Choosing a French Door Threshold Replacement
Thresholds are a necessity to fill in gaps that are uneven at the bottom of doors and protect you from all seasons of bugs, draughts, and water. A lowered threshold also provides safety for wheelchairs and pushchairs/prams and more seamlessly connects both outdoor and indoor spaces.
When advising your customers on their options for thresholds for french doors, it is important to understand the different options that are available.
Weathered
The threshold of an exterior door is an essential element of any door system, offering protection from the elements as well as seamless transition between outdoor and indoor space. When deciding on the threshold for an exterior door it is crucial to strike a balance between safety and aesthetics. In addition to being essential to keep the home dry thresholds also play an important role in ensuring the safety of the user. They stop people from falling as well as limiting accessibility for people with mobility issues. In the end, there are several threshold options to choose from, allowing customers to choose the most appropriate one for their home.
A weathered threshold offers excellent weather protection for exterior doors. It also creates a solid barrier that keeps out rain and wind as well as draughts. This type of threshold can be recessed or sunk into the floor leaving an upstand of 14mm, which reduces the risk of tripping and creating an effective seal against the elements. Weathered thresholds should be used for all doors that are external as they provide greater weatherproofing than non-weathered options. However, the higher elevation of thresholds that are weathered could make them unsuitable for some people, particularly those who use wheelchairs or pushchairs/prams.
Unweathered thresholds are usually smaller in height, with many just a few millimetres off the ground, which means they are less likely to pose any risk of tripping. They also provide an easier transition between outdoor and indoor spaces, allowing for the connection of the two in a more open and unified way. Although they aren't as weatherproofed as a weatherproofed option, they are ideal for homeowners who want to improve the aesthetics of their home without sacrificing security or functionality.
If your French doors are currently fitted with an unweathered threshold or planning to replace the threshold, a new threshold is a simple do-it-yourself project that can help smooth out the uneven gaps at the bottom of doors and also shield against drafts and water ingress. The old threshold needs to be removed before a new one can be fitted to the existing sill. To take off the old sill, put an aluminum bar between it and the subsill. Carefully pry up the middle section. If Repair My Windows And Doors of the threshold have been nailed in place then use a hammer or chisel, to break them off from the jambs. After removal of the threshold, sand and remove any mortar remnants. It is recommended that you apply a foam sealant that expands under the threshold before installing it. This will help hold it in place, and fill in any air gaps.