Seals for metal doors. Rubber door seal for doors: characteristics, photo Sealing rubber for metal entrance doors

Large heat losses in the house occur through the door block. The reason could be a skewed box, worn out seals, or simply a thin fabric. To insulate a wooden door in a private house, comprehensive measures are taken to eliminate all defects.

Wood has low thermal conductivity, but the disadvantage of the material is its response to changes in humidity and temperature. The door block dries out, swells, warps and even cracks. There are three main reasons signaling the urgent need to insulate a wooden door in a country house:

Education gaps between the frame and the ends of the opening walls. Initially, during installation work, all gaps are foamed. Foam is a good insulator, but over time it loses its properties. Destruction occurs faster on the street side if platbands are not installed. Foam deteriorates from exposure to the sun. Another cause of cracks is the misalignment of the bowl.
Education gaps between the frame and the sash. The most common defect in a wooden entrance door occurs due to poor wood, poor-quality installation and long-term use. Often the owner himself becomes the culprit when he trims the swollen sash so that it closes better. After drying, the product decreases in size and a gap forms.
Wear of insulation. Each thermal insulation material is selected taking into account operational requirements. If they were not initially followed, the incorrectly selected insulation loses its effectiveness. For example, mineral wool quickly cakes, and due to dampness it decreases in volume.
Any old wooden door, as well as a thin leaf, needs to be insulated.

Which insulation is better to choose?

To make an insulated wooden door with your own hands, you will need thermal insulation material, as well as material for the top decorative finish. The gaps are sealed with a sealant. When the question arises of how to insulate a wooden door in a private house, pay attention to the following materials:

Styrofoam It is better to use it as internal insulation for wooden entrance doors. The slabs can be sheathed on the side of the room.

Foam rubber It is considered the most common insulation, which is covered with artificial leather on top. Porous material allows you to create a volume effect. Foam rubber loses over time and crumbles into crumbs.

Minvata does not burn, has good thermal insulation properties, but quickly cakes. When exposed to dampness, it accumulates moisture. Under the weight it slides off a vertical surface.

Foamed polyethylene– isolon has a structure similar to foam rubber. The material has better thermal insulation properties and a longer service life. Isolon does not tolerate long-term exposure to direct sunlight.

Polyurethane foam It is applied by spraying, firmly adheres to the wood, and penetrates into all cracks. The disadvantage is the impossibility of performing work without special equipment.

Expanded polystyrene resembles polystyrene foam, but has improved characteristics. The material has self-extinguishing properties when exposed to open fire.

When choosing insulation for the doors of a wooden house, it is important to consider the thickness of the material. Thick layers will weigh down the sash and create an obstacle to normal closing. Thin is useless. You need to find a middle ground between these two parameters.

Types of seals for door frames

In addition to thermal insulation, you will need a sealant to seal the cracks around the perimeter of the canvas. It is a tape that differs in thickness and material:

foam strip fixed with an adhesive base. The seal wears out quickly during the season.

Silicone strip resistant to dampness, elastic. Over time, it begins to stick and tear into pieces.

rubber rubber The seal for wooden doors will last for many years. The tape is resistant to wear, dampness, and mechanical stress.

Thermoplastic- the best in terms of wear resistance, but difficult to install.

Polyurethane strip sticks due to the sticky base. The characteristics are not inferior to a rubber seal.

Thermal insulation cannot be done without decorative finishing. Usually the insulation is covered with artificial leather. Fixed with furniture nails with a wide decorative head. On the inside, the canvas is sheathed with laminated MDF panels. Genuine leather trim looks beautiful, but the material is very expensive.

How to insulate a wooden door?

Begin insulating a wooden door with preparatory work:

weakened hinges are secured with new elongated screws;
if thick, heavy insulation is used, install an additional loop;
eliminate box distortions and fabric defects;
check the condition of the seal around the perimeter of the door frame at the junction with the walls;
replace broken fittings: lock, handles, peephole, latch.

After all defects have been eliminated, installation of insulation on wooden entrance doors begins.

A frequently asked question is whether it is necessary vapor barrier when insulating wooden doors? When arranging the installation seams of the door block - it is necessary. The gap between the box and the wall is sealed with foam. To prevent the thermal insulation from deteriorating, the seam is covered from the street with PSUL tape. From the room side, the foam is destroyed by vapors. For protection, the seam is sealed with vapor barrier tape. A vapor barrier may be required for the product if it is installed in a damp room and mineral wool serves as thermal insulation.

Installing a seal on a door frame

The first salvation from heat loss is to install a seal on a wooden door to eliminate gaps between the sash and the frame. The tape is selected according to the thickness corresponding to the size of the gap. A thin strip is useless, and a thick strip will interfere with the normal closing of the canvas. Installation of the seal consists of the following steps:

Measure the gaps between the sash and the frame and select the thickness of the tape.
A self-adhesive seal is glued into the groove around the perimeter of the bowl.
The silicone tape is fixed with the staples of a construction stapler.

If the gap size is different around the perimeter of the door block, which often happens during deformation, the groove in the frame is widened and deepened. The edge of the blade is passed with a grinder. A two-layer or three-layer tape is glued to the new groove.

A properly glued seal should fit snugly around the entire perimeter of the sash and not interfere with its free closing.

Sealing with rollers

You can insulate the joint around the perimeter of the door frame using leatherette rollers with foam rubber inserted inside.

Measure the length of all sides of the sash. According to the results, four strips of 100 mm wide are cut out of leatherette.
The strips are placed against the edge of the sash with the wrong side up. Near the edge of the door leaf, the leatherette is fixed with a stapler.
Thick foam rubber is placed inside each strip and a roll is formed.
Secure the second edge of the leatherette with a stapler.

The door block becomes more beautiful, and all the gaps are hidden under the rollers.

Insulation of the canvas

To maximize the insulation of a wooden door with your own hands, use the method of double-sided thermal insulation. The sash is lined externally and internally. From the outside, the thermal insulation is covered with a material that is resistant to aggressive weather conditions. To insulate the front door from the inside, foam rubber and artificial leather are most often used. Insulation of a wooden door occurs in the following order:

To make the work easier, the canvas is removed from its hinges and freed from old insulation, handles, locks and other fittings.
A fragment larger than the dimensions of the sash is cut out of the thermal insulation material. It’s good if about 100 mm of foam rubber hangs from each side.

The insulation along the edge of the door is fixed with staples. The hanging ends are cut with scissors.
The foam is covered with artificial leather on top. Rollers are formed from the hanging edges and secured with furniture nails. The general plane of the canvas is decorated with a pattern. It turns out after nailing. The soft foam rubber between the wide caps forms beautiful bulges. Between the fasteners you can stretch wire or strips of dermantine sewn with a tube.

Upon completion of the work, install all the fittings and hang the insulated product on the box.

If polystyrene or polystyrene is chosen to insulate the door block, the final cladding is usually done with MDF. The sash increases in thickness and weight. The door block is additionally reinforced with hinges. A frame is nailed to the surface of the slatted sheet, forming cells. Foam boards are laid tightly, and the gaps between the slats are filled with foam. MDF is fixed on top.

You can glue thin slabs of foam to the door leaf without making a frame. For decorative finishing, artificial leather is used.

Installation of double doors

A good way to insulate your home is to install a double entry door. Due to the formation of an air space separating the room from the street, heat is retained. The disadvantage of this design is the reduction in space.

A threshold is set for the indoor unit. Insulation is additionally laid on the slopes between the doors. There are designs where two doors are hinged on one deep frame.

When insulating entrance doors, you must remember that moisture affects the canvas from the street side. Treatment with impregnation, painting with paint or varnish will help protect against dampness as much as possible. Drying oil creates good waterproofing.

If it starts to blow from the front door, and tobacco smoke is coming from the entrance, you need a seal on the door.

In fact, the only requirement for the seal is to seal the doors, that is, the tape must not only protect against drafts, but also be water- and airtight and perform fire-fighting functions. Ideally, the sealing tape can be used in different conditions and in any environment and maintain its characteristics.

There are door frames equipped with a special profile that has space for a seal. Such structures are more airtight.

In principle, gluing the seal is not difficult. It may be some difficulty to correctly calculate the width, but there is one trick: plasticine wrapped in polyethylene is clamped between the door and the frame. The result is a cast, from which it is easy to calculate the dimensions.

As for the self-adhesive seal, you should not remove the protective layer of the sazu from the entire strip; do this gradually, as the seal sticks to the frame, pressing it tightly. It happens that the tape comes off after a short time - this is not a reason to refuse to use it. What glue is suitable? Specialized glue is sold in stores, but ordinary “moment” or “liquid nails” will do the job perfectly.

Installation technology

The technology for installing the seal depends entirely on its type. There are two main types of them: grooved and self-adhesive. The installation of each of them has certain features:

Installing the seal in the groove is usually not difficult, although sometimes the tape remains in the corners of the door frame and needs to be trimmed. On the back side of the seal there is a special protrusion that is simply pressed into the groove. Only one feature should be taken into account: the properties of rubber and silicone include a tendency to stretch, which is unacceptable during installation. To avoid stretching the product, it must be compressed as tightly as possible in the opposite direction. If this does happen, there will be excess tape left in the corners, which must be carefully trimmed after it fits into the groove.
The self-adhesive seal requires that the installation site be well cleaned and degreased. Then you should gradually, ten centimeters at a time, remove the protective film and glue the free part, without stretching it and pressing it as hard as possible. The seal at the bottom must be carefully trimmed.

Classification of door seals

There are types of seals that differ in size, material and purpose.

The sizes are thin, thick, wide, and so on;

According to the material:

Rubber seals are most often used for entrance, driveway, and street doors due to the ability of modern types of rubber to adapt to any external conditions;
Silicone seal cannot boast of such characteristics as durability, so silicone is only suitable for interior doors, but here it has no equal.
Seals made from new silicone and rubber mixtures have excellent frost resistance, elasticity, brittleness, aging resistance and durability.
A foam rubber seal can be a worthy competitor to the above, except for its price; in other respects, foam rubber is far behind. Often such a seal is not enough even for a season - it shrinks, loses its properties, and then, under the influence of external factors, literally turns into dust.
You can also recall such a material as brush (fluffy) tape; it is not created to provide sound insulation and thermal insulation, but it traps dust well, so it is installed on doors in wardrobes.
The magnetic seal presses the leaf against the door frame as much as possible; as a result, the magnetic seal provides greater sealing than, for example, silicone or any other.
A special story is fireproof seals that can localize a fire and stop its spread. The active materials are swelling graphite and a binder with a strong structure. Thus, fireproof seals are based on foaming materials that close the space between the frame and the door, preventing the flow of oxygen into the room. First of all, fire seals are designed for wooden doors that cannot withstand high temperatures. As a result, people and property from wooden buildings have time to evacuate. Fire seals come in the form of strips of special panels with a plastic or polyethylene sheath.

By purpose, that is, by the type of door for which they are suitable:

A thick seal with a hollow tubular base is installed on the front door. The thick material and internal cavity guarantee an excellent fit between the door and the frame. The seal is rubber, but such products use special, porous rubber, which enhances thermal insulation several dozen times. This seal is always self-adhesive, which is good, even taking into account the fact that such tape sooner or later comes off, you can install a new one without any problems.
The seal for interior doors is made of soft rubber, sometimes silicone, it does not always have good thermal insulation and fireproof properties, although this is what allows the material to have a good, delicate structure.
Seals for plastic doors are not suitable for others. Moreover, they do not replace each other, since door manufacturers make a special configuration of grooves and seals for them. Otherwise, such products are worthy of all praise - they are easy to replace; the tape is positioned in such a way that the influence of the environment is minimized, therefore it performs its functions in any weather.
The seal for glass doors is usually silicone, but with a special profile section. It must be glued to the end of the door using water, and after drying it holds tightly. True, this does not apply to glass doors with an aluminum profile, the seal for which is made in the same way as for plastic doors.
The seal for metal doors can be either foam rubber or rubber, silicone; fireproof or other seals are suitable. Some of them are equipped with a metal pressure strip, but it is better to buy a self-adhesive one. A roll seal for metal doors can contain about 6 meters of material, that is, one roll is enough for a standard door.
Depending on the thickness of the gap that needs to be closed, sealants are used for metal doors of different sections. They also come in different colors, but it is better to choose black, as the dye can reduce the quality of the rubber.
For wooden doors, floor slats are used: wedge-shaped strip, tubular made of plastic and others. The mortise seal is also suitable for wooden doors. It is inserted correctly by cutting into the base of the box.

Sections of the article:

Metal entrance doors are reliable protection against unauthorized entry into your home. However, in winter such structures allow cold to pass through and heat to escape from the room. This is how about 50% of the heat generated by the heating system is lost. Energy tariffs are quite high and therefore many are trying to somehow solve the problem of heat loss through cracks, as well as the noise problem.

Most people use highly efficient modern materials for insulation. But that's only half the story. To minimize heat loss, you should use a seal for metal doors. What is it, how to choose the appropriate option, how many varieties of these products are there? Answers to all questions in our article.

Tasks of door seals

The seal is an element of hardware for metal doors. The main task that such products solve is reliable protection of the room from the penetration of drafts, as well as various foreign odors. In addition, with the help of a seal for the front door, you can achieve high sealing - the door leaf will adhere to the frame with maximum density.

Requirements for sealing parts

There are certain requirements for sealing products.

This part must provide high tightness. A high-quality door system can reliably protect a home from extraneous noise from the entrance or from the street, from humidity, various small debris, and also from odors.

The sealing element must ensure a reliable and smooth closing process. The material from which such fittings are made must fully comply with certain standards for impermeability to moisture, odors, as well as shock-absorbing capabilities.

Such a fitting element completely eliminates the loud and sharp sounds with which a steel door usually closes. With a seal for metal doors, the closing process should be completely silent.

In winter, the part may be subject to significant temperature changes - the material must be able to withstand such loads. The sealant should not change its properties, namely harden or lose elasticity. A high-quality element works well together with the door leaf. During the closing process, even small gaps should not form.

Another requirement is fire safety. The rubber seal should prevent smoke from entering the room.

Types of seals

Products are differentiated depending on the material. Thus, there are rubber seals, products made of silicone, polyurethane, plastic and foam rubber.

Rubber products: advantages and features

The seal for metal doors of this type is highly resistant to various external factors, as well as durable.

Among the advantages of installing these products are a high level of moisture and air impermeability, high resistance to ultraviolet radiation, prolonged exposure to precipitation, and temperature changes. These elements also have a long service life and low price. Even in the worst conditions, the rubber will not crack.

They are made from special oil- and acid-resistant rubber of food or high-tech quality. The composition uses special modifiers that provide the material with high durability even in harsh conditions. Also, these elements can be made of special porous rubber. It retains heat much better than usual. Often, such solutions are self-adhesive, which greatly simplifies installation.

In most cases, such a seal is a hollow and fairly dense profile. Due to the fact that the rubber is thick, a reliable and tight fit of the door leaf to the frame is ensured.

Silicone sealing elements

This material is almost in no way inferior to rubber and is also ideal as a seal for metal doors. Among the advantages of silicone solutions are environmental safety and the absence of any substances harmful to humans. In addition, silicone does not cause allergies.

But in terms of durability, rubber is still better. Even with the help of special additives it is not possible to achieve high levels of material safety over time.

Polyurethane

Such products are easy to install, as they are equipped with a special adhesive layer. These elements are very rarely installed on metal doors - they do not have the necessary characteristics. In addition, the material is too dense and not durable for an entrance door. However, such products are characterized by a low price.

Mounting types

There are sealing elements with self-adhesive tape, with magnetic fastening, and also with an additional clamping mechanism. Let's look at each type in more detail.

Magnetic seals

This new product appeared on our construction markets relatively recently, but has already become quite popular.

A magnetic seal for metal doors is a special frame that exactly follows the contours of the door opening. The product consists of a special magnetic insert, as well as a soft sealing part. The material used is thermoplastic elastomer. It has several advantages - after the product is worn out, it can be sent for recycling. In addition, thermoplastic elastomer is highly resistant to adverse factors and temperature changes.

Magnetic seals are also resistant to ultraviolet radiation and moisture, reliably protecting the room from extraneous noise and drafts, dust and dirt. With these elements, the door will close quietly, and powerful magnets will attract the metal leaf to the door frame, thereby ensuring high tightness and silent closing.

For metal doors, triple seals should be used. The first two are located on the canvas, and the third is on the door frame.

Advantages and disadvantages

The production material used is thermoplastic elastomer, which replicates the properties of vulcanized rubber. Manufacturers assure that the service life of the product can reach up to 10 years, without any loss of quality.

Magnets help hide various defects that could have been made when installing the doors. These are gaps between the canvas and the box, backlashes. This device will help increase the strength characteristics of the door leaf.

There are also disadvantages - if the manufacturer used very powerful magnets, then children may have difficulty opening and closing the door. If the magnets are weak, then the structure will open in much the same way as a refrigerator door. Such products are no better than ordinary sealing fittings.

Another disadvantage is the high price and non-repairability. If there are any problems with sealing, you will not be able to solve the problem yourself. You will need the help of specialists.

Installation of magnetic seals

This process will not take much time and will not require any special skills. Of course, it is better if professionals do this. Such systems are installed on canvases where there are no decorative elements.

Although this seal for metal doors has many advantages, it is not suitable for everyone. The main thing is to choose the right strength of the permanent magnet so that children do not have any difficulties.

Features of the selection and installation of self-adhesive seals

When choosing such an element of fittings, it is necessary to clarify whether the adhesive layer is suitable at the time of purchase. It is also not recommended to use a foam rubber seal on a metal door - these elements have a low price, but they place serious loads on the front door. Foam rubber will quickly become unusable.

When choosing, it is very important to study all the information about the manufacturer and materials. Shelf life and other technical characteristics are also important. To check the tightness, just press on the product - if it quickly regains its shape, then you can buy it.

If the attachment to the adhesive layer seems unreliable, you can additionally glue the product with silicone glue. Color is also important when choosing - there are several different shades.

Installation involves gluing a seal around the perimeter of the door. Anyone can do this - the process is very simple.

How to choose a sealing element for a metal door

Before purchasing and installing any seals, you should select the shape and type of product. These materials are sold in roll form. The average length of one is 600 mm. For an ordinary, standard door, this length will be more than enough.

The shape is selected according to the gaps. They must be measured first. Plasticine will help with this. It should be wrapped in a bag and placed in the gap when the door is closed. Then, using measuring instruments, determine the length of the gap.

For thicknesses from 1 to 3 mm, a rectangular profile made of absolutely any materials is suitable. The best choice for a metal door is rubber. If the gap is more than 3 mm, then rubber with a profile type C, K or E should be used. If the length of the gap is from 3 to 5 mm, a profile type P or V is required. In all gaps larger than 5 mm, type D or type seals are used O.

When an unpleasant odor penetrates into the apartment or cold air blows from the front door, weak sealing is to blame for such troubles. The problem can be resolved by installing a door seal around the perimeter of the door leaf. It will be equally useful for both wooden or plastic doors and powerful iron structures.

The door seal must be selected individually for each leaf. Its characteristics must satisfy the geometric and physical parameters of the sashes on which installation is intended. Excessively thick and too thin tape will not be able to fully effectively cope with the tasks. Therefore, you will have to take the choice of profile seriously.

What is a seal?

Door seals on the front door are reliable protection against external negative influences - dust, sound, cold. Also, this addition has good thermal insulation and sound insulation properties. This effect is achieved through the use of porous materials or substances with a low heat transfer coefficient.

As a rule, seals for entrance doors are made with adhesive tape on one side, which allows it to be glued quickly and without problems. True, a cheap door seal does not last long, and soon begins to lag behind the surface.

VIDEO: Why is it blowing from the front door

Classification

The main gradation occurs according to three criteria - material of manufacture, purpose (place of attachment) and type of profile.

Material

First on this list is the material from which the seal is made:

polyurethane is the cheapest in the line, which is used mainly for interior doors; this option is absolutely not suitable for entrance doors

silicone - dense, high-quality, used for rooms with high humidity

Made from silicone

rubber - with regular treatment with silicone grease can last up to 5 seasons; produced in the form of measuring tapes with and without adhesive backing

Rubber with magnetic stripe

thermoplastic elastomer (synthetic rubber) is by far the best option of all those proposed, maintaining elasticity and resilience at temperatures of -70°C...+90°C.

Elastomer

threshold - made of rubber or synthetic rubber with a denser structure. Attached to the threshold of the front door, where the load is always increased. The side parts of the door and the top strip are closed with a U-shaped seal

Threshold type

contour - a well-known material that is attached around the perimeter of the canvas in a special groove or simply along the edge. At the same time as protection from noise and drafts, it acts as a damper gasket, due to which the door softly slams shut;
fireproof - in appearance it is almost an ordinary seal, which, with a sharp increase in temperature, foams and completely blocks the access of air, which leads to the extinction of the flame.

Profile type

tape - a popular type of product, made in the form of a strip 0.8-1 cm wide and up to 6 meters long (this is the standard perimeter of the front door)

tubular - a hollow rubber, silicone or vinyl tube inserted into a plastic or metal casing. Compared to tape, it provides less sealing, but better damping properties;
spring - made of rubber or silicone rubber, attached to the box with silicone sealant or nails.

In order to determine exactly what thickness a profile is needed for a specific door, make a rectangular strip of plasticine with a cross-section of 1 cm and a length of 3-5 cm, wrap it in cellophane, insert it between the frame and the door and close it tightly.

Almost always, the packaging is provided with detailed instructions for use and a set of fastening elements. For metal doors, in most cases self-adhesive strips are used.

VIDEO: Self-adhesive seals for windows and doors

Necessary parameters for seals

Human nature is such that each of us tries to provide ourselves with comfort, but at the same time spend a minimum of effort. This applies to everything, and insulation in this case is no exception. Why suffer from drafts from a window or door when you can install a seal and forget about this problem altogether?

So, the main parameters that the seal meets

Speed and ease of gluing - the whole process will take 15 minutes at most, and will be enough not only for this winter, but also for the next 3-4.
Isolation of odors, dust and sounds - seals allow you to get rid of all negative factors.
A rubber or silicone seal provides the door with good shock absorption when closing/opening.
The entire structure should not vibrate due to the presence of play.
During closing/opening there should be no sharp sounds from the contact of metal parts of the door.
At sub-zero temperatures, seals must remain elastic and not harden, otherwise cracks will appear through which air will blow again.

On request, it is possible to manufacture seals of all profiles in any colors and sizes

Properties of materials

Different materials have different positive properties.

The rubber door seals used have a high degree of durability. They withstand multiple compression/expansion cycles, can easily withstand exposure to UV rays, and are affordable. The basis for them is oil-resistant and acid-resistant rubber.
Silicone seals are quite popular in many apartments. The material does not emit harmful fumes into the atmosphere, having excellent environmental qualities. Due to its anti-allergenic properties, it is approved for use in schools and preschool institutions.
Polyurethane seals on the door are fixed without any problems. It is often equipped with a self-adhesive surface.
The cheapest is the foam seal. However, its service life is often limited to one or two seasons.

Magnetic seals

Door manufacturers have recently been using this type of seal on finished assembled products. Similar tapes can be seen on the doors of refrigerators or freezers. The principle of operation is to reliably attract the material to the opposite metal surface.

The magnetic seal does not lose its properties at temperatures from -55°C to +70°C

If the magnets are set to a high clamping force, then children and elderly people will have difficulty overcoming it, and insufficient attraction will reduce the effective work of ensuring tightness.

It is preferable to mount magnetic seals on a canvas devoid of various decors, and the mating surface must have a sufficient area for reliable attraction. The tape is based on two elements:

plastic edging;
magnetic core.

The outer layer is made of thermoplastic elastomer, which has many advantages:

exhibits high resistance to aging;
is able to function effectively in the temperature range -70°C ... +90°C;
the material is recyclable, which helps improve the environment.

To choose the right door seal, you need to consider certain factors:

it is necessary to select self-adhesive tapes with a long shelf life to ensure fastening strength;
It is not recommended to use foam rubber tapes in combination with metal doors, since a significant load from a massive door will quickly damage the tape;
Before buying any tape, you need to familiarize yourself with the conditions of its use, which will allow you to use it effectively;
You can test the reliability of the seal by pressing the tape with your hands; if it quickly recovers after the impact, then this is a positive sign;
if gluing is necessary during the process, then use silicone reliable glue;
The degree of hardness of the seal should be average, since an overly soft one has a short service life, and a rough one will not always allow the door to close well.

Based on the markings on the tape packages, they are able to cope with gaps of various widths.

If the gap thickness is 1 mm, you should choose a rectangular profile made of PVC or foam rubber.

VIDEO: Insulating doors and windows using sealant

Entrance doors of apartments and private houses must not only be insulated, but also, if necessary, sealed, achieving the maximum possible tightness between the leaf and the frame allowed by their design features. The effect of a correctly performed seal will make itself felt immediately - your apartment or home will become warmer and even cleaner; there will be fewer drafts, if they do not disappear completely; Annoying extraneous sounds and odors will no longer penetrate from the entrance or from the street. You can do the sealing of any doorway yourself - for this there are several ways to do this work and types of seals for both metal and wooden doors, as they say, to suit any ability and budget of the home owner.

Where and how to start correctly - preparatory work

First, we inspect the door and frame. If they already have some kind of seal that has ceased to perform its functions, then it must be dismantled. After this, if necessary, we pre-clean the surfaces in those places where the old material was, removing its remains. We use fine sandpaper for this.

Then recommended if necessary. Distortions will cause uneven fit and wear of the seal. Different sizes of gaps between the frame and the door, top and bottom, left and right, will also lead to this if the material of the same thickness is chosen for the entire opening. Or you will have to select a seal for each side of the opening. The critical value of the skew and the difference in gap sizes is 1–1.5 mm. If they are larger, then it is better to eliminate them by adjusting the door. It happens that performing this operation eliminates the reason why it was decided to seal the opening, and the need for such work disappears.

Now we decide on the installation location and type of seal. This determines which part of the door or frame needs to be measured in order to find out the required amount of material.

Then we measure the perimeter (or it is enough to just have the width and height in one place, and then add and multiply by 2) of the contour on which the sealing inserts will be installed. This is the total length of the material needed. But it is better to take it with a reserve, based on the location and method of installation.

Then, if the seal is intended to be installed in one of the gaps between the door and the frame, its required width and thickness should be determined. The first size is clear. It is determined by measuring the width of the installation site.

Regular plasticine is best suited for determining thickness. We place it on the box at the location where the material will be installed and close the door. Then we open it and measure the thickness of the flattened and lubricated plasticine. This will be the required height of the sealing insert. But this is the thickness of the material in a compressed state when the door is closed.

You need to take a slightly thicker seal. In this case, it is necessary to take into account what material the insert is made of, as well as its density, rigidity and strength. For example, a foam pad that is too thick may soon simply tear, while a rubber pad will prevent the door from closing well and will open it, which will create additional stress on the lock and hinges, thereby shortening their service life. And if the insert is not thick enough, there may be gaps somewhere.

If the size of the gap on the left, right, bottom and top is different and very different, then it will be necessary to take thickness measurements using plasticine for each of these sides and, possibly, take material with the corresponding different height. For wooden unadjusted (misaligned) doors, in the case of sealing with slats along the gap, adjustment may generally be required at at least 2 extreme points of each side.

You need to buy sealing inserts in solid pieces of the required total length for all sides or for each of them, if it needs to be cut. And in any case, it is not recommended to use separate pieces, much less trimmings of the sealant. The result of such work will be poor-quality sealing of the door, therefore, if part of the material was damaged due to unsuccessful cutting or installation, it is better to purchase it in the required length.

After purchasing the material, if necessary, we cut it (cut it) into pieces of the required sizes. And only immediately before installation, if necessary, do we prepare the surfaces on which the seal will be installed. We clean them from dust and dirt and remove convex irregularities. Then, if a seal with an adhesive base (self-adhesive) or using glue is to be installed, the surfaces of the metal door must also be degreased (with white spirit, solvent, acetone or gasoline), and the wooden ones must be sanded with the finest sandpaper (zero).

Then we begin installing the material. Sealing corners requires special attention, precision and accuracy. This is where the risk of leaving gaps is highest. When laying the seal in pieces (2 short ones for the bottom and top and 2 long ones for the left and right sides), loose joints may result between them. And when installed as a whole, the seal in the corners tends to wrinkle and/or may not attach tightly enough.

We seal a metal door - types of materials and their installation

The choice of seal must be taken no less seriously than its subsequent installation. After all, how long it will last also depends on this, and most importantly, it will be possible to increase the tightness of the opening, including. We select the desired type and type of material according to the following criteria:

Design features of the entrance door: are there special grooves or space for installing a sealing insert. They are provided in branded doors from reputable manufacturers.
The location of the door is apartment in the entrance or with access to the street in a private house. Operating conditions such as temperature and humidity depend on this. Their performance is especially important in winter.
The size of the gap in the doorway that needs to be eliminated.

Accordingly, we select a product with the necessary characteristics:

1. Type of material: rubber, plastic, polyethylene foam, silicone or foam rubber.
2. Type of profile: regular rectangular or square without cavities or profiled - can have a wide variety of shapes and cavities and/or protrusions, including those intended for mounting on the door.
3. Type or method of fastening: coupling of profile elements with the intended part of the door structure (for profiled seals); fixation with a clamping bar (metal or made of the same material); by gluing with an adhesive backing (for self-adhesive inserts) or using universal glue or.

Note:

1. You can make your own seal: for example, we wrap foam rubber in leatherette or artificial leather. Installation is done by gluing.
2. Seals attached to self-tapping screws are installed only on wooden doors.
3. What compounds should be used to glue foam inserts is described in the article.

To seal a metal entrance door, rubber inserts are most often used. By the way, they are available in all types of profiles and mounting methods. Various profiled rubber seals are in great demand, the most common of which are shaped like letters:

C, K and E-profiles - used for small gaps - up to 3 mm - between the frame and the door;
P and V profiles – for medium gaps measuring 3–5 mm;
D and O profiles – for large gaps up to 7 mm.

Most profiled inserts are designed for installation in the opening on the end of the door or opposite it on the frame. The latter are mounted only by gluing. Doors can also be so-called mortise - they are installed by pressing into a special groove on the door frame. There are also sealing inserts installed on the door frame. They just stick together. When the vestibule is double, the material is usually mounted on each of them. The dimensions of the insert for the first and second vestibules are different. There are also seals that are mounted not in the opening, but on the edge (end) of the outer decorative sheet of the door.

Solid rectangular and square rubber seals are no less in demand. Mounted by gluing in the opening and/or on the porch and on the door and/or frame.

Plastic, polyethylene foam and silicone seals are also produced in almost all of the types listed above (rubber). Foam rubber - mostly of solid rectangular and square cross-section, but there are also profiled products with a simple profile. But all foam rubber seals are installed only by gluing.

Rubber, plastic, polyethylene foam and silicone plastic sealing inserts are produced in different colors, which allows you to choose the material to match the color of the door or its tone. Rubber seals have the most colors. However, experts say that dyes significantly reduce the quality of seals. And first of all, again, this applies to rubber products.

The seal is installed in the selected location of the frame and/or door along their entire perimeter and in accordance with the intended type of installation. A joint is usually made at the corners, that is, the material is cut. To do this, first measure the required length for each side from one corner to the other. Then the material is cut into pieces, which are cut from the total skein at an angle of 45 o . And then they install it.

Self-adhesive (with a base in the form of a film on which glue is applied), as many believe, are the easiest to install. The protective paper from their adhesive base must be removed during the process (after cutting into pieces) and as the seal is installed . That is, they separated the paper from a small section of the material and immediately pressed it against the door. And so we move gradually, but without stopping, until we finish the entire opening (if we seal it with a single piece of insert) or one of its sides (when the door seal is cut into 4 parts). Then press the sealing insert well again. If the glued seal comes off after some time, then it must be glued with Moment glue.

Sealing a wooden door - the most common options

To seal a wooden door, you can glue any of the profiled or solid rectangular (square) materials listed in the previous chapter. Of course, from among those that are designed for such installation (self-adhesive and mounted with glue). For greater reliability of attachment, you can additionally screw the sealing inserts through the washers with self-tapping screws. The installation locations are the same as for a metal door.

Or you can make the seal using your own material - the so-called rollers. We wrap some kind of insulation (foam rubber is most often used) in leatherette or artificial leather. This is the roller. It must be installed inside the apartment (house). Installation is carried out:

On the box - along its inner surface on the left, right and top at a short distance from the door. It is necessary to ensure that the door fits snugly against the rollers when closing. Rollers are not mounted on the threshold because they wear out very quickly.
And on the door - to its lower edge.

The rollers are fastened with decorative nails along the side opposite to where the leatherette is folded in half around the foam rubber.

Despite the effectiveness of sealing using the above methods, it is currently customary to use a variety of floor strips for wooden doors:

wedge-shaped strips;
external strips;
plastic tubes inserted into grooves using special clamps on them;
metal and plastic strips with a brush or rubber band;
and others.

A wedge-shaped strip is installed on the frame in the corner between the rebate and the surface opposite the frame of the closed door. Moreover, installation is done only for the upper part of the opening and its sides. Before installation, the plank is cut to the size of these installation locations. For joining points (at the top of the opening) cut at an angle of 45 degrees. And it is necessary to trim the strip in the places where it will adhere to the door lock and hinges. Then we nail it down.

The outer strip is installed on the door stop of the frame (that is, it is, as it were, a continuation of the vestibule). It is also cut to the size of the opening for its top and sides. Mounted using screws or self-tapping screws. Once installed correctly, there should be a piece of paper between the strip and the closed door.

There are also slats that are installed on the outer face of the door, closing the gap in the opening. They are also first cut into pieces of the required sizes. Then they screw it to the door, which must be closed. It is very important to carry out installation with corrosion-resistant screws - rusted hardware can cause rotting of a wooden door.

The bottom of the doorway is sealed with other types of planks, the technology of which is also slightly different . Some flashing strips are nailed to the threshold, while others are nailed to the inside face of the door. All of them are cut to the width of the bottom of the doorway and secured with screws.

Flat threshold products are an aluminum or plastic base with a brush or rubber plate attached to the bottom. Such strips can be installed on both external and internal doors. After proper installation, the gap between the flat strip and the threshold should be minimal. But at the same time, the bar should not interfere with the easy free opening and closing of the door. Some types of flat planks are equipped with special (elongated) holes for screws, thanks to which you can adjust the height of their installation.

Threshold products with a plastic shield prevent the penetration of moist air into the apartment (house). As a rule, they are installed on an external door.

Combined slats consist of 2 metal strips, one of which has a nylon brush attached. The product without a brush is mounted on the threshold. And the bar with the brush is on the door. The rail on the threshold is equipped with a special groove that prevents water from penetrating into the room.

After correct installation of the combined strip, the hanging edge of the strip installed on the threshold should “look” towards the premises. And the door trim brush should exert slight pressure on the threshold rail.