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interesting patio door problems....please help.

3K views 6 replies 3 participants last post by  Gary in WA 
#1 ·
This is a little long but i have to explain the whole story.

I decided to replace my sliding door going out to my deck today thinking i could get it done in a day only to discover a variety of problems.

Long story short this door has always been a pain to open. It always felt like it was being pinched and would almost never open. So... i decided to try to replace it today with a french patio door.

I started the usual way by removing interior trim to get an acuate measurement for the new door. It was just as i expected, 72X81 rough opening. So i went to the local box store and purchased a french door to fit the spot.

I got home and started to remove the old door. This house was built in the 50s so i new that a deck and patio door were not a standard for this area so i expected a little bit of a challenge. Boy was i wrong on little.

This room was the old solid wood paneling so i decided to pull it off of this wall to try to make things easier. What i found was this door used to be a window that was made into a door. But the issue with that was they just left the old header in place supported by a jack/king stud on one side and nothing on the other which was about 3/4 of the way into the door. So i can only guess this was the "pinch" problem with the door. I fixed that problem by using a double 2X12X83". I was able to get about 1.5 out of 2 inches of sag on the double top plate. Picture below shows the before.

But the real issue and one that i have about a million ideas how to solve (not sure if any are right) is the area that was below the door. The house is a brick exterior and when they decided to add a door they either had to go a little high with one row of bricks or go low. They went low and they filled the gap with a treated 2X. There was no extra flashing to speak of and the treated 2x was pretty much rotted. The rim joist to a small beating but it is not bad.

So long story short, once i install the door i will have a 1.5" gap from the top of the brick to the bottom of the door thresh hold. From the most outward point of the thresh hold to the front of the brick will be about 4.5 inches.

I am not sure how to accomplish this and keep it weather tight and looking good. To make matters worse is the house has a block basement and the bricks below the door are only three rows above the block, they are a little loose and the deck ledger board is right in the way.

HELP ME...
 
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#5 ·
You are adding 3/4" wood---how high is the thresh hold on the door? Will the door clear the new wood floor if it is mounted to subfloor?

That deck is a leaker---the brick should be flashed in or water proofed in some way---

I suggest that whatever 'wood' you use under that door --not be wood --but a synthetic--

Deck boards --like Trex or one of the others---
 
#6 ·
I am pulling up all the hardwood whcih you can see back about one foot from the door opening. I am replacing the floor sheeting with 3/4 TG.

That entire deck is coming down and being replaced but that is a project for another day.

I was thinking about flashing from the floor sheeting, then stepping down to the brick then taking it down the front of the brick between the deck about 5 inches. The deck is freestanding so that shouldnt be to hard.

Then i was thinking about using PVC trim boards on top of the flashing. I didnt even think about a trex board. Do they make those in a 2x size?

Thanks
Brad
 
#7 ·
"Then i was thinking about using PVC trim boards on top of the flashing. -------- good idea, as Trex is made with 50% wood dough, which can mold and rot, PVC won't.

Gary
 
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