I've got a garage access door (32" width) whose wood/aluminum sill
chronically allows leakage beneath it, into the garage when it rains.
I've tried all kinds of caulking, rubber seals, improved drainage, etc
and nothing works - I think it was just a poor installation that needs
to be ripped out.

I'm thinking of replacing it with qwikrete instead of installing another
wood/aluminum sill.

Good idea, bad idea? It doesn't seem like it would be too difficult to
make a form and then level it out to be flush with the existing door
bottom, but I haven't tried this before and I don't want to make an
annoying situation into an actual bad one.

Thanks

On Thu, 07 Aug 2014 08:32:10 -0600, DaveT wrote:

I've got a garage access door (32" width) whose wood/aluminum sill
chronically allows leakage beneath it, into the garage when it rains.
I've tried all kinds of caulking, rubber seals, improved drainage, etc
and nothing works - I think it was just a poor installation that needs
to be ripped out.

I'm thinking of replacing it with qwikrete instead of installing another
wood/aluminum sill.

Good idea, bad idea? It doesn't seem like it would be too difficult to
make a form and then level it out to be flush with the existing door
bottom, but I haven't tried this before and I don't want to make an
annoying situation into an actual bad one.

Thanks

I'd pull the present sill up, clean the area well and then use
silicone caulk under it. The trick is the way you caulk. It will stop
the water intrusion under the sill as well as stop air drafts and
critters.

The new caulk should follow this pattern with thick beads (1/2-5/8
inch) of caulk. If the sill has ribs, place the caulk in the
approximate area.

32"

|======================|

A bead on each side at the door jamb and two beads in the middle. When
you set the sill back in, lightly stand on it to compress the sill
into the caulk, and fasten it down.

Works for me

Hi Dave,

I've got a garage access door (32" width) whose wood/aluminum sill
chronically allows leakage beneath it, into the garage when it rains.
I've tried all kinds of caulking, rubber seals, improved drainage, etc
and nothing works - I think it was just a poor installation that needs
to be ripped out.
I'm thinking of replacing it with qwikrete instead of installing another
wood/aluminum sill.

A few years ago I had a door frame that was rotting because water was
leaking around the inside of the frame. Moisture tends to wick up the
bottom of the frame near the sill.

I took the old door frame out and replaced it with a composite frame that
won't rot (I measured my existing door, hinges, locks, etc. and ordered the
frame from Lowes).

Before I installed the new frame, I installed Jamsill flashing in the door
opening. This ensures that any water that finds it's way under the door
frame gets directed outside the building:

http://jamsill.com/

I also used a top quality polyurethane caulk (PL Brand) when installing the
new frame.

Anthony Watson
www.mountainsoftware.com
www.watsondiy.com

On 8/8/2014 8:21 AM, HerHusband wrote:
Hi Dave,

I've got a garage access door (32" width) whose wood/aluminum sill
chronically allows leakage beneath it, into the garage when it rains.
I've tried all kinds of caulking, rubber seals, improved drainage, etc
and nothing works - I think it was just a poor installation that needs
to be ripped out.
I'm thinking of replacing it with qwikrete instead of installing another
wood/aluminum sill.

A few years ago I had a door frame that was rotting because water was
leaking around the inside of the frame. Moisture tends to wick up the
bottom of the frame near the sill.

I took the old door frame out and replaced it with a composite frame that
won't rot (I measured my existing door, hinges, locks, etc. and ordered the
frame from Lowes).

Before I installed the new frame, I installed Jamsill flashing in the door
opening. This ensures that any water that finds it's way under the door
frame gets directed outside the building:

http://jamsill.com/

I also used a top quality polyurethane caulk (PL Brand) when installing the
new frame.

Anthony Watson
www.mountainsoftware.com
www.watsondiy.com

That looks like a good product.

But I'm wondering whether it might be cheaper and easier just to put in
a couple inches of qwikrete, smooth it to a close fit to the bottom of
the door with a slope that makes water coming down the door to drain
away from the garage.

I've never done much with concrete, and I'm wondering if I'm not seeing
some kind of problem inherent in making a concrete garage sill.

Dave,

But I'm wondering whether it might be cheaper and easier just to put
in a couple inches of qwikrete, smooth it to a close fit to the bottom
of the door with a slope that makes water coming down the door to
drain away from the garage.

I suppose it might work if you can figure out a way to form it up and
finish it smooth for the weatherstripping to contact.

I've never done much with concrete, and I'm wondering if I'm not
seeing some kind of problem inherent in making a concrete garage sill.

The concrete may crack when it dries if it's less than a couple inches
thick.

You may get water leaking on either side of the concrete sill. If you have
wood framing on either side, that could lead to rot. That's basically the
same situation as the metal sills up against the wood door frames.

I would think rough concrete would tend to wear out the weather stripping
faster.

A bag of concrete is cheap enough if you want to give it a try. Worst case
you have to tear it out and use another approach.

Good luck,

Anthony Watson
www.mountainsoftware.com
www.watsondiy.com

On Sat, 9 Aug 2014 15:36:02 +0000 (UTC), HerHusband
wrote:

Dave,

But I'm wondering whether it might be cheaper and easier just to put
in a couple inches of qwikrete, smooth it to a close fit to the bottom
of the door with a slope that makes water coming down the door to
drain away from the garage.

I suppose it might work if you can figure out a way to form it up and
finish it smooth for the weatherstripping to contact.

I've never done much with concrete, and I'm wondering if I'm not
seeing some kind of problem inherent in making a concrete garage sill.

The concrete may crack when it dries if it's less than a couple inches
thick.

You may get water leaking on either side of the concrete sill. If you have
wood framing on either side, that could lead to rot. That's basically the
same situation as the metal sills up against the wood door frames.

I would think rough concrete would tend to wear out the weather stripping
faster.

Who said concrete needs to be rough?? Both my drive-in door and man
door on my garage have concrete sills, over 40 years old and no issues
with weatherstrip., Water leaks are addressed with good caulking every
day.

A bag of concrete is cheap enough if you want to give it a try. Worst case
you have to tear it out and use another approach.

Good luck,

Anthony Watson
www.mountainsoftware.com
www.watsondiy.com

On Sat, 09 Aug 2014 14:06:51 -0400, wrote:



Who said concrete needs to be rough?? Both my drive-in door and man
door on my garage have concrete sills, over 40 years old and no issues
with weatherstrip., Water leaks are addressed with good caulking every
day.

I agree. But caulking every day is unnecessary.

On Sat, 09 Aug 2014 16:34:01 -0500, Vic Smith
wrote:

On Sat, 09 Aug 2014 14:06:51 -0400, wrote:



Who said concrete needs to be rough?? Both my drive-in door and man
door on my garage have concrete sills, over 40 years old and no issues
with weatherstrip., Water leaks are addressed with good caulking every
day.

I agree. But caulking every day is unnecessary.
Unless you use crapply caulk.
But you know what I mean - the solution - caulking the joint - is used
somewhere every day.

On Sat, 09 Aug 2014 18:03:59 -0400, wrote:

On Sat, 09 Aug 2014 16:34:01 -0500, Vic Smith
wrote:

On Sat, 09 Aug 2014 14:06:51 -0400, wrote:



Who said concrete needs to be rough?? Both my drive-in door and man
door on my garage have concrete sills, over 40 years old and no issues
with weatherstrip., Water leaks are addressed with good caulking every
day.

I agree. But caulking every day is unnecessary.
Unless you use crapply caulk.
But you know what I mean - the solution - caulking the joint - is used
somewhere every day.

Just couldn't resist.

On 8/9/2014 6:56 PM, Vic Smith wrote:
On Sat, 09 Aug 2014 18:03:59 -0400, wrote:
with weatherstrip., Water leaks are addressed with good caulking every
day.

I agree. But caulking every day is unnecessary.
Unless you use crapply caulk.
But you know what I mean - the solution - caulking the joint - is used
somewhere every day.

Just couldn't resist.


"netpick". Term coined by myself.


--
..
Christopher A. Young
Learn about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

small roof over doorso water has troule making trip indoors

On 8/9/2014 8:42 PM, bob haller wrote:
small roof over doorso water has troule making trip indoors



Sensible idea, but the rain here is often wind driven toward the house -
sometimes by 20, 30 or 40 mph winds.

I think the concrete sill will work BUT it has to be dead straight from side to side or you'll have gaps, and you probably want a slight slope from garage to outside.

You can't do that by eye and it's hard to fix later. You'll need some kind of jig to help you smooth it straight.

On Sun, 10 Aug 2014 15:06:42 -0700 (PDT), TimR
wrote:

I think the concrete sill will work BUT it has to be dead straight from side to side or you'll have gaps, and you probably want a slight slope from garage to outside.

You can't do that by eye and it's hard to fix later. You'll need some kind of jig to help you smooth it straight.
Crib it straight and screed to the crib. If you want a profile, make
a special float or screed with the desired profile. It is sure not
rocket science. I