Sealing around the garage door

[homediyer]

I'm getting my garage ready for winter and one thing I'm trying to do is seal the holes around the garage door. I could use some advice/info/tips on how to take care of this.

My door is about 15 years old and has a compressible rubber seal on the bottom; it looks well made and I haven't seen any in the stores that look as strong or durable as it. However, it doesn't seem to reach quite all the way across the door -- there's a gap of about two inches on one side that leaves it completely open to the elements. I'd prefer a good patch to this area than a total replacement, but I'm open to anything. What's the best thing to do here?

Also, I did apply weather strip along the sides of the door a few years ago when I moved here. I found those vinyl edge strips that go along the outside of the door and they fit snug against the door. However, there's still a gap along the side. Is there a way to fix this?

I've attached pictures that show the bottom and side gaps.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Torque1st]

Replace the bottom seal. It is simple and won't take long. Don't mess around with trying to kludge up something to fill the gaps.

It looks like your side seals need attention also.

 

[bomber]

+1 on replacing the bottom seal -- I did mine last year -- it took about 10 minutes, including the coffee break ;-}

Side seal replacement took much longer (about an hour) but, buddy, what a difference

Hint #1 -- if it's cold outside, leave the seal material in the house for a few hours -- it'll make wrestling with it easier

Hint #2 -- if the concrete floor is not flat, the door seal won't seal across the entire length

The floor in my garage, for instance, if flat-ish for about 80% of the 18 foot opening -- one end drops down about 1/4 inch, and isn't sealed too well, even wiht the new door seal -- I've hunted for seal that would take up the difference, but have had no luck --

If anyone knows or here's tell of something to square this away, I'd love to hear of it

 

[66HertzClone]

Hint #2 -- if the concrete floor is not flat, the door seal won't seal across the entire length

The floor in my garage, for instance, if flat-ish for about 80% of the 18 foot opening -- one end drops down about 1/4 inch, and isn't sealed too well, even wiht the new door seal -- I've hunted for seal that would take up the difference, but have had no luck --

If anyone knows or here's tell of something to square this away, I'd love to hear of it

I have a three car garage and none of the doors rest all the way across the floor. Each door has a gap on each end, a couple are an inch high, less than four feet of each door actually rests on the floor. I am going to get a long profile gauge and use it to make a template to cut an exact fit piece of wood to fill the gap. Unless of course someone here has a better and faster way of fixing this. Yes the doors are level, the pour of the concrete is just a mess.

 

[Torque1st]

A person can make a shim to fit under the door. No need to be exact or use any profile gauge. A simple tape measure and a door shim to measure and mark on will do. Larger gaps can be measured with a piece of flat stock and the shim. The fit only has to be in the ballpark. The bottom door seal will take up any irregularities. Bomber should not have any problem at all fitting in a shim with only one corner to deal with.

Remember that the door seals are made of a type of rubber or vinyl that will shrink with age so they need to be replaced periodically.

Watch the door as it closes and note any shift or rack to one side caused by an unleveled floor or tracks that are not perpendicular to the floor. Sometimes the tracks can be moved to bring the door into alignment with the floor. Sometimes aligning the door with the floor leaves it fitting or looking bad with respect to the door opening. In that case a long shim on the bottom of the door is an option.

 

[Cardboard Man]

Something I've tried in the past is to slide a piece of garden hose into the bottom seal along it's entire length. This makes the seal "puff out" and will compress more when the weight of the door is on it. It takes up some of those small bellies in the concrete creating a better seal.

 

[Thomarann]

I stuffed some pink insulation in the ends of my lower seal where the concrete dips 1/4" at each end to make the lower seal "puffier" and it worked perfectly for > 1 year now.

Marc

 

[bomber]

great ideas here, gents -- thanks!

 

[homediyer]

Love these ideas!

As it turned out, previous owner had folded up the seal on both ends, leaving 1-2" gaps. I still wanted to replace the seal because there were several cuts and small holes in it.

Question: where do you guys purchase these seals?

The local hardware stores and big boxers had no idea where to get them. I found several vendors selling them online, such as here:
http://www.antonline.com/p_08460-GP_392045.htm

But this replacement stuff doesn't work right in the door. The ends are too big, so there's just no way to slide them in the grooves on the door. (I know, I tried for about two hours). I ended up sliding the old seal back, and at least the ends are now properly extended so there's no big leaks (just one where two slabs of the driveway meet with the groove).

I might try the garden hose idea. I'd still like to replace this old thing if I can find a good one.

 

[freewheeler]

You might try Overhead Door co, or any garage door company in your area. If there is a name or model on your door it would help them identify the type seal you will need.

 

[W-Cummins]

Might want to look into www.sealeze.com or 1-800-446-7325 is their tool free number. They make all kinds of door seals will sell direct to the public and ship out fast....

William...

 

[Torque1st]

The stuff I use just nails to the bottom of my door. It looks like a squashed and upside down "U" and flattens out when the door hits the floor. Of course my door is wood...

 

[Oklahomadude]

What are some of the better brands of garage doors seals for the bottom of the garage door? I don't mind spending a extra is the quality and durability are excellent!

any advice?

 

[QwikKotaTx]

Something I've tried in the past is to slide a piece of garden hose into the bottom seal along it's entire length. This makes the seal "puff out" and will compress more when the weight of the door is on it. It takes up some of those small bellies in the concrete creating a better seal.

Genius.

 

[steve308]

I use a piece of a 'pool noodle' or pipe insulation to take up the gaps.

 

[Oklahomadude]

What are some of the better brands of garage doors seals for the bottom of the garage door? I don't mind spending a extra is the quality and durability are excellent!

any advice?

any brands recommended?

 

[Squankum]

Also, I did apply weather strip along the sides of the door a few years ago when I moved here. I found those vinyl edge strips that go along the outside of the door and they fit snug against the door. However, there's still a gap along the side. Is there a way to fix this?

You can put thin shims between the garage door and the hinge in that area, to "push" the door towards the seal. I used a scrap of lauan paneling, rebolted hinge, back in business.

Later found out somebody else on this forum had the same idea. (Some guy with a curvy Porsche and a boxy Lamborghini in his 3 car suburban garage. I forget the thread.)

 

[Pat Brady]

You can get the bottom seal at your HD type store. I had problems with my door sealing down the sides of the door. So, I just ripped 1/2 x 1/2 strips on my table saw, tacked them up close to the edge of the door while the door was down and then painted them to match the other trim. It sure sealed it up pretty good.

 

[Diane]

The weather in Alberta Canada is just getting cold and I have started thinking about sealing my garage door. I just discovered a product online and am wondering if any of you have used it and what you think. It is called the Snirt Stopper ( apparently it stops snow and dirt- hence the name).

I have some deterioration on my cement floor at the door, so I thought this might be a good option. Just wanted some feedback before I made the purchase. Www.snirtstopper.com

Thanks in advance for your feedback

 

[Moose02]

if you use a hose inside your strip make sure it is a pliable one so temperature does not make it too hard when down. Also I installed the side and upper strips and siliconed between the strip and the garage frame so air can't penetrate between on windy days. This was on a new installation on 10x10 ammar doors on my new construction 44x33 garage

 

[CudaChick1968]

Subscribed!!! I've got four roll up doors between the house and the shop, and they all leak. There are some great ideas here already! Thanks guys!

Oh, Diane -- welcome to Garage Journal. Nice to see another lady here.

 

[HMCFab9]

Lots of good ideas already.
As a last resort or if you can't get a decent seal, I've heard of people laying wax paper on the floor, cleaning the bottom of the door real good, then filling the gap between the door & the uneven cement with that expanding foam in a can. Trim it after it has hardened.

 

[Kev442]

I put these up last year, they fight back against the wind.
http://www.greenhingeofamerica.com/

 

[adam@1966]

i have a garage door that the panels are not flat on the outside and have a signicant draft on the inside along the rails. just wondering how to seal the uneven surface of the outside panels.

 

[Ramper]

I have been looking at these: http://www.northshorecommercialdoor.com/ulrugadottub.html