The article provides a step-by-step guide on how to adjust the threshold on exterior doors, eliminating drafts and making it easier to open and close the doors. It also discusses the process of creating an exterior door threshold, which can be done by following these steps and using quality materials.
The first step is to align the filler piece and threshold with the traced lines that indicate where the threshold was previously installed. Then, slip a screw into each pilot hole and tighten them by hand or with a drill or rotary tool to finish raising the door’s threshold. Another solution is to acquire a lower door threshold seal unit that slides onto the bottom of the door and is adjustable by sliding up and down to the threshold. They are then fixed into place using screws.
In this video, carpenter Nathan Gilbert shows how to close a gap caused by a new floor in an entry door. If there is a gap under the door, you may need to make adjustments to the threshold or replace the sweep. The article also discusses the importance of using a template to transfer the jamb’s contours to the ends of the threshold, where matching contours must be cut.
In addition to installing a new threshold, the article also discusses replacing worn or damaged entry door thresholds to prevent drafts under doors. To do this, remove the entire door and frame, possibly raising the entire frame 1 1/2″. Adjustment screws should be used to bring the adjustable part of the threshold parallel with the bottom of the door and just snug enough.
📹 How to install an Adjustable Door Threshold Sill (Complete Guide)
Learn how to replace your adjustable door threshold sill for an exterior inswing door in just minutes! The Tools: 00:26 *Adjustable …
📹 Frost King Adjustable Aluminum & Oak Still Threshold
TAOC36A – This premium threshold combines a heavy gauge aluminum exterior with an elegant oak interior. A simple screw …
Learn how to replace your adjustable door threshold sill for an exterior inswing door in just minutes! The Tools: 00:26 *Adjustable Door Threshold – amzn.to/3o1WxkY *Rigid Multitool – amzn.to/3f3caVh *Rigid Sawsall – amzn.to/32JIp6q *Rigid Hammer drill – amzn.to/3uCYU0s *Concrete Anchors & Screws – amzn.to/3obVPC9 * Gloves – amzn.to/3bbfEnu * Safety Glasses – amzn.to/3ux25GO * Shop Towels – amzn.to/2SC8D93 * Tape Measurer – amzn.to/3bg83nI * Painter’s Tape 1in – amzn.to/3uyt4BU * Sharpie – amzn.to/3o3CZwW * Magnetic Metal Tray – amzn.to/3hdUiJZ * Acrylic Latex Caulk (Paintable) – amzn.to/2Q5JJ0G * Caulk gun – amzn.to/3evIUHN * Large Putty Knife – amzn.to/3f2CFKx The Fix: 02:08 This article works on nearly all makes and models of doors. Please measure correctly and cut only what you need to! Check out my website at mcfixit.us Disclaimer: Due to factors beyond the control of MC FIX IT, I cannot guarantee against improper use or unauthorized modifications of this information in the article, post, blog, or social media. MC FIX IT assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this article. Use this information at your own risk. If you feel uncomfortable at any time. Stop and go to a professional. MC FIX IT recommends safe practices when working on vehicles, your house, or any other project and or with tools seen or implied in this article.
2 things, 1- A hair dryer or similar device will warm up the mastic used to glue down the base plate and make removal easier. 2 – Instead of cutting off just one end of the new threshold so it fits the doorway, take the size of the replacement and subtract the actual doorway size and then divide the result by 2 and cut off each end that distance. This will leave you with most of the adjustment screw holes rather than the one you just cut off with no adjustment capable on that side of the threshold.
This step-by-step article was perfect! I had the exact same problem with an old rotted threshold on a cement base. The links to EACH product was great especially since no comment was made about the size & length of the anchors (I did have to research drill bit size because I’m a 100% amateur). So many articles cut out half the work & get confusing. The absence of directions and/or the constant extra babble often drives me crazy. Yours was perfectly narrated explaining everything so well. This truly was fantastic!
Helpful article! The adjustment screw on one end is just spinning freely (not adjusting height). Does that mean the threaded insert is spinning freely as well and if so, is there some way to pull them both out? I’ve tried a small pry bar, but it’s just wrecking the wood strip that I was planning to repair.
Not supposed to hammer on it, on the finished side, on the concrete man lol. And take measurement divide by 2 and cut off both ends, unless it were to surpass 2 of the 4 screws then you take off 1 side to have 3 screws securing it. lol Once I saw the hamming of those threaded plugs or whatever I knew the lack of experience. But hopefully you learn from all these comments abd keep killin it man. Nice job Do better next time! We need youth knowing how to build! So, good work
We appreciate your effort in making this article. That said, we NEVER cut off one of the adjustment screw holes … period. You should’ve made your side to side measurement …subtract that from 36 inches … and then take half of that measurement from the left end and half from the right end. Your method decreased your ability to adjust to the threshold by 25% while simultaneously making those adjustments be well off center. Short of re-shooting the article… You should add a disclaimer to the front saying “sometimes you learn on the job” and that when I get to the point of cutting the oversize threshold… Cut off half the excess material from the left hand and half from the right so that you maintain all your adjustment screws and they will be centered properly. Thanks again for the effort!
One would think that somebody would make just the wooden adjustable sill. Then you wouldn’t have to replace the whole threshold when its just the sill that needs repair. I have this problem on 3 doors in my house. All the doors had the adjustable sill removed by a previous owner. I’m thinking there must be a way to manufacture just the sill. Any ideas?
Just finished replacing my front door threshold, and this article walked me through every step. He is right when he says the toughest part is getting the old threshold out. Mine was a pre-hung door, so the original threshold was very much a part of the old door frame! The sawzall and multitool saved the day. Even after cutting the old threshold in half, it was held in by construction adhesive on the bottom and on each side by wood screws coming out sideways from the door jamb. Be careful not to tear these out; cut them off if you can. Existing flooring on the interior side was also a challenge but thankfully it wasn’t too thick and I was still able to slide the new threshold in. And final lesson learned, don’t use a metal hammer to nudge the new threshold in; it will mar it.
Nice job with what you’re working with But Never understood why people go thru all that and leave the door with the bottom jamb in that poor condition, won’t be long the whole frame will rot out at the bottom, you can get a pre hung entry door, 6 panel steel with frame and threshold and all for $100-200 and have a factory installed threshold and unit and have it installed in about the same amount of time. I install doors everyday, that’s all I do for 9 years now. I install them in 1-3 hours, a door like this would take hour tops.
I can do this but the problem is that the double doors measure 72 inches but the opening measues 73 1/2 inches wide and the left side of the entrance is more than an inch lower than the right side, in addition to having some sort of hardware on the floor, center, for the rod which closes the left door. The doors were installed without threshold many decades ago and the floor is cement. Any advice is appreciated.
You should have cut both sides of the threshold because all adjustment screws should be used for proper seal under door. Also the bottom of those jambs were in bad shape. Probably just as rotted as the sill. Couldn’t do that kind of project as a repair for a customer would have to be a diy home owners special. At that point its a bandaid not a fix.
Vist youtuber Austin Makes Stuff and give him a quick lesion on how to title a article. Doing what the title tells the veiwers you are going article. Insteat of some chrisley knows best bull crap with a click bait title like, Installing a French door. Thanks, Although this particular one is kinda simple, articles like this really help people out.
Thank You MC FIX IT. I’m glad I found this article. I purchased the exact adjustable threshold to replace what I currently have. I dismantled my current Threshold and found it has additional weather proofing beneath. A metal tray, gaskets, etc. It’s still a similar installation. Thank You. God Bless you sir.
Great article! I bought a 7 year old house in 2019. Exterior door from garage to backyard swings out. When it rains alot, or with wind blowing towards the door, water creeps into the garage. The concrete on the outside of the door under the threshold looks chipped as if someone took a chisel or power tool and tried to knock it down – like maybe reducing the overall height at the time the original foundation was poured and the door was installed. I guess the only way to know the condition of the concrete underneath the threshold is to just dive in and take the old one off? Your article is the best I have seen, and I believe I can do this project. I will probably take my big laptop and keep it nearby so I can have your article up as a guide. If I do get the old threshold off and find that the concrete underneath it looks rough and gouged out, do you have any ideas? Have you ever encountered something like this?
The side jambs are clearly rotted. Very curious and would love to know why one would go through the trouble of working around the bottom sections of side jambs, when it needs to be replaced anyway? Conversely, why not use the open opportunity to sand those areas and repair (if not replacing)? Given the history of water seepage, why not waterproof the concrete or use something other than paintable latex caulk? @MC FIX IT
Tell me you’re not a carpenter without saying you’re not a carpenter. I don’t know how this ridiculous design ever made it to production. FrostKing and Macklinburg Duncan technical support should be fired. This article is several years old and no one has told them that this threshold can not be installed correctly by anyone, ever.
It was a nice new sill before you got your hands on it. You held it in a metal vice without protecting the surface. Then you bangfed in the adjustment nuts by placing the sill face down on a messy concrete pad and scratched it some more…and you bashed it from the back to get it under the door frame!!! Not a good advert for you…bro.
I can’t add any more than anyone else has already. I would like to add that I have a ton of tools, with the exception of a multi tool. Purchased what i needed at Lowe’s and bought a oscillating tool, which turned out to make the job much easier. I used Tap cons vrs what you did. Worked out OK, but would purchase what you suggested in the future. Just like to say thank you. You made the first time job, very manageable. I liked it an subscribed. Robert TN
Don’t put your aluminum in a vice. That only tears it up. Did you see it move around in the vice while cutting with that brutal Sawzall blade. Use a table saw or circular saw of any kind. If you use a 40 tooth or more carbide tipped blade, it will cut aluminum like it’s play dough. Even if it’s 2 or 3 inches thick solid structural aluminum.
I was kind of with it until I seen a single cut for length and then the Alex came out 😆🤣 I would rather have cut both ends to keep center. On the glue I personally would have used PL fast grab. any other real glue would have been 100x better! Not terrible, seen worse. Jobs done though that’s a plus.
Wish I saw this. Just did one that wasn’t attached and frame was rotted and screws that held the frame snapped off as it was just pushed into a cement opening no shims all that held it was 2 screws on each side and silicone.the sill wasn’t secured at all but once it rotted wiggles out. And under it was just 2 bricks. But I did get the adjustment type sill. I have one more to do and I think its the same.
Question: At 11:54 you drill the holes, then at 16:50 you adjust the plate to the door. Shouldn’t you have done that in the reverse order? I’m confused how at 17:18 installing the screws didn’t just slightly move the plate back into the positioning of the original “holes drilled” positioning rather than your “adjusted to the door closed” positioning. Thanks so much for this article, now I’m not scared to tackle it myself!!!
I just replaced this type of threshold. Not as difficult as everyone said it is. But you do have to have the right tools. First thing I did was cut the caulking under door jams with a plunge cutting saw. Second was to use a metal cut off blade in an angle grinder and make three cuts through the aluminum. 1 in the center.1 at each end about 1/2 out from the jam so as not to damage the jam. With a metal cutting blade in the plunge cutting saw I cut through the staples that fasten the threshold to the jam. I use that same blade in the plunge cutting saw to cut through the wood under the aluminum. This threshold was on a concrete slab so there were no screws holding it down just adhesive. Using a pry bar I was able to remove all the threshold except for two small pieces under the jam. Tapping on the aluminum I was able to knock them out easily. Now I still had the wood with part of the staples in it. Using the plunge cutting saw I made multiple cuts between the staples. Don’t go to deep you don’t want to cut into the jam wood. With a chisel and needle nose players I removed all the wood around the staples. Then I twisted the staple back and forth till they broke off. Now there was a tiny piece of the staple still sticking out of the wood of which I grinded off with angle grinder. The new threshold slid right in. Marked three locations under the adjustable oak strip and drilled three holes through the wood and into the concrete slab. Used 3/16 masonry bit in a hammer drill. Removed the threshold and vaccumed the debris from drilling.
I have this on my back wall exterior door, just like this vid. The rain blew up against it on the door knob side. The water swelled up & even rotted the adjustable sill part on the end about 4″ & part of the lower oak part of the threshold was kinda spread open a little. Its discolored too which makes the problem visual as well. I’ve tried to find a new “sill cap” the adjustable wood part & I’ve looked on youtube on how to remove it and replace it; no info on where to get the part or how to replace it. The screws only come up so far & stop meaning they don’t seem to wanta come out. I don’t want to force them & create damage forcing me to remove the whole threshold. Unless Frost King can provide damage prevention & part replacement I’d say this threshold is a bad idea for a door on on outside wall. I hope Frost King can help me with this problem.
Ahhh, that’s how the washers work. I bought 2 of these, one for front and one for basement doors The instructions on the paper regarding the washers and how they work are completely vague, so I didn’t even use them on the basement door Now I know how to use them for the front door. Would be nice if the instructions were 100% clearer.
gonna have to agree with alot of the other comments, useless article. Of course, i did notice in your article that you didn’t take any precaution to preserve the existing door jamb and just tore it out so you could simple lay the threshold in without interference. Would like to have seen how to install this, inserting it UNDER the existing door jamb while preserving the door jamb.