Garage bottom seal approach for old door and cement?

JHZR2

JHZR2

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At my one garage the two doors don’t have good contact with the ground, and it creates an opportunity to have leaf and tree litter, dust, and I think some slight water entry, since the door is on a gable end with no gutter or eaves.

I know the box stores sell a nail-on door “gasket” for the bottom of the door. I’ve also seen a rubber entry strip that you adhere to the concrete. Any recommendations on which way to go? You can see the amount of gap from the pictures.
 
tbm5690 said:
Regardless I would start with filling the concrete and trying to get it as smooth and level as possible.
Click to expand...

I was thinking that perhaps I would do that, maybe even raising the area directly under the door. Concrete doesn’t stick well to concrete though so it will turn into a cutting job or a big mess… or else something that doesn’t bond. That’s why a polymeric seal adhered to the concrete seemed like a good idea - I could dry lay it, only add the minimum concrete to adhere the seal flat, and then not have as much to chip later. But not sure if that is a valid concept.

They also make those soft (polyurethane?) cement crack sealants that seem to be used professionally.
 
I have a garage door problem maybe similar to this. With mine, the concrete pad outside the door frost heaves different than the garage floor on the inside, so there is always cracking going on directly underneath the door. I think the solution for me is to cut the concrete and rebuild the floor/sill area inside the garage that sits on and is attached to the footing that goes below the frost level. Outside the door, there needs to be an expansion joint between the garage floor/ foundation and the floating pad outside the door.

In short, you may have the same type of frost movement going on and need to address it.
 
The proper way would be to remove that section of concrete and pour a new threshold. Attach a suitable weather strip to the door.
 
doitmyself said:
I have a garage door problem maybe similar to this. With mine, the concrete pad outside the door frost heaves different than the garage floor on the inside, so there is always cracking going on directly underneath the door. I think the solution for me is to cut the concrete and rebuild the floor/sill area inside the garage that sits on and is attached to the footing that goes below the frost level. Outside the door, there needs to be an expansion joint between the garage floor/ foundation and the floating pad outside the door.

In short, you may have the save type of frost movement going on and need to address it.
Click to expand...

Not a frost issue. Maybe a sitting water issue. There’s a 100 year old slab that meets a 50(?) year old slab with a slope away from the building. The slabs meet under the door.

Cutting a trough and pouring new cement would be a DIY job I think. It doesn’t need to be that deep or wide. And the cement could be added to be just a half inch or so higher.
 
Perhaps some members have successfully patched concrete to a durable long lasting surface/product. In 35 years of commercial construction I have seen zero successful “fixes“ that lasted any length of time and did not look like a patch job……and I don‘t experience the freeze/thaw/cycles and salt that you likely do. There are more concrete patch products and promises of long lasting fixes than oil and fuel additives 🙃. I speak only from experience, not in absolutes, so hopefully any members with success stories will chime in.
With that out of the way 😎 if you want a long lasting solution for the concrete you will need to completely remove a section, drill and install dowels to the existing (which may not be thick enough to successfully accept this) and pour back - I’m thinking 6” thick or so.
In another thread on this subject a member bought a tube like seal for the bottom of the door and installed a garden hose in it to help it keep its shape.
I would be interested in looking at cutting off part of the door bottom and scribe a piece of pressure treated lumber to the bottom. Other suggestions have been fastening armaflex round pipe insulation if the gap is large. I have this same issue but my door is metal so I think a thicker seal is the solution for me.
 
bcossa2020 said:
Perhaps some members have successfully patched concrete to a durable long lasting surface/product. In 35 years of commercial construction I have seen zero successful “fixes“ that lasted any length of time and did not look like a patch job……and I don‘t experience the freeze/thaw/cycles and salt that you likely do. There are more concrete patch products and promises of long lasting fixes than oil and fuel additives 🙃. I speak only from experience, not in absolutes, so hopefully any members with success stories will chime in.
With that out of the way 😎 if you want a long lasting solution for the concrete you will need to completely remove a section, drill and install dowels to the existing (which may not be thick enough to successfully accept this) and pour back - I’m thinking 6” thick or so.
In another thread on this subject a member bought a tube like seal for the bottom of the door and installed a garden hose in it to help it keep its shape.
I would be interested in looking at cutting off part of the door bottom and scribe a piece of pressure treated lumber to the bottom. Other suggestions have been fastening armaflex round pipe insulation if the gap is large. I have this same issue but my door is metal so I think a thicker seal is the solution for me.
Click to expand...
Agree. Concrete patch just seems dubious. If I cut out and repair, I can make it a tiny bit higher which will help to avoid blow-in.
 
JHZR2 said:
I know the box stores sell a nail-on door “gasket” for the bottom of the door. I’ve also seen a rubber entry strip that you adhere to the concrete. Any recommendations on which way to go? You can see the amount of gap from the pictures.
Click to expand...
I'd do both, rubber threshold seal mated with rubber door seal. Threshold seal will help keep the water out.
 
so do you drive or roll anything through this door? I think I would just find some huge triple thick rubber seal and let it alone for another 10 years.

Or get one of those combo rodent blocker/heavy duty seals.
 
Rand said:
so do you drive or roll anything through this door? I think I would just find some huge triple thick rubber seal and let it alone for another 10 years.

Or get one of those combo rodent blocker/heavy duty seals.
Click to expand...
Sure. It’s a garage. I keep four vehicles there.

The issue is that it’s an old solid wood door. So attaching it is a consideration, as well as which side I do it.

Egg_Head said:
I'd do both, rubber threshold seal mated with rubber door seal. Threshold seal will help keep the water out.
Click to expand...

Good idea. There isn’t a water flow in issue really. The driveway leading up has a decent slope away. I think it’s as much Gaps letting damp air and some level of dripping off the gable end just splashing up against the doors a bit…
 
Would rolling a jack etc over the threshhold seal damage it? or not an issue.
JHZR2 said:
Sure. It’s a garage. I keep four vehicles there.

The issue is that it’s an old solid wood door. So attaching it is a consideration, as well as which side I do it.
Click to expand...
 
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