New tile in entryway now 'flush' with door threshold. Need ideas

211

I just laid new tile in the entryway in front of the main door to the house.
problem now is, the finished height of the tile is now flush with the door's threshold (1" wide aluminum strip that runs between the door jams and creates the seal when the door is closed). I had to take the weatherstripping piece off the door to prevent it from rubbing on the tile.

In order for the weatherstripping on the door to not rub on the tile I need to raise it up 1/2" or so but then it creates a gap between the threshold and the rubber. So I need to somehow raise the threshold but it appears to be screwed down to the main bottom piece of the door and that main bottom piece appears to be nailed to the sides of the door jams.

Is there any way I can raise this threshold without cutting the door out and relocating that bottom piece further up the door?
It's middle of winter and there's snow on the ground. I don't want to rip the door off right now.

Grampa Bud

Your last comment IS your answer I'm afraid. At least for the duration of the winter you could put a lever action sweep seal on the out side of the door to keep the snow and water out of the unsealed sweep and use a rolled up heavy bath towel across the bottom on the inside to keep the cold draft out. Without redoing your tile job, the only thing I can suggest is to remove the entire door assembly and raise the rough opening so that when it goes back in you have a minimum of 1" clearance from the bottom of the door to the finished surface of your tile.

oh'mike

Post a picture of the door/threshold--I've cut many doors and raised/replaced thresholds---

I've yet to see one that could not be done--however the work involved might make raising the whole door and frame the easier job----Let's see what you have.---Mike---

tacomahardwood.

Add a piece of finished hardwood to the threshold , Cut the door up . Install a sweep that screws to the side of the door / not the bottom ........IF this looks to be feasable ,Think about it before cutting anything , Or set a 1/2 inch fake A. Or FAKE [B] threshold . Think .... If the added threshold may work iff finished ????
If it looks Reasonable add a screen door/storm door and make the best you can with the threshold
tacomahardwoodfloors.com

Grampa Bud

I just reread all of this "thread" and I'm wondering if you have a steel exterior door with an adjustable threshhold and a rubber sweep or a wood door with an aluminum threshhold and a thin brass or copper weatherstripping that runs all the way around the door???????? It makes a BIG difference to your problem solution.

211

It's a steel door (w/ foam core probably). The threshold is aluminum but I hadn't checked to see if the strip that runs under the door is adjustable. There are visible screws holding it down but that's as far as I got.
Just finished up sealing the tile last night so I'll focus on the door this weekend, and hopefully get some pics up so you can see what I'm talking about.

The weatherstripping on the door looked like this (although the threshhold in the pic is not):

oh'mike

New door bottoms are available---much like the one pictured--they offer some adjustment in case you miscut the door a bit- adding a new threshold is difficult but a job that you can do--

Remove the old threshold using a sawsall and Dremmel--whatever it takes--

Add a riser board--I use composite deck boards--planed or sawn to the right thickness--Silicone that in place--

Add the new threshold--plenty of tricky cuts here--and screw it down.

A threshold with an adjustable strike plate will make your installation easier.

Without an actual photo of the doorway,I think that will give you the process.--Mike--

Grampa Bud

Yes please try to get some pics up for us to see. If you have a steel door there is only about 1/8" of wood on the bottom of the door for a sweep to attach too. You say one thing, but your figure shows a wood door with an adjustable sweep and not an adjustable threshhold. A steel door usually cannot be cut down so they have phillips head screw plates three places on the threshhold to raise or lower the threshold to meet the rubber sweep fastened to the bottom of the door.

firehawkmph

This situation is quite common when tiling up against an exterior door. Best to look at it before and see where your finished height of the tile is going to be. Most cases I take the door out and raise it up. Can be a pain but really the way to do job right. If the door is an older steel door and worn, good time to put a new one in.
Mike Hawkins