Exterior side door sill mess

[yourfriend]

I had someone hang a fiberglass side door. Although the jambs that frame the opening connect to the sole plate, there is and was only concrete under the swinging area of the door.

That concrete cracked when the tenaciously-adhered threshold of the old door was pried up. The installer used rapid-set cement to replace it and form a lip out onto the outside brick landing. The rapid-set cement is soft and cracked. Even though the angle of the landing makes everything look cockeyed, the rapid-set falls actually does fall off level to the largest extent of about 1/4" under the aluminum threshold at one end of the door.

Although I can demo the front lip of the rapid set back, unless someone has a fine idea about how the defective front lip of the rapid-set sill can be replaced with something that will be level and hold up, the door is going to have to come out. And a new sill poured. However, if someone does have a bright idea on those lines that allow me to keep the hung door in place, I'm
all ears.

Assuming the door needs to be removed and the rapid-set sill demolished, I'll need to pour a new sill.

Questions:

*What materials, additives and reinforcement lead to a result with high water resistance balanced against an early curing time allow door reinstallation?

*How thick does the new cementious (or other material) of the sill need to be
for durability where it meets the aluminum door threshold given that it has to slope about 2 inches onto the exterior brick landing.

At the current door height, a level sill would be @.5" on one end and @1" on the other at the other of the aluminum threshold before sloping to finish in a smaller horizontal edge onto the cockeyed exterior brick landing. If the header is raised, the new sill could be taller. If the header is raised significantly and the door along with it, the new sill might be fashioned to have a thicer cantilevered lip over the brick landing.

*Would there be a bonding material to improve the sill lip and brick landing contact?

That is about it. Anyone with responses, tips or a better idea is welcome.
I'd love a fix that didn't require removal of the door but I don't have it.

Pictures of the tragedy are attached.

 

[wrench409]

Pics are too small to see the detail. But I'd borrow Miley's sledgehammer and start swinging it.

Go back with new with some wire reinforcement.

And don't forget to go to the intro page to introduce yourself.

 

[yourfriend]

Thanks to the insight of another, I see a solution here shifting. A kind contributor elsewhere observed that the brick landing where the bad pour of rapid-set cement ended in an attachment had it spanning a joint from the garage slab making it liable to crack there. Makes sense to me.

So, either the the overhanging lip of the aluminum threshold had to act as a drip edge (which it seems inadequately wide for) or something had to be placed atop an upright pour under the aluminum threshold to act as a drip edge/sill. A white oak sill was suggested. It would be sturdy but not maintenance free. And it might be too thick for the position without raising the door and the header. I'll have to check on that.


My first thought was a thick plastic. I looked at Azek but some complained about movement if not secured at intervals. Here, it would be trapped by the aluminum threshold and the concrete pour. Does anyone have a better candidate material that would work in the position under the threshold as a drip edge/sill that would be stable, sturdy, durable and not require maintenance?

 

[CNGsaves]

. . That concrete cracked when the tenaciously-adhered threshold of the old door was pried up. The installer used rapid-set cement to replace it and form a lip out onto the outside brick landing. The rapid-set cement is soft and cracked.

So you PAID an installer to do this ?? Then call THEM back to FIX it !!

Proper "foundation" preparation underneath, and rebar drilled into wall will make it secure if concrete forms are properly done.

What country are you in??

 

[yourfriend]

So you PAID an installer to do this ?? Then call THEM back to FIX it !!

Proper "foundation" preparation underneath, and rebar drilled into wall will make it secure if concrete forms are properly done.

What country are you in??

Yes, I paid an installer to do this. If I am going to call him back, knowing what can be done to fix this situation allows me to make sure it gets done.

So, we are talking rebar drilled into the slab to anchor the concrete pour under the door. Good.

Do you have any thoughts about a durable, water-resistant concrete here?
What about a material to work under the aluminum threshold as a sill/drip edge given the qualities and overhead space constraints involved as discussed in my last post?

Thank you for sharing your helpful thoughts with me.

 

[yourfriend]

I'm now looking at cutting a 1/4" thick aluminum door sill and placing it under the aluminum threshold after I've ground down the ridge underneath which would prevent it from lying flat.

My idea is to affix the sill to the concrete with tapcons and a flexible, waterproof and adhesive polyurethane sealant.

If I raise the concrete pour mounting the sill, I might be able to cantilever and extend the lip of the sill about .75"-1" into the air over the exterior brick landing.

The aluminum door threshold should sit level on the sill and join to it with a waterproof, flexible and adhesive sealant polyurethane.

Pictured is an old piece of aluminum door sill showing the approximate position a new piece would occupy in relation to the door, threshold and brick landing.

Another thought is to rip out the brick landing an replace it either with a new brick structure that is level and angled away from the door or use concrete to do the same.

Comments, thoughts or any suggestions correcting or improving the result here are great.

 

[ishiboo]

I went to a stone yard who cut a 18x38" slab 4" thick from a piece of stone for $35. Tipped the guy 10 bucks as he did me a favor and stuck it in ASAP.

Just have a piece of your local white stone cut and mortar it in level.

 

[yourfriend]

I went to a stone yard who cut a 18x38" slab 4" thick from a piece of stone for $35. Tipped the guy 10 bucks as he did me a favor and stuck it in ASAP.

Just have a piece of your local white stone cut and mortar it in level.

Good idea. I may have to raise the header. But I can grind the stone to fit any drainage slope I want.

If you have any more tips looking back on the job, they would be fine.
How thick would a piece of stone of a named type have to be to have enough strength to extend out in the air a few inches? Thanks. And good idea twice.