Wood door seal
For such doors today it is customary to use a variety of strips. They allow you to prevent drafts or get rid of them altogether. There are several types of them.
- Wedge-shaped plank.
- Plastic tube.
- Plastic or metal strips with brush, etc.
Let's look at how to install them correctly.
Installation of the wedge-shaped strip. The strip must be cut to fit the top of the doorway, as well as the sides of the two sides. At the joints, the planks are cut at an angle of 45°. In places where hinges and door lock, the bar needs to be trimmed. Next, it is nailed down. All the work will not take you much time.
Installation of the outer plank. The plank, as in the first case, is cut strictly according to the dimensions of the doorway. But only now the bar is screwed on with screws. After its installation, a sheet of paper should fit between the closed door and the strip.
As for sealing the bottom of the door, a slightly different technology and method of using strips is used here. The strips are fitted to the inner front of the door. It should be noted that there are also several types of planks, each of which has distinctive features.
Flat threshold slats. They are made from a plastic or aluminum base. A rubber band or brush is attached to them, in turn. They can be used for both external and internal doors.
Planks with plastic shield. They prevent entry into the premises humid air. In most cases they are used to seal an external door.
Combined slats. They consist of a metal strip and also a nylon brush. The strip is attached to the threshold, and the brush to the door. The bar on the threshold prevents water from entering the room, as it has a special groove.
So, some features of installing such planks.
Installation of a flat threshold strip. The strip is pre-cut to the width of the doorway. It is then screwed to the bottom of the door. This bar should be as close to the threshold as possible. But it should not prevent the doors from opening freely. Some types of such planks are equipped with special holes for screws, which makes them easy to adjust.
Installation of a combination strip. In this case, as in the first, the strip and brush are cut to the width of the threshold. The strip is screwed to the threshold, with the overhanging edge of the strip facing the inside of the door.
As for installing the brush, after installation it should exert slight pressure on the bar. The brush is screwed to the bottom of the door using self-tapping screws.
Installation of the rail on an external door. Similarly, as in all other cases, the plank is cut to size. The strip should be screwed to the door when closed. It is very important not to use screws that can rust - this can cause the doors to rot.
So, we have looked at the main methods of sealing both metal and wooden doors. If you know other methods of sealing doors, then write about it in the comments to this article.
Video
Insulating doors using a seal:
Entrance doors of apartments and private houses must not only be insulated, but also, if necessary, sealed, achieving the maximum possible tightness between the leaf and the frame allowed by their design features. The effect of a correctly performed seal will make itself felt immediately - your apartment or home will become warmer and even cleaner; there will be fewer drafts, if they do not disappear completely; annoying people will stop coming from the entrance or from the street extraneous sounds and smells. You can do the sealing of any doorway yourself - for this there are several ways to do this work and types of seals for both metal and wooden doors, as they say, to suit any ability and budget of the home owner.
Where and how to start correctly - preparatory work
First, we inspect the door and frame. If they already have some kind of seal that has ceased to perform its functions, then it must be dismantled. After this, if necessary, we perform pre-cleaning surfaces in places where there was old material, removing its remains. We use fine sandpaper for this.
Then recommended if necessary. Distortions will cause uneven fit and wear of the seal. Various size gaps between the frame and the door at the top and bottom, left and right will also lead to this if the material of the same thickness is chosen for the entire opening. Or you will have to select a seal for each side of the opening. The critical value of the skew and the difference in gap sizes is 1–1.5 mm. If they are larger, then it is better to eliminate them by adjusting the door. It happens that performing this operation eliminates the reason why it was decided to seal the opening, and the need for such work disappears.
Now we decide on the installation location and type of seal. This determines which part of the door or frame needs to be measured in order to find out the required amount of material.
Then we measure the perimeter (or it is enough to just have the width and height in one place, and then add and multiply by 2) of the contour on which the sealing inserts will be installed. This is the total length the required material. But it is better to take it with a reserve, based on the location and method of installation.
Then, if the seal is intended to be installed in one of the gaps between the door and the frame, its required width and thickness should be determined. The first size is clear. It is determined by measuring the width of the installation site.
Regular plasticine is best suited for determining thickness. We place it on the box at the location where the material will be installed and close the door. Then we open it and measure the thickness of the flattened and lubricated plasticine. This will be the required height of the sealing insert. But this is the thickness of the material in a compressed state when the door is closed.
You need to take a slightly thicker seal. In this case, it is necessary to take into account what material the insert is made of, as well as its density, rigidity and strength. For example, a foam pad that is too thick may soon simply tear, while a rubber pad will prevent the door from closing well and will open it, which will create additional stress on the lock and hinges, thereby shortening their service life. And if the insert is not thick enough, there may be gaps somewhere.
If the size of the gap on the left, right, bottom and top is different and very different, then it will be necessary to take thickness measurements using plasticine for each of these sides and, possibly, take material with the corresponding different height. For wooden unadjusted (misaligned) doors, in the case of sealing with slats along the gap, adjustment may generally be required at at least 2 extreme points of each side.
You need to buy sealing inserts in solid pieces of the required total length for all sides or for each of them, if it needs to be cut. And in any case, it is not recommended to use separate pieces, much less trimmings of the sealant. The result of such work will be poor-quality sealing of the door, therefore, if part of the material was damaged due to unsuccessful cutting or installation, it is better to purchase it in the required length.
After purchasing the material, we cut it into pieces if necessary. required sizes. And only immediately before installation, if necessary, do we prepare the surfaces on which the seal will be installed. We clean them from dust and dirt and remove convex irregularities. Then, if a seal with an adhesive base (self-adhesive) or using glue is to be installed, the surfaces of the metal door must also be degreased (with white spirit, solvent, acetone or gasoline), and the wooden ones must be sanded with the finest sandpaper (zero).
Then we begin installing the material. Special attention, precision and accuracy require sealing corners. This is where the risk of leaving gaps is highest. When laying the seal in pieces (2 short ones for the bottom and top and 2 long ones for the left and right side) there may be loose joints between them. And when installed as a whole, the seal in the corners tends to wrinkle and/or may not attach tightly enough.
We seal a metal door - types of materials and their installation
The choice of seal must be taken no less seriously than its subsequent installation. After all, how long it will last also depends on this, and most importantly, it will be possible to increase the tightness of the opening, including. We select the desired type and type of material according to the following criteria:
- Design features of the entrance door: are there special grooves or space for installing a sealing insert. They are provided in branded doors from reputable manufacturers.
- The location of the door is apartment in the entrance or with access to the street in a private house. Operating conditions such as temperature and humidity depend on this. Their performance is especially important in winter.
- The size of the gap in the doorway that needs to be eliminated.
Accordingly, we select a product with the necessary characteristics:
- 1. Type of material: rubber, plastic, polyethylene foam, silicone or foam rubber.
- 2. Type of profile: regular rectangular or square without cross-sectional cavities or profiled - can have the most different shape and cavities and/or projections, including those intended for mounting on a door.
- 3. Type or method of fastening: coupling of profile elements with the intended part of the door structure (for profiled seals); fixation with a clamping bar (metal or made of the same material); by gluing with an adhesive backing (for self-adhesive inserts) or using universal glue or.
Note:
- 1. You can make your own seal: for example, we wrap foam rubber in leatherette or artificial leather. Installation is done by gluing.
- 2. Seals attached to self-tapping screws are installed only on wooden doors.
- 3. What compounds should be used to glue foam inserts is described in the article.
To seal a metal entrance door, rubber inserts are most often used. By the way, they are available in all types of profiles and mounting methods. Various profiled rubber seals are in great demand, the most common of which are shaped like letters:
- C, K and E-profiles - used for small gaps - up to 3 mm - between the frame and the door;
- P and V profiles – for medium gaps measuring 3–5 mm;
- D and O profiles – for large gaps up to 7 mm.
Most profiled inserts are designed for installation in the opening on the end of the door or opposite it on the frame. The latter are mounted only by gluing. Doors can also be so-called mortise - they are installed by pressing into a special groove on the door frame. There are also sealing inserts installed on the door frame. They just stick together. When the vestibule is double, the material is usually mounted on each of them. The dimensions of the insert for the first and second vestibules are different. There are also seals that are mounted not in the opening, but on the edge (end) of the outer decorative sheet doors.
Solid rectangular and square rubber seals are no less in demand. Mounted by gluing in the opening and/or on the porch and on the door and/or frame.
Plastic, polyethylene foam and silicone seals are also produced in almost all of the types listed above (rubber). Foam rubber - mostly of solid rectangular and square cross-section, but there are also profiled products with a simple profile. But all foam rubber seals are installed only by gluing.
Rubber, plastic, polyethylene foam and silicone plastic sealing inserts are produced in different colors, which allows you to choose the material to match the color of the door or its tone. Rubber seals have the most colors. However, experts say that dyes significantly reduce the quality of seals. And first of all, again, this applies to rubber products.
The seal is installed in the selected location of the frame and/or door along their entire perimeter and in accordance with the intended type of installation. A joint is usually made at the corners, that is, the material is cut. To do this, first measure the required length for each side from one corner to the other. Then the material is cut into pieces, which are cut from the total skein at an angle of 45 o . And then they install it.
Self-adhesive (with a base in the form of a film on which glue is applied), as many believe, are the easiest to install. The protective paper from their adhesive base must be removed during the process (after cutting into pieces) and as the seal is installed . That is, they separated the paper from a small section of the material and immediately pressed it against the door. And so we move gradually, but without stopping, until we finish the entire opening (if we seal it with a single piece of insert) or one of its sides (when the door seal is cut into 4 parts). Then press the sealing insert well again. If the glued seal comes off after some time, then it must be glued with Moment glue.
Sealing a wooden door - the most common options
To seal a wooden door, you can glue any of the profiled or solid rectangular (square) materials listed in the previous chapter. Of course, from among those that are designed for such installation (self-adhesive and mounted with glue). For greater reliability of attachment, you can additionally screw the sealing inserts through the washers with self-tapping screws. The installation locations are the same as for a metal door.
Can the seal be made with material self-made- so-called rollers. We wrap some kind of insulation (foam rubber is most often used) in leatherette or artificial leather. This is the roller. It must be installed inside the apartment (house). Installation is carried out:
- On the box - along its inner surface on the left, right and top at a short distance from the door. It is necessary to ensure that the door fits snugly against the rollers when closing. Rollers are not mounted on the threshold because they wear out very quickly.
- And on the door - to its lower edge.
The rollers are fastened with decorative nails along the side opposite to where the leatherette is folded in half around the foam rubber.
Despite the effectiveness of sealing using the above methods, it is currently customary to use a variety of floor strips for wooden doors:
- wedge-shaped strips;
- external strips;
- plastic tubes inserted into grooves using special clamps on them;
- metal and plastic strips with a brush or rubber band;
- and others.
A wedge-shaped strip is installed on the frame in the corner between the rebate and the surface opposite the frame of the closed door. Moreover, installation is done only for the upper part of the opening and its sides. Before installation, the plank is cut to the size of these installation locations. For joining points (at the top of the opening) cut at an angle of 45 degrees. And it is necessary to trim the strip in the places where it will adhere to the door lock and hinges. Then we nail it down.
The outer strip is installed on the door stop of the frame (that is, it is, as it were, a continuation of the vestibule). It is also cut to the size of the opening for its top and sides. Mounted using screws or self-tapping screws. After correct installation There should be a sheet of paper between the bar and the closed door.
There are also slats that are installed on the outer face of the door, closing the gap in the opening. They are also first cut into pieces of the required sizes. Then they screw it to the door, which must be closed. It is very important to carry out installation with corrosion-resistant screws - rusted hardware can cause rotting of a wooden door.
The bottom of the doorway is sealed with other types of planks, the technology of which is also slightly different . Some flashing strips are nailed to the threshold, while others are nailed to the inside face of the door. All of them are cut to the width of the bottom of the doorway and secured with screws.
Flat threshold products are an aluminum or plastic base with a brush or rubber plate attached to the bottom. Such strips can be installed both on external and on interior doors. After correct installation the gap between the flat rail and the threshold should be minimal. But at the same time, the bar should not interfere with the easy free opening and closing of the door. Some types of flat planks are equipped with special (elongated) holes for screws, thanks to which you can adjust the height of their installation.
Threshold products with a plastic shield prevent the penetration of moist air into the apartment (house). As a rule, they are installed on an external door.
Combined slats consist of 2 metal strips, one of which is attached nylon brush. The product without a brush is mounted on the threshold. And the bar with the brush is on the door. The rail on the threshold is equipped with a special groove that prevents water from penetrating into the room.
After correct installation of the combined strip, the hanging edge of the strip installed on the threshold should “look” towards the premises. And the door trim brush should exert slight pressure on the threshold rail.
In function door block includes not only protection from unwanted guests entering the house, but also protection from cold or hot air, foreign odors and noise. In places where the fabric adjoins door frame Gaps always remain, and seals are used to stop air from moving through the gaps. Not so long ago, our parents and grandfathers used various auxiliary materials for this - rags, felt, moss and even straw. Today, technological progress has replaced these artisanal methods with more effective and durable ones.
Purpose of door seals
It’s quite easy to understand why seals are installed on doors. Suffice it to remember the refrigerator that is in every home. What would happen if there was no rubber strip on the door? The answer is obvious - this is equivalent to the fact that the door would remain open, and the effect of cooling the products would have to wait a very long time. The cold air inside was constantly mixed with warm air, causing the refrigerator to become an air conditioner that lowers the temperature in the kitchen. To localize the cooling zone, it is necessary to stop the air circulation. This task is performed rubber compressor.
Similar processes occur with entrance and interior doors. The door leaf is adjacent to the frame with technological gap 3–4 mm, otherwise the door simply will not open. Through it, air can freely penetrate both in one and the other direction. If for internal doorways this does not play a special role, then through the entrance doors all year round a stream of either cold or hot, sultry air will move. In winter, cold drafts will begin to blow inside the hallway, and freezing will intensify. In the summer, hot air from the street will appear in the house, and at the same time dust and noise.
Experts estimate that 25 to 30% of heat is lost through an unsealed front door during the cold season. The solution to all problems is an elastic seal that seals the cracks inside the door block and allows you to control air movement.
Air chambers inside the seal increase its thermal insulation properties
Types of door seals
For ease of selection, seals are classified according to the following criteria:
- according to the material of manufacture (there are rubber, plastic, silicone, foam rubber and polyurethane);
- according to the intended purpose (for entrance doors or interior doors);
- according to the installation method (fixation with glue or in a special groove).
Rubber
Rubber seals are time-tested and are most often used for entrance doors. Specially vulcanized rubber withstands not only moisture, but also a wide range of temperature changes (from -60 to +90 o C). Possible options settings:
Silicone
An analogue of a rubber seal, adapted for interior doors. It is characterized by softness in operation and lower price, since its resistance to mechanical stress is lower. Used for lightweight doors made of wood and its derivatives - fiberboard, plywood, chipboard, etc.
Silicone seals are installed mainly on interior doors
Foam seals
Foam rubber is the most inexpensive and short-lived type of door seal. Service life is a year, at most two. With intensive use, the material quickly deforms (shrinks and breaks), so the sealing has to be renewed almost every season. Foam rubber is more suitable for insulating deaf people window frames. However, low price allows you to change the seal as often as you like. The disadvantage is the ability of the porous material to absorb moisture with all the ensuing consequences - freezing and deformation of the junction of the doors and the frame.
The foam seal is available in the form of a twisted rope of various widths
Polyurethane
Polyurethane seals are used in sliding doors (compartment, book, sliding, etc.). Their purpose is to minimize gaps, as well as soften impacts. The design feature is that inside the elastic body there is a polyurethane foam filler. The seals have a long service life and are designed for 15–20 years of service (more than 300,000 opening cycles). They are also used for plastic windows and doors, as they can withstand exposure to UV radiation. The main disadvantage is the high price.
Polyurethane seals are used in structures exposed to solar radiation
Brush
Relatively New Product, which arose with the development sliding doors. The junction of the canvas to the frame is not always so smooth that the rubber seal can be properly installed. In these cases, a brush design with bristles made of flexible nylon is used, which allows you to close gaps with an irregular configuration. Such seals are successfully used for revolving and sliding doors (not only interior and entrance doors, but also automobile ones). They are especially often installed on thresholds - where dust accumulates the most. As the blade moves, the brushes “shove out” debris and clean the guide track from contamination. Manufacturers claim (and not without reason) that such a seal is effective in combating dust and freezing. Although its sound permeability is, of course, much higher than that of rubber.
The brush seal is easy to install and slows down air movement at the bottom of the doorway
Magnetic
Magnetic seals are used primarily on metal entry doors where the seal is critical to keeping the home warm. The design of the seal includes a rubber casing and a magnet built into it around the entire perimeter. The force of gravity forces the leaf to press tightly against the door frame, thanks to which the smallest cracks are leveled. In each case, it is important to choose the right magnetic seal: weak attraction will not work effectively enough, and excessive attraction will create difficulties when opening the door. You can take the force of opening a refrigerator door as an example - this is the force with which the magnet should hold the door closed.
The magnetic strip mounted inside the seal has an unlimited service life
Sealing a room using a magnetic seal has received the highest ratings from experts. Air from outside, as well as noise and fine dust, practically does not penetrate into the room. Service life - from 15 years and above (depending on the quality of the rubber band). During operation, it is necessary to ensure that small particles do not fall between the door leaf and the door jamb. metal objects, steel shavings with sharp edges are especially dangerous. The outer rubber gasket must be washed and cleaned of adhering debris at least once a month (the magnet attracts not only metal, but also small electrostatically charged objects).
The bulk of household door seals unified for self-installation. The only exception is magnetic gaskets; their installation is best left to specialists. Fastening is carried out using glue or a special groove machined into the door block. For household use Self-adhesive tapes, the surface of which is covered with a moisture-resistant adhesive with a protective film, are widely used.
When selecting a ready-made factory seal, you need to pay attention to the following parameters:
- tape thickness;
- width of the gasket;
- method of fastening.
I would like to add on my own behalf. There is an old old-fashioned method, which is still relevant today. To determine the thickness of the seal, wrap a piece of soft plasticine (or raw rubber) into a plastic bag and clamp it into the door in several (at least four) places. It is possible that the compression will be stronger in the area of the hinges, and less near the door handle. Based on the imprint on plasticine, the maximum and minimum size compaction and then find the average value. For example, at the hinges the plasticine shrank to 3 mm, and in the opposite corner - to 4 mm. This means that you need to install a tape with a thickness of at least 3.5 mm.
It is believed that in normal operation the gasket compresses by no more than 50% of its thickness.
As for the width of the tape, everything is simple here. It should not exceed the width of the supporting part of the door jamb - when the door is closed it should not be visible from the outside.
The fixation method is determined as a result visual inspection door block. If there is no recess in the frame or canvas for installing the seal, it means that the fastening is carried out with glue. If a thin groove (from 3 to 5 mm) is chosen along the entire perimeter, the door is designed for a groove seal.
The compression of the seal should not exceed half its thickness
Installing and replacing seals on various types of doors
Tool needed for self-installation, is simple and can be found in every home:
- pencil or marker;
- tape measure and ruler;
- sharp knife;
- brush with long (2–3 cm) bristles.
To install the brush seals, you will additionally need a hacksaw.
The glue used is waterproof, preferably rubber. Acetone solvents and sandpaper are used to degrease and clean the edge of the door.
When working with solvents, it is necessary to protect the respiratory system from toxic fumes with a respirator.
If the old seal is being replaced, it is necessary to remove the used tape from the doors and carefully treat the surface with fine sandpaper. Before directly gluing the tape, the end of the frame (or canvas) is washed and degreased. Small tubercles are ground off, and small depressions are puttied (pre-filled with glue and dried).
Depending on the type of gasket, there are certain installation nuances. After familiarizing yourself with them, everyone will be able to install thermal insulating tape on their door themselves.
Sealing metal doors
Since a metal door has a smooth surface, self-adhesive or simply adhesive seals are most often used. The sequence of actions is as follows:
The main mistake when working with silicone and rubber products is excessive tape tension. You cannot tighten the gasket during installation; it must be laid in a loose, “relaxed” state.
Video: how to properly glue a seal to an iron entrance door
Installation of seals in wooden doors
On wooden base The seal is mounted in two ways - with glue (we discussed it above) and in a groove. The second method is considered more reliable. The procedure for installing the seal in this case is as follows:
When preparing a wooden door for sealing, the material should not be overly moistened. The glue will come off very quickly from damp wood. If moisture does get on the canvas or frame, you must wait until the wood is completely dry and only then glue the seal. To speed up drying, use a hair dryer.
Installing a seal in a plastic door
Plastic doors are equipped with seals at the manufacturing stage. In everyday life, it is often important to replace a used part. The door design includes a special molding (groove) for installing the seal on the adhesive. Therefore, to replace you need:
Installation of brush seals in sliding doors
Sliding doors are most often equipped with brush seals. Sometimes they are also called antithresholds. By virtue of design features installation of brushes differs from installation of rubber and silicone gaskets. They are mounted at the bottom of the door or (less often) at the side end.
The installation diagram is very simple. If the door is level and smooth surface, the brushes are glued to double-sided tape. If there are doubts about the strength of the adhesive layer, the fixation can be further strengthened with screws. Installation work steps brush seal are:
Some models of brushes are attached using brush holders - special metal or plastic profiles. Most often they are used on doors with large dimensions - in garages, warehouses, etc. In this case, a mounting profile is first installed, and then the brushes themselves are attached to it.
