Door Bottom Weatherstripping

A bronze hook is the traditional type of door bottom weatherstripping used in residential applications. The diagram above shows how the hook creates a seal by fitting over the inside edge of the threshold’s table. This type of bottom weatherstripping requires extremely close tolerances be met so that the hook and threshold will fit together properly.

A vinyl door bottom or sweep is currently the preferred type of door bottom weatherstripping for residential applications. The diagram above shows how the vinyl bottom forms a seal between the threshold’s table and the bottom of the door due to compression created by the sweeping action of the closing door. This type of bottom weatherstripping does not require the extremely tight tolerances of the bronze hook system and thus is usually a better choice for situations in which a new weatherstripping is being installed in an existing unit or with a new door in an existing jamb.

A 101 metal door bottom is used to extend the bottom edge of the door to meet the threshold when the door has been cut too short to allow for normal installation of a vinyl door bottom. As shown in the diagrams above, 101 bottoms can be installed with either a rubber bulb that creates a seal when compressed between the back leg of the 101 bottom and the back edge of the table of the threshold, or a vinyl sweep which functions the same way as it would if attached directly to the bottom of the door. The choice of the bulb or the vinyl bottom application is determined by size of the gap which remains once the 101 bottom has been used to extend the door.