"Childfree Scott" wrote in message
m...
I have a wooden threshold on an exterior that has some rot in it. Not
a whole lot, but some. Someone told me that it would be difficult to
replace, but probably much easier to simply dig out the bad part and
them pour in some mortar to fill it in most of the way, then top it
off with wood filler and prime and paint. That's easy enough, but I
was wondering why I would even want to do that when I could dig out
the whole thing, and replace it with some sort of cement product
that's designed to work good if it's only as thick as the previous
door threshold was. Isn't cement going to work better? As to some
background, the house was built in 1950 (Baltimore rowhome), and it's
a below ground basement door entrance where the offending threshold
is. This threshold acts as a lip to prevent water that does not go
down my drain hole from going into my basement, so presumably cement
would work better if I ever have a water problem in my back yard
(which I did have when I bought the house, but I've fixed that).

So, my question is to why I would even want to use a wood
replacement???
Everything else around it is also masonry (either bricks or concrete).

That someone/hipshooter who told you it is difficult to replace is not well
informed. Dig out the whole thing, no prob.
It sounds like you may have drainage issues which could make your threshold
choice a footnote, not an issue - you may have to raise the cement threshold
to prevent further basement flooding, even if it is a tripping hazard.
Either that, or find a bigger better outside drain hole.
You have many material choices, should you wish to top the cement
replacement dam with a real door-fitting threshold.. Among them, try
http://www.reeseusa.com/category/Fiberglass_Threshold , or you can search
google for fiberglass threshold. The Reese website also has many other
materials for thresholds, including metals such as anodized aluminum, which
I have on my house, and they work great. Most hardware and home centers
have other rot resistant thresholds to sell. Cement may be ok, but requires
a really solid base, and proper drainage pitch, finishing/trowelling, and
may be difficult to remove or adjust. Many metal thresholds have adjustment
screws to re-level them when the door gap changes, which it will, if it's
wood.
Good Luck.