How to ensure the tightness of the door

Video: How to adjust a door when it’s hitting the sides.

Content

Part 2 of 3: Measuring
Part 3 of 3: Installation
Tips
What you need

1 Tighten the hinges on the door. Some drafts can be caused by loose hinges, so before sealing the edges of your door, you should take a few minutes to tighten all the hardware.

Lift the door by the doorknob. If you can lift it up, the hinges are probably loose. Use a screwdriver to tighten the screws holding the hinges in place.
Secure the pivot joint, but do not tighten it as you will have to replace it. You may also need to fill the holes with wooden plugs and screw new screws into those plugs.
Also, if the doorknob moves when you lift it, you should tighten or replace it.

2 Check the old seal. If a seal was previously installed on your door, then it could be damaged or deformed. Check it by running your hand around the entire perimeter of the door, after closing it.

If you feel a draft while checking the seal, you must remove it and replace it with a new one.
To remove the old seal, simply remove or slide to the side.

3 Clear the area. Use a damp cloth to wipe off any visible dirt and debris from the door frame and the edges of the door itself.

Run a trowel along the top, bottom and side edges of the door and door frame to remove any debris stuck on these surfaces.
Check the threshold (bottom of the door frame). If there are grooves along the threshold, then use a large nail to clean the grooves from any dirt that could appear there.

4 Buy a new seal. There are several different types of sealant, so you need to decide which one you want to use.

For the upper and side parts of the door, a foam seal is perfect, which is very durable and well closes gaps of various sizes. The wood-clad seal is durable and easier to work with than a metal seal, so it is a good choice for those with no prior experience with door sealing.
When purchasing a set of seals, note that most of them only contain seals for the top and sides of your door. You will need to purchase a separate piece to open the door.
To open the door, consider using a metal seal with a flexible vinyl rag spacer for added strength. This type of deployment mechanism is also fairly easy to install. Bristle seals or auto-lift vinyl seals are generally the most versatile and easiest to install, especially if you've never sealed a door before. More advanced options include waterproof seals or door roller seals.
Note, however, that a door with a rigid seal will not work if the carpet is above or near the threshold. If the door won't work with a hard seal, use a flexible vinyl ball seal.

Part 2 of 3: Measuring

1 Measurement of the top of the door frame. Close the door and measure the top of the door frame lengthwise with a tape measure.
- Note that measurements for the top edge and sides of the door should be taken along the door frame and not the door itself.
2 Measure the sides. Keeping the door still closed, measure the door on both sides of the frame with a tape measure.
- You must measure both sides separately and cut the seal to the appropriate size. Both sides will generally have the same length, but construction errors are common enough that there may be some slight differences in length. To achieve a tight seal, you will need to cut pieces of seal specifically for each side, so you need to know the exact length of each side.
3 Measure the bottom. Open the door, then measure the bottom of it with a tape measure.
- Unlike the measurements you took for the top and side seals, you will need to measure the length of the seal by measuring the bottom of the door itself.
- Before taking this measurement, make sure you have the inside of the door in front of you.
4 Mark these measurements on the seal. Use a tape measure to measure the length of each seal you purchased.
- Mark the length of each using a sharp pencil or marker. Make sure the lines are clear and sharp enough.
- When purchasing a set of seals, you should be given two long pieces for the sides and one short piece for the top. Make sure the top of the measurements is marked on the short piece of gasket and the side measurements on the long pieces.
5 Cut the seal to the correct size. Cut the gasket at the marks you just made. Keep the incisions clean to ensure a tight seal.
- Styrofoam and vinyl can be cut with sharp scissors, but you will need a hacksaw or similar tool to cut wood. Use a jigsaw to cut the wood seal at any angle.
- You should also make sure that one end of each sidewall is cut at an angle to fit with the top seal. But you don't need to make a corner at the bottom end of the seal.

Part 3 of 3: Installation

1 Installing the top. Place the top piece of weatherstrip along the top of the door frame, then lightly nail it into place.
- Such parts should be installed along the door frame and not on the door itself.
- Use 1-1 / 2 inch (3.75 cm) nails. Place nails 2 inches (5 cm) from the edge on each side to hold the seal in. Nails should be evenly spaced 12 inches (30.5 cm) apart.
- When you place the seal, it should completely fill the gap at the top of the frame. It should be squeezed lightly, but not too tightly. Squeezing tightly can prevent the door from locking.
- Only hammer in nails so as to hold the seal in place. Continue hammering in nails until you get to the side pieces.
2 Secure your sides. Place the side of the seal along the side of the door frame. If the top of the corner does not line up with the top piece of the seal, lower it down.
- Like the top of your weatherstrip, the pieces should fit along the door frame, not the door.
- You can use a file, sandpaper, or sanding belt to accurately shape the top corners.
- Make small adjustments and check to see if the pieces fit periodically until you get the right fit.
3 Mark the fastenings for the side pieces. Place each side of the gasket along the sides of the door frame and hammer and nail them into place.
- As with the top piece of weatherstrip, use 1-1 / 2 "nails and place them 2" (5 cm) from both ends. Nails should be spaced 12 inches (30.5 cm) apart.
- Make sure that the seal completely covers all gaps on the sides of the door frame. The foam should, however, only be pressed lightly.
- Now you can only hammer in nails so that they hold the seal loosely in place.
4 Check the seal. Open and close the door several times to make sure the door is properly sealed.
- The seal must be completely sealed against the door when it is closed, and the door must be able to be locked.
- If necessary, remove and reposition your seal as needed to achieve a proper seal.
5 Drive the nails into place. Once the weatherstrip along the top and sides of the door is properly laid down, you should finish hammering in the nails.
- Pay attention to re-checking the seal after completing the nailing. Open and close the door to make sure the seal is still in place.
6 Determine the position of the bottom seal. Spread it along the bottom edge of the door, but do not put screws or nails in this place yet.
- The flexible part of the door seal should touch the top of the sill, but should not rub too hard against it.
- The metal strip of the seal already has screw holes. Mark the position of these holes on the door with a pencil or marker. Remove the door temporarily, then drill holes in the marked locations.
- Please note that vinyl door seals are installed, however, on the threshold and not on the door. Align the end of the strip with one of the ends of the threshold. Press the flanges firmly into the grooves of the threshold with your hands.
7 Attach the seal. Spread and secure the seal to the bottom of the door. Use a screwdriver to screw the seal back into place.
- Insert the screws into the previously drilled holes.
- If using vinyl bristles, place a block of wood behind the seal. After hitting it with a hammer, drive the sealant with the flanges deep into the grooves of the threshold.
8 Check the tightness again. Open and close the door several times to check the sill seal.
- Once the sides, top and bottom of the seal have been properly seated, the process is complete. Your doors must be airtight.