The apartment has become cool, there is a draft coming from the front door, apparently it’s time to insulate it. Now I will tell you methods by which you can insulate both iron and wooden entrance doors.

This is probably the easiest method and should be used first. Regardless of what kind of front door you have, over time, gaps will appear between the leaf and the frame through which warm air will escape.

Helpful information:

How to insulate a wooden entrance door

Insulating a wooden front door is a little more difficult. For insulation we will use foam rubber. You can glue foam rubber not only from the side of the apartment, but also from the outside. When gluing the foam rubber, leave about 1 cm from the edge of the door, so that it would be convenient to cover it with dermantine.

The places where the nails will be nailed should not rest against the box, so it is worth marking them in advance. It's better to do this behind closed doors. Even before pasting with foam rubber, I recommend removing the door handles. Place the foam rubber at a small distance from the handle so that it does not interfere with reinstallation.

Upholstery of wooden entrance doors with leatherette

If drafts appear in a house or apartment, then most often the entrance doors are to blame, especially if they are metal. To solve this problem, there is a simple and cheap way - installing a seal, since in most cases the entrance door structure is assigned security qualities, and not heat retention in the room. And even if it is an insulated metal door, it still requires an additional seal.

But before you deal with the correct sealing of metal entrance doors, you need to understand which material is best suited in a given situation. The use of too thick material leads to problems with closing the lock, and a thin analogue will not be able to completely close the cracks, continuing to let in cold and extraneous sounds, and cannot cope with the tasks assigned to it from the outside.

Classification of door seals

Recently, the building materials market has been replete with products for insulating entrance metal structures. At the same time, manufacturers offer products differing in the following characteristics:

I would like to note that you can make a seal for a metal door yourself. Enough for this wrap a strip of foam rubber with cloth and fill the resulting roller around the perimeter of the doorway. However, due to the availability of such materials, the cost of which is low, it is advisable to purchase a finished product produced in rolls up to 6 m long, which is enough to insulate a standard door. At the same time, for metal structures it is better to choose self-adhesive tape.

What requirements must the seal meet?

Sealant refers to various materials, having hermetic properties, which are responsible for eliminating gaps between the door frame and the leaf. After all, it is through the cracks that cold, drafts, dirt and extraneous noise coming from the street penetrate. Therefore, to prevent undesirable phenomena, a material that meets the following characteristics is suitable:

• quality indicators - the seal must be manufactured only according to approved standards and have a long service life;
• tightness characteristics - ensuring high-quality sealing of the gaps between the frame and the door leaf;
• high wear resistance - high-quality insulating material for a metal door must withstand a wide range of temperature changes without losing its original density characteristics;
• the degree of compliance is a parameter responsible for the maximum compression of the material, after which the seal is able to return to its original shape.

Another important criterion for choosing a high-quality seal for a metal door is its softness. This material acts as a kind of shock absorber design and therefore should soften the impact of the door leaf on the frame when the system slams sharply during its closing.

Types of seals for metal doors

Seals for metal doors may vary depending on the type of material used in the manufacture. Wherein the most popular products are, created from the following materials:

Despite the material used, all seals are manufactured in strips that differ in both shape and color. In this case, the shape of the sealing material will depend on the thickness and characteristics of the cracks. In turn, the color of the product is selected in accordance with the color of the metal door structure. Today, the most popular products are rubber seals, which have a high degree of wear resistance and durability– parameters that increase the service life of the material.

Seal profile type

The choice of high-quality sealing material for an insulated metal door should be based on the parameters of the gap that needs to be eliminated. For example, to seal a gap of up to 3 mm, foam rubber or polyethylene foam products with a rectangular cross-section are suitable. Moreover, all seals depending on its thickness and shape are marked in capital Latin letters:

• C – seal with the type of profile used for small gaps up to 3 mm;
• K – material with its parameters similar to the previous one;
• P and V – strips for eliminating gaps from 3 to 5 mm;
• O and D – seal for maximum door gaps up to 7 mm.

Before you buy a seal for a metal door that is suitable in all respects, you first need to identify the main causes of drafts. Only after finding out which cracks and in which places of the door structure need to be eliminated, you can choose the right profile and thickness of the sealing material, on which the comfort and coziness in the house or apartment will depend.

Installing a seal on a metal door

Modern doors made of metal are often still at the factory. equipped with a special profile with rubber seal. However, a high-quality entrance door is a rather expensive product, and therefore many people purchase cheaper designs or make them themselves, and therefore the issue of sealing the gap between the door leaf and the frame often becomes a concern for the homeowner.

If you use self-adhesive tape, the whole process will not take more than 10 minutes. The main thing in this matter is to choose the right profile thickness. There is a simple trick for this - a piece of plasticine wrapped in fabric is inserted between the frame and the door leaf at the largest gap, after which the door closes. After opening the door, the homeowner will have ready-made thickness template, according to which you can choose a suitable seal.

In turn, direct fastening of the tape comes down to simple manipulations: the protective film is removed from the side on which the adhesive is applied, after which the tape is pressed against the door rebate. Thus, the entire door structure around the perimeter is pasted over, and the remaining tape is cut off with a knife.

To ensure that the choice of seal for a metal door is correct, there are several recommendations from experts. If you purchase a rubber product, you need to make sure that the shelf life of the self-adhesive surface does not expire soon. An important role is played by material stiffness. Here you need to rely on the rule of the golden mean: excessively hard products will interfere with the closure of the lock, and soft ones will quickly lose their original shape.

For entrance doors made of metal, it is not recommended to use foam rubber products. First of all, this is due to the insufficient strength of the material, which in a fairly short time loses its main characteristics and will have to be replaced with a new analogue. Before buying a sealing product, you need to press it several times. High-quality material should very quickly restore its original shape.

A metal entrance door is a product that not only protects the residents of the house from unwanted guests, but also creates coziness and comfort in the room. Therefore, the installation of a suitable seal must be carried out in conjunction with the insulation of the door leaf and frame. Only a high-quality insulated door with a properly selected rubber seal will allow you to keep out dust, cold and extraneous sounds from the street.

If a draft appears in your apartment or unpleasant odors begin to seep out from the entrance, the front door is to blame. Sealing metal doors will help solve this problem at minimal cost.

A metal door often fails to cope with the task of retaining heat in the house, even if it is filled with insulation. Formally, it is considered insulated, but you are unlikely to be interested in formal features, the main thing is that the door actually retains heat in the home.

A seal for metal doors will help cope with this task; it must be selected individually for each specific structure.

Two material contours

It is glued along the entire perimeter of the door, and if it has a double door, then on each of them. A seal that is too thick can create problems with closing the lock (see), and a seal that is too thin will not solve the problem of insulation and sound insulation and will allow odors to enter the apartment, since the door will not fit tightly to the jamb.

Seals are produced by many manufacturers and differ in the following parameters:

• Material type. It can be rubber, silicone, polyethylene foam, plastic, foam rubber.
• Design. The material in question can be made entirely of one material or be equipped with a metal clamping strip.
• Fastening system. The seals are self-adhesive (an adhesive substance is applied to one side, protected by paper tape) or attached to self-tapping screws. But the latter can only be installed on wooden doors.

For reference. You can make a seal yourself by wrapping a strip of foam rubber in leatherette or artificial leather. Another option for eliminating door gaps is to insulate the entire structure (see) and install an overlap around the perimeter of the door leaf.

As a rule, the seal is sold in the form of a roll, the length of the tape is about 6 meters - this is just enough for installation on a standard door. In the package you will find installation instructions and fasteners, if needed. But for a metal door, self-adhesive seals are mainly used.

Which to choose

The choice depends on the thickness of the gap that needs to be eliminated. If the gap has the same thickness around the entire perimeter of 1-4 mm, you can use a rectangular sealant made of foam rubber, polyethylene foam or polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

Rectangular

Most often, rubber bands of various shapes are used for metal entrance doors, the cross-section of which resembles the letters of the Latin alphabet in appearance.

O-profile rubber products

So:

• C-profile used for small cracks up to 3 mm in size.
• K-profile (E-profile)- for the same purposes.
• P-profile and V-profile– eliminates medium-sized gaps of 3-5 mm.
• O-profile and D-profile installed on doors with a large gap between the leaf and the frame (up to 7 mm).

To prevent the seal from spoiling the aesthetics (see), it is produced in different colors, which allows you to choose the desired tone. But the most common and frequently found colors are black, brown and white.

Attention! Experts say that the dye reduces the quality of rubber. Therefore, if the door is located at the entrance from the street, it is better to sacrifice aesthetics and put a regular black seal on it.

Requirements

Tightness is one of the main characteristics that buyers pay attention to. Demands on it are constantly increasing. The door must prevent heat leakage, protect against moisture seepage (see), air, noise, dust and odors entering the house.

In addition, it must lock securely and smoothly. All this directly depends on the quality of the sealing profile used in the production of doors.

Therefore, a modern rubber seal must meet high standards of water and air tightness, and also provide good shock absorption of the sash during its slamming and abutment to the steel frame. Instead of the loud knocking and rattling noise caused by two metal surfaces touching, you should only hear the soft click of a door lock slamming shut.

The sealant should not harden at low temperatures or peel off from the surface. In any conditions, it must retain its sealing and insulating properties. For metal doors with high thermal conductivity, this is especially important.

Installation

Sealing gaps in iron doors: how to properly glue the material

On branded metal products, manufacturers make a special profile into which they install a seal molded specifically for it.

This design is considered very reliable in terms of tightness and does not require replacement of the tape for many years. Therefore, it is advisable to pay attention to such details when purchasing or ordering a door.

If you do not have enough money to purchase a high-quality and reliable product, or if you have already bought a door without being aware that a rubber profile should already be installed on it, the seal becomes your concern. It’s not difficult to do this with self-adhesive tapes; the main thing is to choose the right thickness and the appropriate profile.

To do this, you can use a simple old-fashioned method: wrap plasticine in a piece of polyethylene, insert it between the frame and the canvas and close it tightly. Once you open the door again, you will receive a template to determine the thickness of the seal. But keep in mind that it should be in a compressed state.

Installation is very simple: the protective layer is gradually removed from the sticky side and the surface freed from it is pressed tightly against the door rebate. If you are unlucky and after a while the material begins to come off, use Moment for installation, it is easy to glue.

The main reason for drafts and unpleasant odors in the area of ​​the front door is a worn or poor-quality seal. Even if the door is insulated, heat loss inevitably increases over time. One fine day you will notice that extraneous noises have begun to penetrate into the apartment, and closing the metal door makes a lot of noise. The reason is the same.

The problem can be resolved by installing an additional seal. But you need a special one - for metal doors. Installation is quite easy to do yourself - instructions are included with certified products. With its help, you can solve another problem - insulating an iron door. But first of all, you need to decide what material is needed in this or that case.

Purpose of the seal

The very name of this element of door fittings contains the meaning of its use. The main functions of the seal include:

• Protection from outside air (humid, hot or cold), foreign odors, dirt and dust.
• Sound insulation – reducing the level of extraneous noise and audibility of what is happening in the apartment.
• Thermal insulation – minimizing heat loss.
• Sealing the door frame by ensuring the tightness of the mating of its components.

In accordance with the above objectives, the seal must meet the following requirements:

• Ensuring complete tightness of the room, preventing the entry of extraneous noise, odors, moisture, etc.
• Ensuring reliable, smooth and silent closing of the front door.
• Eliminates the occurrence of gaps under conditions of sudden temperature changes.
• Providing additional fire safety – preventing the spread of smoke and fire.

Types of seals for metal doors

The seal for iron doors, depending on the material of manufacture, is classified as follows:

• Rubber. It is characterized by low cost, long service life and resistance to adverse influences. Especially products made of acid-resistant rubber.
• Silicone. It is highly environmentally friendly.

There are also polyurethane, plastic and foam rubber, which do not have high abrasion resistance, so they are used to seal interior doors. Despite the ease of installation (they have a self-adhesive film) and low cost, they are not practical to use on metal doors.

The main type of seal used for metal structures is rubber.

According to the method of fastening, the seal for iron doors is divided into the following types:

• Magnetic.
• With additional clamping mechanism.
• Self-adhesive.

Magnetic seals for metal doors have recently appeared on the market and are used mainly by manufacturers of door structures. This is an analogue of the seals used in refrigerators. It has a magnetic insert in a thermoplastic elastomer tube that is resistant to aging and temperature fluctuations (from -65 to +90 degrees).

Mounted on the door itself and the frame to ensure normal attraction. The difficulty of use is that the optimal force of attraction is difficult to select. If it is too large, the door will be difficult for a child to use, and if it is small, the required seal will not be provided.

With an additional clamping mechanism, it is distinguished by the need to attach a strip that holds the insulation in a given position and place. In addition, the bar allows you to maintain its shape for a long time.

Rules for choosing a seal for a metal door

First, the shape, type and quantity of sealant required is determined. It is sold in the form of rolls (the average length of the tape is 6 m), so one is enough for a standard door.

The shape and thickness of the tape is determined by the gaps in the metal door. To measure them correctly, plasticine is used. It is wrapped in polyethylene and inserted into the gap between the canvas and the frame with the door closed. Then the plasticine is removed, and its compressed part is measured with a ruler.

If the gap is between 1 and 3 mm, a foam rubber, polyethylene foam or polyvinyl chloride seal with a rectangular shape is used. Rubber sealant is used for gaps of 3 mm or more. At the same time, its shape varies depending on the thickness of the gap:

• C-shaped, K-shaped or E-shaped profiles are used with minimal gaps (3 mm).
• P-shaped or V-shaped is used for gaps up to 5 mm.
• O-shaped and D-shaped - with the largest gaps (from 5 to 7 mm).

When purchasing a seal, follow the following rules:

• When choosing a self-adhesive tape, be sure to check the shelf life of the glue. The adhesive part should be covered with small particles of fiberglass.
• All information about the material, technical features and shelf life is studied.
• Hermetic properties are checked. Lightly press on it. If it quickly returns to shape, then the material is of good quality. The material should be of medium hardness. This one lasts a long time and does not interfere with closing.

The color is selected to match the color of the door, but it is worth remembering that the best color is black.

Installation on a metal door

As a rule, a factory iron door is equipped with a seal. If it is not there, installation is done by hand. Installation is carried out in compliance with the following rules:

• The tape is applied to a thoroughly cleaned and degreased surface. Cleaning is done with sandpaper, after which the surface is wiped with acetone or alcohol.
• To ensure more reliable sealing, several layers are used (usually two or three). The first (and second) are placed on the canvas from the inside, the second - on the box, and the third - on the outside of the canvas. The external one should be more resistant to ultraviolet radiation, temperature changes and moisture.
• Rubber is placed on silicone glue. The tape is spread in a thick layer and pressed to the surface. Before installation on a painted surface, at least twenty days must pass from the moment of painting.

In the video you can see the door sealing process:

High-quality metal doors have special grooves into which a rubber seal is inserted.

Installation of self-adhesive seal

The procedure couldn't be easier. The surface is cleaned and degreased. The protective film is gradually removed, and the tape is pressed against the surface. This is done along the entire perimeter of the canvas. In the process, tension on the end adjusts the evenness of the tape. Then everything is smoothed out with the palm of your hand.

If the tape comes off, installation adhesive or sealant is used.

Particular attention is paid to laying in corners - these are where it is most difficult to achieve even distribution of the tape. She winces and moves away. After the seal is completely glued, its remains are cut off with scissors or a painting knife.

If you start to notice that there is a draft in your apartment, or an unpleasant smell begins to come from the entrance, this is a signal that the door needs to be sealed. This problem will definitely not escape those people who have a metal door installed in their apartment. For this reason, we invite you to consider how you can fix or prevent the problem by sealing the door yourself.

Selection and classification of sealant

Often, metal doors do not cope with their main role, namely maintaining heat in the house. Although these doors are insulated, the result often leaves much to be desired. You can choose a special seal that can solve the problem of drafts and unpleasant odors coming from the entrance. There are a large number of seals that differ in type and method of application. For example, some are glued along the entire perimeter of the door. If the door has a double sash, then the seal is glued to each of them. At the same time, it is recommended to choose insulation in each individual case individually. So, for example, if you buy a very thick seal, it can cause obvious problems. Conversely, very thin material will not give the desired result.

Seals for metal doors are classified according to several technical characteristics.

1. Material type. It can be foam rubber, plastic, polyethylene foam, rubber, silicone.
2. Design. The seal can be equipped with a metal clamping strip or made from one material.
3. Fastening method and system. Seals can be self-adhesive or self-tapping. As for the latter, special strips can only be installed on wooden doors.

If you have a desire, you can make the seal yourself. To do this, you can use foam rubber, having previously wrapped it in artificial leather or leatherette.

For metal doors, seals are sold in rolls. One roll can be up to six meters. If the door is standard, then one roll will be enough to seal. Remember that for metal doors it is best to buy a self-adhesive seal.

Sealant for metal doors

The choice of sealant will directly depend on the size of the gap that needs to be eliminated. For example, if the gap when the door is closed is from one to four millimeters, then you can purchase a rectangular section seal, for example, made of polyethylene foam, PVC, or foam rubber. But in most cases, rubber seals are used for metal doors. They can have different shapes, the cross-section of which resembles the letters of the Latin alphabet:

• C - profile is used for those cracks that are up to three millimeters thick.
• K – profile is similar to the first.
• P and V - profile can eliminate cracks with a thickness of three to five millimeters.
• O and D - the profile is mounted in those doors where the gap is up to seven millimeters thick.

Seals are available in different colors. This allows you to individually select the color for your door. So, the aesthetics of the doors will not deteriorate in any way. The most common colors are white, black and brown.

Note! According to some studies, the dye can reduce the quality of rubber. For this reason, it is best to sacrifice aesthetics and stick on a standard black seal!

The main requirement for all seals is to seal the door. Based on this, the seal must meet high standards. The seal must be waterproof and airtight, and must provide excellent shock absorption for the door leaf when it is closed and slammed. When closing a metal door, a light and soft click should be heard, not rattling or noise. Among other things, the sealant should not freeze or harden in the cold. Regardless of the conditions in which it is operated, the seal must maintain its basic characteristics under all circumstances.

Installation on a metal door

If you have a branded door, then the manufacturer makes a profile that already has a specially designated place for laying the seal. From the point of view of tightness, such metal doors are the most reliable. Therefore, when purchasing them, pay attention to this detail.

In the event that you do not have the funds for such a door, you should purchase and install the seal yourself. Using self-adhesive tape this is very easy to do. The most important thing is to choose the appropriate thickness. We talked about this above. Gluing the seal is quite simple. Wrap the plasticine in polyethylene and place it between the door and frame. Afterwards, close the door tightly and open it. As a result, you will have a finished cast of the required thickness. As for the seal sticker, do not rush to immediately remove the protective layer from the entire tape. As the film peels off, glue the seal to the frame. At the same time, press it tightly.

Note! If the seal comes off after a few days or weeks, then glue it with Moment glue.

Wood door seal

For such doors today it is customary to use a variety of strips. They allow you to prevent drafts or get rid of them altogether. There are several types of them.

• Wedge-shaped plank.
• Plastic tube.
• Plastic or metal strips with brush, etc.

Let's look at how to install them correctly.

Installation of the wedge-shaped strip. The strip must be cut to fit the top of the doorway, as well as the sides of the two sides. At the joints, the planks are cut at an angle of 45°. In the places where the hinges and door lock are located, the strip must be trimmed. Next, it is nailed down. All the work will not take you much time.

Installation of the outer plank. The plank, as in the first case, is cut strictly according to the dimensions of the doorway. But only now the bar is screwed on with screws. After its installation, a sheet of paper should fit between the closed door and the strip.

As for sealing the bottom of the door, a slightly different technology and method of using strips is used here. The strips are fitted to the inner front of the door. It should be noted that there are also several types of planks, each of which has distinctive features.

Flat threshold slats. They are made from a plastic or aluminum base. A rubber band or brush is attached to them, in turn. They can be used for both external and internal doors.

Planks with plastic shield. They prevent moisture from entering the room. In most cases they are used to seal an external door.

Combined slats. They consist of a metal strip and also a nylon brush. The strip is attached to the threshold, and the brush to the door. The bar on the threshold prevents water from entering the room, as it has a special groove.

So, some features of installing such planks.

Installation of a flat threshold strip. The strip is pre-cut to the width of the doorway. It is then screwed to the bottom of the door. This bar should be as close to the threshold as possible. But it should not prevent the doors from opening freely. Some types of such planks are equipped with special holes for screws, which makes them easy to adjust.

Installation of a combination strip. In this case, as in the first, the strip and brush are cut to the width of the threshold. The strip is screwed to the threshold, with the overhanging edge of the strip facing the inside of the door.

As for installing the brush, after installation it should exert slight pressure on the bar. The brush is screwed to the bottom of the door using self-tapping screws.

Installation of the rail on an external door. Similarly, as in all other cases, the plank is cut to size. The strip should be screwed to the door when closed. It is very important not to use screws that can rust - this can cause the doors to rot.

So, we have looked at the main methods of sealing both metal and wooden doors. If you know other methods of sealing doors, then write about it in the comments to this article.

Video

Insulating doors using a seal: