How To Weatherstrip Your Exterior Door: Keep The Cold Out
Weatherstripping your exterior door is an easy way to improve your home’s energy efficiency during the cold weather months. This guide will walk you through the step-by-step process of installing weather stripping, ensuring a snug and long-lasting seal to keep your home comfortable while saving on energy bills.
Last spring, I introduced Your Home Playbook, a comprehensive digital guide designed to help you stay on top of home maintenance tasks. Since then, I’ve been crafting detailed tutorials to guide you through every essential task, month by month.
With fall upon us, it’s the perfect time to start prepping our homes for the colder months ahead. One of the most effective ways to do this is by installing weatherstripping—a simple yet impactful project that seals out cold drafts and helps maintain warmth. This is typically done around entry doors, side doors, and windows in your home.
In just a weekend, you can tackle this affordable update and make a noticeable difference in your home’s comfort this winter, while potentially lowering heating bills.
Our Exterior Front Door
While we’ve upgraded nearly every window in our home for better energy efficiency, our front door is another story.
To be honest, I’m not even sure how old our front door is. It serves its purpose, but on cold, windy days, I’ve always noticed bursts of air sneaking in around the sides and bottom. Those chilly drafts were a clear sign something needed to be done.
After some research, I learned a few simple ways to tell if your door needs new weatherstripping:
- Feel for cold air coming through the cracks.
- Use a candle to detect air movement.
- Look for visible light around the door opening and edges.
So, I got down on my hands and knees, and sure enough, there were small slivers of light peeking through the sides and bottom of our door. It was time to seal things up and keep the cold out for good! Not to mention dirt and pests too.
Types of Weatherstripping For Exterior Doors
After realizing our front door needed new weatherstripping, I quickly discovered there are a few different types to choose from, each with its perks. Here’s a quick breakdown of the most common options to help you decide which one is the best option for your door:
- V Strip (Tension Seal): This is a flexible plastic or metal strip shaped like a “V.” It’s great for sealing the sides of your door by pressing against the frame to block drafts. It’s durable and works really well without being too bulky.
- Felt: This is probably the most budget-friendly option. Felt strips are easy to install and good for doors that don’t get a lot of heavy use. Just keep in mind it’s not the most durable, so you may need to replace it more often than other types.
- Foam Tape: This is a self-stick foam weatherstripping that’s super easy to apply along the edges of your door frame. It compresses to fill gaps and is a quick, inexpensive way to keep out drafts. It’s perfect for smaller gaps and a great go-to if you’re short on time.
- Door Sweeps: If you feel a draft at the bottom of your door, a vinyl sweep is the way to go. These are installed along the bottom edge of the door and come in metal or plastic with a rubber or vinyl insert that brushes the floor when the door is closed.
- Tubular Rubber or Vinyl: This one is ideal for sealing larger gaps. It’s a little thicker and more heavy-duty but it does an amazing job keeping the cold out. It’s usually installed in grooves on the door frame and can last for years.
When choosing the right type of weatherstripping, it depends on the size of the gaps around your door and how much insulation you need. You can even mix and match a couple of these for maximum coverage!
Weatherstrip Your Front Door (Step-by-Step Guide)
| Difficulty: ⭐️ ⭐️ of 5 | Time: 20 minutes |
| Supplies needed: Vinyl Door Weatherstrip Door Sweep Door Corner Seal | Tools needed: Drill Hack Saw Measuring Tape Scissors Work Gloves & Safety Glasses Pry Bar |
Remove Your Old Door Sweep
The first step was to tackle the old door sweep. I wasn’t exactly sure how it was attached, so I started by prying it off gently. Turns out, it was held in place with long staples. After a bit of trial and error, I grabbed a small pry bar, and with some effort, managed to get it off the bottom of the door.
Measure Your Door & Cut the New Door Sweep
Once the old sweep was out of the way, it was time to measure. I measured the bottom of the door and marked the new door sweep accordingly.
Since it was a bit too long, I had to trim it down using a hack saw until it was the right size. This part of the project takes a bit of muscle and patience to cut through the aluminum, but it’s manageable. Just remember to wear work gloves and safety glasses for protection!
Install Your New Door Sweep
With the new door sweep ready, I drilled 1/8″ pilot holes to make installation easier. Then, I screwed it into place, making sure the vinyl seal lightly touched the top of the threshold to create a good barrier against drafts.
I opened and closed the door a few times to make sure it had the best seal possible!
Replace The Weatherstripping
Next up, it was time to tackle the weatherstripping along the sides and top of the door. At first, I wasn’t sure how the old stuff was attached, but I quickly realized it was simply tucked right into the door jamb. With a little tug, I was able to pull the old weatherstripping out in about 30 seconds—super easy!
Installing the new piece was even simpler. All you need to do is press it into the slot in the door jamb—no tools required! Just push it into place and trim it to the height of your door with scissors. I couldn’t believe how fast and effortless this step was!
Then, I tested the door to make sure it had a tight seal but still closed properly.
Add Door Corner Seals
While installing weatherstripping, I learned that one of the most common spots for air leaks is the corners of the door. Even with new weatherstripping in place, those tiny gaps at the bottom corners can still let cold air sneak in. That’s where door corner seals come in!
These little adhesive-backed rubber pieces are designed to fit right into the corners of the door, adding an extra layer of protection against drafts, pests, and debris. Installation is super easy—just peel off the backing and stick them in place where the sides of the door meet the threshold.
If you’ve already gone to the effort of weatherstripping, adding corner seals is an easy final touch to make sure your door is fully draft-proof.
How Often Should You Replace Door Weatherstripping?
Like most things around the house, weatherstripping doesn’t last forever. On average, you should plan to replace your door weatherstripping every 2 to 5 years, depending on how much wear and tear it gets.
If you notice drafts, visible gaps, or if the material starts to crack or peel, it’s time for a replacement.
Extreme weather conditions and frequent use of the door can cause weatherstripping to wear out more quickly. It’s a good idea to check it at the start of every season, especially before winter hits, to make sure it’s still doing its job.
I have this task slotted in Your Home Playbook during the fall months so you can get it done before the cold creeps in. If you need help staying on top of these tasks, be sure to check out my digital guide.
Keep the Cold Out!
I promised this would be an easy DIY! In under 30 minutes, you’ll have a cozier, more comfortable home for the winter season—just by updating your door’s weatherstripping. Not only will this keep your home warmer, but it can also help you save on energy bills by keeping the heat in and the cold out.
Have you tackled weatherstripping in your home? Drop a comment below to let me know how it went, or ask any questions if you need help along the way!
