Exterior door frame too low & sill ramp with no support, need help
OZ_Repair
| Posted in Construction Techniques on
This is my first door project and load bearing wall replacement. The door frame sits too low above the concrete patio and I have concerns with snow and moisture damaging the frame. Also the door sill ramp has no support. How can I solve these two problems? Thank you!
Pictures Link: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/u0safl70a0via6x/AAAHMbRD5nhShA6Ja1KAWHlja?dl=0
Replies
I think you're hosed. It's unclear what sits under the door, but it looks like regular framing, and it's a no-no to have a slab poured up against the framing like that.
What do you mean...
Dan, what do you mean by " what sits under the door, but it looks like regular framing" ?
There is a slab under the door.
The slab and concrete patio are on the same level, which is bad, I know.
Here is the original framing showing the slab, perhaps it shows more clearly:
Picture Link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/qluju7v3ecl9j10/IMG_2020.jpg?dl=0
OK.
If you're replacing that wall then the bottom plate that rests on the slab should be treated lumber.
The joint between floor slab and patio slab should be well caulked. (But, if the two were poured separately then there WILL be motion at the joint, so somewhat flexible caulk, vs mortar, should be used.)
Under the jamb extension you've got a few choices/decisions. You could attempt to make the area well-draining and use slats of, eg, plastic trim under. Or you could fill the area under with mortar and caulk all around the edge to try to keep water out. Depends somewhat on how much rainwater tends to collect in the area.
I deal with the same issue almost every day. All of our doors sit on a slab and they all rot, at least they did before fiberglass doors and Pvc jambs. I haven't installed an exterior wood door or frame in 15 years. We make an aluminum sill pan which we set in polyurethane sealant, seal under the jambs and sill, attach the door with stainless steel screws and even use plastic shims. When we're done there is no place for the door to leak or rot. I've installed hundreds of these doors, including my own house, and never had a leak or call back.
In your case I'd start over with a pan that dumps any water past the slab. I would raise the frame or cut it 1/8" short of touching the pan, prime and paint all parts of the bottom 18" of the frame and reset the frame. You can either pour in place or pack mortar under the sill to fill it. You can also caulk under the frame but remember that caulk can hold water in as well keep it out.
Additionally I would have used a PT sill for my walls and used PT studs next to the door which I would wrap with a peel and seal flashing. Also, I would put gutter at least over the door to reduce splash.
I am sorry, I was not clear. All the 2x4 framing is already installed, the 2x4 bottom plate (1st picture is treated lumber joined with stainless steel nails to the vertical 2x4s), between the door and the slab is a layer of Self-Adhesive rubberized asphalt flashing
https://www.lowes.com/pd/TITE-SEAL-Self-Adhesive-Waterproof-4-in-x-33-ft-Rubberized-Asphalt-Roll-Flashing/1007825
with beads of rapid set non-sag sealant
https://www.ctscement.com/non-sag-sealant-sandstone/
It seems that the slab and patio where poured at the same time but I can't be 100% sure. The joint between the two is about 4" deep and is void. Presence of concrete at the bottom of the joint suggests that both slab and patio where poured at the same time. I tucked Tyvek into it.
There is a 2 feet wide overhang of the main floor and a deck so there isn't much water when it rains. Snow and some rain can be blown there.
Ideas:
1) I could install some sort of a french drain on either side of the joint to drain water out???
2) I can also build some 3 feet high retention walls on both side of the patio to minimize snow and rain to be blown in there???
3) I was also thinking to cut the patio about 5" from the joint, remove the cut strip of concrete, and male it french drain like system. I would have to pour some concrete to provide support for the door sill ramp???
Good/bad ideas?
Few more pictures showing how the work was done: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/u0safl70a0via6x/AAAHMbRD5nhShA6Ja1KAWHlja?dl=0
A 24" overhang is not nearly
A 24" overhang is not nearly enough to protect the door. Water will come off the roof, hit the patio, and bounch back and soak the bottom of the door and frame. When you say you have porch do you mean a roof?
The roof has gutters so no rain water from the roof can hit the deck. But you are right about rain water hitting the deck and bouncing of the patio. With large trashcans left and right from the door this problem is solved. I am semiserious.
There is no porch.
On these pictures you can see the original construction that I already replaced and it shows part of the deck above:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/oy451ut9n6y4qgy/AACEx6Y8Y-zs056qcQtoslkta?dl=0
Our front door has 2-foot overhang with a gutter, but about twice a year the rain comes down hard and the wind blows from the east and water is driven off the stoop and under the door.
I see! I could install several feet of corrugated roofing panels under the deck to divert such rain water further from the door. It would provide great place for wasp nests! What is worse?
Okay, I would follow your idea of cutting back the concrete and putting in a trench drain of some sort. How much water are you concerned with?
https://www.startpage.com/do/search
Yeah, I might do it next year. As long as I keep the area clean from leaves and snow it should be fine, not perfect but fine. There has not been much water at all there. I also need to keep the gutters clean so that they do not overflow right above the door.
I added siding using galvanized sheets:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/u0safl70a0via6x/AAAHMbRD5nhShA6Ja1KAWHlja?dl=0
Kids are not crazy about the industrial look but I like it, it is different and was fast to install.