2"pipe embedded in new concrete as door seal

[swharris]

What do you guys think? My oddball raised on a Michigan dairy farm neighbor swears up and down that I should put a length of pipe embedded in the concrete and make it slightly protrude above the concrete. Placed under the roll up door main garage door. He claims he did this on every barn he built and it really helped seal the door bottom.

To me I just see it rusting(though we don't get much rain here). Why not just finish a small rise in the concrete the length of the opening?? He's an odd dude, but has help me avoid quite a few mistakes so far. Retired professor of thermo dynamics too. Lol.

I think something like the "snirtstopper"

would do the same good job without making me have an annoying hump right at the entrance. I could see that hump being a PITA if I wanted to roll something like a rotisserie outside to the alley.

 

[gungatim]

I have seen that done on many old garages and out buildings (in MI as well). seemed popular once upon a time I guess...never seen one rusted though, I think if they start, driving over them must keep them clean enough that it isn't a problem.

but I wouldn't do it with today's modern doors/seals...

 

[59 wagon man]

my clopay garage door seems to have a bottom weatherstrip which would door the same but with less fabrication

 

[LXCam]

Well I'm not sure that's needed anymore with the seal designs they have now like was mentioned. But back 17yrs ago when I did all my hard scape I did all kinds of crazy imbeds for my wrought iron and sliding gates with 1/4" thick materials. I also painted everything 100% and in all these years where these are exposed there is no signs of deterioration. Even with the rolling gate tracks in the drive areas where the paint is worn off everything is in great shape. Personally I wouldn't want that hump going in and out of the garage if you need to roll smaller diameter wheeled carts in and out. My gate tracks were made from 2" L imbedded with only 1/2" of the apex vertically but I left them short of the latching side 30" so I could roll carts around without hitting it, turns out that was a good choice.

 

[nh_yota]

Seems like it would hamper water drainage out of the garage...

 

[Michigan Mike]

I did that about 20 years ago when I helped a friend build a pole barn. Part of his reason was because he wasn't going to pour his floor right away. It gave him something to land the door on. We did eventually pour the floor. It does garuntee a flat level spot to land the door. Its been there 20 plus years and hasn't rusted out yet.

 

[dbabicky]

Quite common around here on the older farm out buildings.

 

[The Tool Tyrant]

Since it sounds like your slab isn't poured yet, just take extra care to be sure the concrete
is carefully screeded and finished at the door area.
I personally would not want a protrusion to trip over or cuss at every time I pushed a cart or toolbox over it.

 

[larry_g]

Since it sounds like your slab isn't poured yet, just take extra care to be sure the concrete
is carefully screeded and finished at the door area.
I personally would not want a protrusion to trip over or cuss at every time I pushed a cart or toolbox over it.

This is not something to trip over. 90% of the pipe is buried in the concrete with just enough above to give the seal a smooth straight area to rest on. Could also be done with flat stock that is flush with the concrete.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

There are many devices that mount to the floor or the door. Google is your friend.

The pipe will rust at some point.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[myyaz33]

I used this as I had some back drainage of water on certain rains. Worked like a charm and been down a few years. Fixed the water issue and sealed the door better.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001JDJQ8E/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[topp64]

I agree that there are better ways to seal a door these days. Only place I've seen embedded pipe used like this was an old warehouse with all the loading dock doors sealed this way. They were adding a few docks and I was the foreman for the concrete contractor. I made a comment to the superintendent for the general contractor that I'd never heard of pipes for door seals. His reply was "that's the way we did it back in the old days, I did a few buildings like that when you were still in diapers." Just so you know how long ago he was talking about, I've been working on jobs with him for 15 years and in the business for 25 years.

 

[James-W]

I think that at one time it may have been a good idea, but with the modern doors and seals I don't see where it would be of any great advantage.

 

[swharris]

Thanks for the great replies everyone! Lol, my neighbor is 70+ and his newest truck is a '62, so he is a bit in the dark ages sometimes. I have done the slab, but the approach is not done yet. I don't think I'm going to do anything but get a good bottom door seal. No pipe.