Should there be a gap under the front door?

Over a finished floor, the gap should be between ¾ to ½ of an inch, depending on the type of floor you have. The gap at the bottom of an exterior door should be almost nonexistent. This helps to prevent the outside elements like wind, rain, snow, sunlight, and bugs from getting into your home.

What do I put under a front door gap?





There are several options for sealing gaps in your front door:

  • Felt rolls.
  • Corner pads.
  • Sticky foam tape.
  • Tubular rubber, vinyl, or silicone.
  • Kerf Weatherstripping.

How do you seal the gap at the bottom of a front door?

How Do You Seal a Gap in a Door?

  1. Step 1: Measure the door gap. Ian Warpole. …
  2. Step 2: Cut a groove. Kindra Clineff. …
  3. Step 3: Insert the weatherstripping. Kindra Clineff. …
  4. Step 4: Rout the dado. Kindra Clineff. …
  5. Step 5: Attach the channel. Kindra Clineff. …
  6. Step 6: Install the door sweep. Kindra Clineff. …
  7. Step 7: Adjust the glides.

How much gap do you leave under a door?





The standard I use is 1/2″ over finish floors, 3/4″ is acceptable. To fix the issue the doors need to be removed, bottom of the jambs cut and reset the door.

How do you close a gap between doors and floors?

There are two main types of door bottom sweeps:

  1. Bristle sweeps or brushes – They literally act like a broom, clearing the area under the door every time it is opened or closed.
  2. Rubber bottom seals – A rubberized ‘curtain’ that serves the same purpose. Do not mistake for weatherstripping.

What do you put under a door sill?

If you’re wondering what to put under a door threshold to fill the gap, then you can use materials such as grout, cork, rubber, wood or form. If you have trouble keeping the heat in or the cold out, a drafty door is likely the culprit.

How do you fix the gap at the bottom of a door and floor?



It almost sounds too simple, but you can fill gaps with color-matched caulking. Modern caulking will last for years to fill the gap with almost no noticeable presence. Choose one that is durable and matches the color of the wood. You can buy it in small tubes, and it’s affordable.