shed door threshold

[mnpeterg]

What did I do wrong?


Large shed (30x16) built on a thickened slab with 1 course of concrete block. Siding isn’t on yet, but roof is. The floor just inside is getting wet (damp). Below are pictures of what’s going on.
one is before I removed the threshold, and another is after.

I used a threshold sealer from Menards and that certainly didn’t work.








What step did I miss?

 

[Gutman]

Is there a chance that water is pooling at the threshold? Is water wicking in under threshold but above the foam barrier?

Had a similar issue with a basement walkout due to pooling and I ended up removing some soil to give me a couple inches from grade to the threshold. And I used a metric ton of sealant and a plastic 5/4" deck board trek-like for the under the aluminum threshold.

It solved my problems, for the most part, until we had a huge freeze/thaw rainstorm where the natural drainage was hindered and the pool got to several inches, and the door sweep gasket did it's best but still had some leakage.

 

[PCustoms]

Ground level is too high.

What's the roof situation, is all the water dumping there?

The dirt is splashing up on the house wrap pretty high....

 

[BillK]

Like PC said, the ground level is too high. The threshold is not meant to be waterproof. The water could be coming in at the corners too. Looks like the rest of the shed is sitting on the ground too. If you don't have problems there you will eventually.

 

[mnpeterg]

The shed has 8x6x16 cmu’s round the permitter with the walls built on that. Certainly with the rough opening for the door cut out of the cmu’s. Roof -situaiton.. just installed and doing great, no gutters yet. How do I fix this?

 

[PCustoms]

How do I fix this?

Options:

• Dig grade deeper
• Add 2nd/3rd layer of block
• Increase roof overhang
• Add gutters
• Caulk the **** out of the threshold and hope for best

The first few options are best, closely followed by addressing the water at the roof.

Caulk will solve it, for now. Will splashback its going to rot out eventually....

 

[mnpeterg]

More pictures

 

[PCustoms]

Still looks very wet at ground level right up to the building....

Build a porch roof over the door is likely your easiest option

 

[mnpeterg]

There is a 24inch overhang on the eve.

 

[PCustoms]

There is a 24inch overhang on the eve.

I don't know what to tell you....

The concrete is at least 6" too low. You can glob on the sealant and cross you fingers, or divert the water away.

Personally, the difference between the top of the window and the top of the door would bother me. I'd build a porch roof over the door to hide that and get the water further away.

 

[Hank11]

What PCustoms wrote above and in the meantime I'd shovel out dirt about 6 inches deep and 2 feet wide and replace with crushed stone or gravel. A gutter is the biggest fix you can make.

 

[mnpeterg]

What PCustoms wrote above and in the meantime I'd shovel out dirt about 6 inches deep and 2 feet wide and replace with crushed stone or gravel. A gutter is the biggest fix you can make.

Gotcha thanks

 

[bigmike989]

Seconding too close to grade. And unless what is under the threshold is sloped, the water will wick under the jamb and get inside. You likely need something like a Jamsill Guard Sill (https://jamsill.com/) that gives you lip on the inside perimeter+behind the jamb.

 

[readhead]

Grade needs to be 6" below the slab not the top of CMU.

 

[mnpeterg]

Grade needs to be 6" below the slab not the top of CMU.

Readhead,
little confused, are you suggesting / saying that the grade around the foundation ought to be 6 inches below the top of the slab, thereby showing 6 inches of the slab as well as the entire cmu which is sitting on the slab? Not suggesting you are wrong, just want a clarification.. The inspector in my city wanted 6 inches from grade to the sill. A curb or cmu’s would suffice. I decided on 1 course of cmu.

Update...

Went to the local Menards and the mgr suggested very similar improvements that have been suggested here . He suggested, dig about 6 inches down and a few inches out from the slab where the threshold is and pour concrete. As well as copious amounts of 100% silicone.

I’m going to spend some time shoveling and lowering the grade around the shed door as well..


Any ideas/changes to my game plan?

 

[The Cobbler]

are the side jambs sealed at the aluminum threshold? water running down the door & jambs will find it's way inside , thru the joint at the threshold/jambs .
also is your sheathing hanging below the pad ( water can also get in if not

 

[mnpeterg]

are the side jambs sealed at the aluminum threshold? water running down the door & jambs will find it's way inside , thru the joint at the threshold/jambs .
also is your sheathing hanging below the pad ( water can also get in if not

Hi Cobbler,
No, unfortunately the bottom of the jamb is not sealed, as the threshold was nailed to the jamb and being this is my first time installing a door in this manner I didn’t realize. in hindsight I should have removed the threshold from the jamb prior to initial install and put kilz or some other product on the bottom to prevent wicking. I am thinking without removing the door putting silicone at all joints / seams /cracks , etc is what I am left with doing.


As far as the wall sheathing being beneath the pad, do you mean the sill gasket?

 

[The Cobbler]

does you wall sheathing hang down below the sill gasket so water can run down past .
I think a lot of you water issue is where the jamb meets the threshold

 

[mnpeterg]

I dont think so (but not sure as its covered with wrap) I haven’t put the siding up yet, I suppose if the osb is a bit low and hanging a tad below the sill gasket I’ll cut it so that it is not south of the gasket.

 

[Hank11]

Readhead,
little confused, are you suggesting / saying that the grade around the foundation ought to be 6 inches below the top of the slab, thereby showing 6 inches of the slab as well as the entire cmu which is sitting on the slab? Not suggesting you are wrong, just want a clarification.. The inspector in my city wanted 6 inches from grade to the sill. A curb or cmu’s would suffice. I decided on 1 course of cmu.

Update...

Went to the local Menards and the mgr suggested very similar improvements that have been suggested here . He suggested, dig about 6 inches down and a few inches out from the slab where the threshold is and pour concrete. As well as copious amounts of 100% silicone.

I’m going to spend some time shoveling and lowering the grade around the shed door as well..


Any ideas/changes to my game plan?

Do not pour more concrete. You want water to go away from the building, not puddle up and come in. No silicone caulk. I‘d slip the threshold out and cut the jams so there is a 3/16 to 1/4” gap between the wood and aluminum threshold. Push backer rod in the joint leaving a joint depth of about 1/4“ to fill. Make a nice bead of caulk and tool it with your finger into a nice filet. Tape the area first. Use high flex urethane caulk.

For the jams and trim, use the same caulk and run a tiny bead at all the joints of the trim. Tool the caulk carefully. A little mineral spirits will help. When all that cures, paint it.

The two big things are: 1. put up gutters, 2. Make sure the water runs away from the building.

 

[readhead]

Is the CMU sitting on the slab with some rebar into the slab? If so there is a good chance that water will find its way through that joint at some point. The safest bet will be to grade below the slab or install water proofing on the CMU but still grade 6” below the sill. If you don’t grade below the slab the door is always going to be a low spot to collect water.

 

[racecougar]

The water needs some place to flow to. If re-grading the lot simply won't work out, you could consider a trench drain to daylight or to a dry well.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I'm with PC on this and need some grade work first to alleviate the biggest problem first.

A couple of questions.

Is there a drive way to this shed ?

If so, does it slope towards the shed ?

How does the rest of the ground on the property slope ? Towards the shed ? Neighbors property ?