Thermal break at doors

[Bradbilt]

What are you guys doing for thermal breaks at doors?

A friend of mine built a 60x120 and he used a pressure treated 2x6 where the floor meets the apron. The garage door actually closes on it. His thinking is that way he is not trying to heat the 8” piece of concrete outside and also the heat will not bleed off outside.


Suggestions?

 

[Kamhillbilly]

I did similar didn't want heated concrete heating the -30 outside , I built a pressure treated box under my garage doors filled with styro with the top slightly sloped to the outside .

 

[ConCretin]

It's definitely good practice to avoid a section of heated slab extending beyond your overhead doors. Establish the location of your doors (it might be further in than you first think) and form up the slab edge accordingly. After the slab is placed, install your thermal break and place a sloped concrete apron. I extended mine out a couple feet and placed rigid insulation under them to keep the frost from lifting them. You can place your slab and apron together but it get's a little tricky to hold everything in place.

You can even incorporate a small step to further protect against water intrusion under the door. 2" rigid is ideal but you'd probably want to cover it with some kind of threshold. 1/2" closed cell expansion material would provide a thermal break and less insulation value but could be covered with a caulk joint.

 

[Retroman]

For a thermal break in commercial freezers they do just what you did. they normally use two pieces of 2" either redwood or pressure treated lumber with a 4" thick slab then 2" of foam and another 4 or 5" slab over the foam. the additional piece of wood gives them a wider area to attach the freezer walls to the slab. I would think one piece would be enough just for a thermal break.

 

[coldh2o]

Good idea, but I wouldn't be using wood for the thermal break, even pressure treated has a finite lifespan. High compressive strength styrofoam or similar, with a threshold over it for protection.

 

[Bradbilt]

Good idea, but I wouldn't be using wood for the thermal break, even pressure treated has a finite lifespan. High compressive strength styrofoam or similar, with a threshold over it for protection.

Show me some styrofoam that can be driven over and I will buy it

 

[Angelfire]

Show me some styrofoam that can be driven over and I will buy it

He did say to put a threshold over it. You wouldn't be driving on the styro. but the threshold.

 

[benwah]

In Colorado where I live we use ICF (insulated concrete forms) with an additional 2" of blue polystyrene foam.

 

[tricountytrail]

So what are the options for my barn on the thermal break for the door?
The pour will be form at the outside edge of the door, I ran the 2" foam out to there and when we set the form for the concrete the concrete will be heated to this point and pitched down to keep the water from running in. When I pour the apron I will add a normal 1/2 pad to the outside for a slight thermal break. The pex is back 8-10" from the edge of the doors, should I worry about the 4 " of concrete between the edge of the door to the outside edge or I'm I over thinking it?https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=887490&stc=1&d=1556321574
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=887491&stc=1&d=1556321574

 

[benwah]

I agree with Willys. You want your door to close on the threshold. Idk what your temperatures are there. If you get extreme colds (-20 range) I'd use 4" of polystyrene foam. 8" wide x length of garage opening, for a 4" slab.
Also 8" is the most efficient to rip on your table saw.

If it doesn't get into the negatives too often 2" will work just fine. We would sit on this stuff when framing houses outside in the negative 20s during winter and our butts wouldn't be freezing from the concrete.

They sell 2" and 4" thresholds for this application.

 

[tricountytrail]

They sell 2" and 4" thresholds for this application.

Any Links?

 

[benwah]

https://www.garadry.com/weather-sea...NlBpoPd7Vpz7pFByeSbwaLYkWwNAhmZEaArLeEALw_wcB


Or similar


It's also not a bad idea to "cap" the insulation with tin. That way its covered and locked to the slab. Makes adhering your threshold a lot stronger as well.

 

[benwah]

You'll need to use your zoom for this example but here I have my heated insulated slab separated from the non-insulated patio slab. I have 4" of insulation. 2" ICF, 2" polystyrene. In the second photo was installed a tin shield. The third image is just for fun and as an example how we use this insulation.

 

[Bradbilt]

https://www.garadry.com/weather-sea...NlBpoPd7Vpz7pFByeSbwaLYkWwNAhmZEaArLeEALw_wcB


Or similar


It's also not a bad idea to "cap" the insulation with tin. That way its covered and locked to the slab. Makes adhering your threshold a lot stronger as well.

That is NOT a thermal break and I really dont want a 1" high lip to catch on things

 

[benwah]

Correct that is a threshold, not a thermal break...

Not sure what you mean by "1" high lip to catch things on." The way I install them they are flush with the concrete. It makes it extremely easy to put a threshold over.

 

[benwah]

So this is what I would do personally.. Someone may have a better option or may say this is wrong, but it's what we do here.. I'd adhere the threshold down with a bunch of silicone too. I'm no artist or engineer and this is only a partial drawing, not showing many details. I hope this helps some, best of luck!

 

[Bradbilt]

So this is what I would do personally.. Someone may have a better option or may say this is wrong, but it's what we do here.. I'd adhere the threshold down with a bunch of silicone too. I'm no artist or engineer and this is only a partial drawing, not showing many details. I hope this helps some, best of luck!

Your pics are not coming up for me.

But for the link you put in the threshold is 1" tall.

 

[benwah]

Check this one out. 1/4" x 6"

https://www.garadry.com/commercial-door-thresholds/industrial-strength-aluminum-threshold.html

 

[Bradbilt]

Check this one out. 1/4" x 6"

https://www.garadry.com/commercial-door-thresholds/industrial-strength-aluminum-threshold.html

HOLY ****!! $300 EACH and I have 5 doors