Patio Door Question

Smitty1

Hi Guys

First time poster - long time lurker....

I recently had a flag stone patio installed at my walk out basement patio door. I noticed before the original owner had some plywood around the patio door on each side - I did not think about it too much until now.

When my contractor install the flag stone patio he removed the plywood pieces on each side of the door - I noticed a gap of about 4" on each side of the door - I guess the patio door was too small for the cut out in the foundation so the original owner placed the plywood over the holes and the siding covered the rest.

My question to you guys is - how do I fill this gap in without removing the siding from my patio door? I believe the gap goes right around the whole door.

No wonder it is freezing in my basement in the winter.

Any help would be appreciated.

thanks
Smitty

Ron6519

It would help if you posted some photos.

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Ron
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
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DesignDuoBlog

How is the current door staying in place?



The design Duo Team

Smitty1

Hi

I will try to take some pics tomorrow - I believe it is the correct height - so the door is screwed in at the top and bottom - but the cut out in the cement foundation is too wide - so there is a gap about 4" on each side - hopefully my pics will explain it better.

Stay tuned.
Smitty

Smitty1

TrapperL

Well Smitty, this should be a poster about folks that should never ever touch a house or a hammer. The key to this issue is that the door is installed wrong. Looking at your picture showing the bottom, it shows what should be the door lug which is where the door threshold should be, not on the patio. A good tech can come in, pull the vinyl siding back, remove and install the door correctly if there are no header issues. You didn't post what the inside looks like and I'm not sure a pic would help. But to do this correctly, the door needs to be installed right. The door is also installed on top of the drain plane. I'm surprised it doesn't leak when it rains. Vinyl siding is a decoration, not a drain plane.

bob22

IMO you've more wrong there than a door install. It looks from the pictures that you can see the sole plate below the level of the siding. If that is wood, you need to get someone in to install some flashing and/or remove the siding, seal wall openings and weathertight them, flash it, reinstall siding. The door I'd say needs to placed up off the ground plane to prevent water intrusion. Was this door added in or was it always there? Also, concrete walkway in front of door always there?

Smitty1

Thanks for the input guys - we have never had an issue with leaking - although the new patio was just put in about 2 wks ago - it was just gravel in there before - maybe that helped with the drainage.

The door was installed by the original owner - I have lived here 6 yrs and never had a problem except the basement being cold in the winter - the outside wall has always been cold.

So it sounds like I need to get the door removed and everything fixed up.

I am so glad I found this site.

Any other info is appreciated - who would be the right people to call about re installing the door - a patio door specialist?

Smitty

kwikfishron

Go to your local lumber yards contractors desk (not a box store) with your picture and ask for referrals.

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