We’ve got a project were looking at that involves making some heavy and wide custom outswinging exterior double doors and becuase it’s such an interesting project we thought we’d fabricate the doors rather than subbing them out. We were thinking about using this one particualar type of weatherstripping I used a few years ago from a company called Trim-Loc but we would also like to consider doing these doors with bronze or zinc interlocking metal weather stripping too. Anyone have any experience with fabricating doors with interlocking metal weather stripping and know the tricks of the trade? Know of any good books or articles on the subject and perhaps any sources of supply too?
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Are you familiar with Resource Conservation Technology? http://www.conservationtechnology.com/
Trim-loc is plastic and rubber seals.
My 48" inswings got silicone seals from RCT, works admirably. Large doors sometimes have alignment problems with the interlocks, which in my experience don't seal as well anyway. If you talk to RCT, get a catalog of their EPDM building gaskets. Incredibly effective for windows and thresholds.
PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
VaTom - "
Are you familiar with Resource Conservation Technology?" Thanks. Yes I am familiar with Resource Conservation Technology. And I think I found them searching through this site when I was working on dealing with a tricky flat roof condition on the very same structure this door is being planned for. We didn't get anything from them for that project but they are a great resource. It was maybe it was from another post you made?
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It was maybe it was from another post you made?
Very possibly. My one and only EPDM low-slope roof experience went off without a hitch when they talked me through it, sent everything I needed, including good instructions. They seamed the roof in the warehouse and sent along the cutoffs. My mother's house several yrs ago- I'd have heard if it leaked. As it had with every roofing since they'd bought the house.
The techs there are very knowledgeable. Last purchase was for EPDM weatherstripping to reinstall some translucent roofing panels. The manufacturer, Kalwall, recommended and used butyl. And as the RCT tech predicted, it leaked. "Fix" was tons of silicone caulk. My installation with EPDM gasketing hasn't leaked.
Nothing specifically against vinyl, rubber, or butyl. Just that other materials last longer. Well, that butyl tape apparently leaked from the get-go. Anyhow, it's easy to give a strong recommendation to a company and products that make you look like you know what you're doing- even if I didn't. <G> PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
Why out swinging doors? Unless it's protected by a porch or overhang I would be concerned about the effects of the moisture on the doors. I've retrofitted a lot of weather stripping, the hardest part is the threshod. I like to use a threshold with a gasket that's adjustable, makes fitting much easier. If you're using an applied door stop, the best I've come across is a combo of wood stop and a soft vinyl covered foam that has a lot of give. It will adjust to seasonal changes in a wood door. You can also buy just the weatherstrip without the stop if you're using a rabbeted jamb with a kerf for the weatherstrip. Frost King makes this and I've seen it a Home Depot and some lumber yards. It comes in brown and white. Good luck, Bruce
bruce22 -
"Why out swinging doors? Unless it's protected by a porch or overhang I would be concerned about the effects of the moisture on the doors."
Well it has to be an out swinging door because it's an access loading dock type door to what is essentially an artists studio and having an in-swinging door would both consume and rob the studio of workspace and/or the pieces would have to be moved before the doors could be opened. The reason I mention I had used Trim-Loc in the past was that their gaskets and seals are also used in boat and automobile construction and these doors need to be built like they are for a boat but they need to still look like they are a normal part of the house.
But while this set of doors are a special case I am interested in building a collection of resources for weatherstripping and weatherproofing products since we are also toying with the idea of building a weatherstripping business unit within our business since I know there would be a good demand and market for it in our area.
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