Replaced a rotten threshold.

Submitted by DocRock2018 t3_11bnsr7 in DIY

I had been staring at my rear entry way for a while and my dog has been scraping at the wood because his ball gets stuck so the rot really started to fall away.

Original Threshold

In order to remove the old threshold I ripped two channels in to the old wood and went at it with a hammer and pry bar.

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Large nails were used to secure the right and left of the old wood slab

I had to wriggle it free with a combination of the hammer, the prybar and and some good old fashion elbow grease. A huge shout out to u/KCFordLaser for calling out the huge nails.

The old threshold was made of cedar

The second one was much harder to get out but we got there.

Finally cleared out

I scribed the new slab with a square at the corners and cut the new piece to fit, covered the new piece with Minwax Helmsman Spar Urethane and cut and shaped a smaller piece of mahogany to make the threshold even with the doorway.

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Shaping in progress

Covering the sections that will be exposed to the elements

Then I used a countersunk bit to predrill the 3 1/2" screws to anchor the piece in place, attached the second piece of mahogany with 1 1/4" finishing nails and installed the metal threshold.

Don't ask me about the PVC it was the previous owner

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Comments

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rotinom t1_j9z84j5 wrote

Yeah. That PVC looks like a heck of a trip hazard?!?

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musical_throat_punch t1_j9zomyn wrote

I saw that and wondered why it was even there.

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rotinom t1_j9zrxtx wrote

Downspout is my guess, but still…

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DocRock2018 OP t1_j9zyqmg wrote

In the top left corner of the second to last picture you can see the down pipe from the flat roof. The previous owner had them installed and I have it on my radar to move them to the roof.

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rotinom t1_ja017v7 wrote

Ugh. Burying it is probably the "right" way to do it. Looks like asphalt or concrete though. Time to "upgrade" that to brick?

Definitely see why it wasn't initially buried. Having all that water dump into a non-porous surface (which may also not have a good grade) is bad...

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Baked_Potato0934 t1_ja3a5fd wrote

I certainly wouldn't bury that next to my foundation. I'd go down the roofline and vertical it to whatever drain it's leading to.

I'd also paint it because Jesus what an eye sore.

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tim1231 t1_j9zhj17 wrote

I'd build a step over that pipe, if it has to stay! Very nice woodworking.

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Captain-Cadabra t1_j9zo466 wrote

I’m most impressed with how well formatted this thread is!

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Escott1114 t1_ja0ya59 wrote

Right? That’s the first thing I noticed. Formatted like a research paper or something lol

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Kurtotall t1_j9zq12j wrote

I fix / restore buildings for a living…Yet I watch /read this stuff on my day off.

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2dP_rdg t1_j9z6bn9 wrote

what about the pvc /s

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FirstForFun44 t1_j9zcbi0 wrote

Lol, I was gonna ask why not make the stoop out of pvc trim so it doesn't rot again and I was like.... is that a bad question. Then I saw you were talking about the pipe.

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Crimsondelo t1_j9zrvjr wrote

I'm sorry, your dog has been chewing your rear entrance because his balls got stuck?

This needs a NSFW tag.

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poposplants t1_j9zytc7 wrote

Please Please tell me you meant to be that hilarious!? I'm dying.

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Spillmill t1_ja0kyei wrote

I read it as balls at first too. Was thinking “poor thing”.

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jBjk8voZSadLHxVYvJgd t1_j9zouv5 wrote

I don't think anyone has mentioned the PVC yet.

What's the deal with the PVC?

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Loquacious94808 t1_j9zzyj6 wrote

Also, the PVC…???

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Happy-Idi-Amin t1_ja02kzf wrote

Right, but before we get into that, can we discuss the polyvinyl chloride?

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keep_trying_username t1_ja1iafn wrote

Everybody asking about the PVC. I'm wondering about that poor dog that got it's ball stuck. Ball stuck so bad, it destroyed a threshold trying to get it's ball free.

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DabbleJack t1_ja0qao3 wrote

>Don't ask me about the PVC it was the previous owner

Apparently it is the remains of the previous owner.

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LowSkyOrbit t1_j9ztir1 wrote

I hope you pitched the board slightly downward away from the house so water doesn't pool up in the doorway.

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DocRock2018 OP t1_j9zycvj wrote

I did. The notch in the frame is cut to a comfortable angle and I just ran the new slab in to the old grove.

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carlbernsen t1_j9zlqqj wrote

Nice new threshold.
That pvc is an abomination though, waste from a downstairs toilet?

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NotFallacyBuffet t1_j9zm9s4 wrote

The 3 1/2" screws were set at an angle to anchor into the vertical frame members? I don't see any other wood to anchor into.

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fossilnews t1_ja040bv wrote

Should it have / does it need a drip groove on the bottom?

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Thintegrator t1_ja0o0tb wrote

Absolutely love the first sentence. Hilarious.

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mickstep t1_ja09zgd wrote

Looking at the age and construction of the property I guessed you must be in the UK, but that extension cord looks like you must be in the US.

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bananagrammick t1_ja0i7nl wrote

The US is a real big place with hugely differing housing ages and styles. Especially on the east coast cities are pretty darn old. Not "oldest things in Europe" old but "well before America was a country" old.

Examples:

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QuiteAffable t1_ja0yrcy wrote

One of my ancestor’s homes is still around in CT that predates the revolution. At one point it went up for sale so I got to virtually tour it and see all the old features :)

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lemonylol t1_ja0lym9 wrote

I don't think you can tell much about this house from the pictures other than its more than 40 years old

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Lurkerking2015 t1_ja1o0rh wrote

A good daily reminder that the only thing separating you from all the creepy crawlies that hang out in a dark place I'd be grossed out merely sticking a hand I to are just 4 inches below your ground floor where you hang out all day and potentially sleep.

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Loquacious94808 t1_ja0056v wrote

Thanks this is a project I will have to do (or should have done by now) and seeing this made it look much less daunting.

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Y3KPrepper t1_ja0mqpj wrote

Looks fantastic. Just curious, is there any concern that the square edge will get beat up compared to one rounded a bit?

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DocRock2018 OP t1_ja1oune wrote

Not really the old threshold had been there a while with square edges and seemed to have held up fine.

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Altbeats t1_ja36ow4 wrote

If a square edge does get beat up, it’ll eventually be rounded

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skippingstone t1_ja0po41 wrote

Did you use a router to shape the threshold?

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DocRock2018 OP t1_ja0uciv wrote

I used a jig saw to cut out a rough section of the corners then removed the rest with a sander. I used the Router to remove a small but near the brick that was a little uneven. I also used a router to round over the top front edge.

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LuckilyFluppy t1_ja1z2bb wrote

Rotten threshold is a great band name

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Cultural-Command3046 t1_ja02q5t wrote

That sounds like a lot of work! It's great that you could replace the threshold yourself, and the end result looks fantastic.

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powaqua t1_ja0324v wrote

I came here expecting to find lots of "staring at your rear entryway" jokes and was pleased I didn't. I need to get off the internet for awhile.

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thenextguy t1_ja051b4 wrote

I think that first sentence was crafted with care.

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kodex1717 t1_ja0hcry wrote

Damn, that's beautiful.

The PVC is really fucking you over here.

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zerosumratio t1_ja11502 wrote

Love the doodle in the background. He can’t wait to scratch that new wood

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Fiyanggu t1_ja3bykm wrote

The new wood is beautiful but why didn't you use brick or stone for the replacement?

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RabbitWhisperer4Fun t1_ja4pubn wrote

Hopefully you prepped for the SECONDARY reason that dogs scratch at the thresholds of doors…termites. The work of termites is clearly apparent to dog hearing and the little scritchy scritch scritch of their movement and mandibular naughtiness at the expense of our home irritates their ears. They hear it…but don’t see it…and so, like going after the gopher that ducks under the lawn, your dog tears into the wood to get at the invisible enemy within. Any time you tear out wood that has dry rot or any other defect you should prep the area with a long lasting ‘oily’ pesticide specifically for termites. I do want to compliment you on a BEAUTIFUL JOB! And absolutely splendid taste in finish! One of the more serious faux pas in woodwork that Americans and Western Europeans have adopted unnecessarily from the East and far North is the brightly painted accents of trim, doors and eaves! In places that paint is the last final solution to resist weathering I say ‘great!’ Pour it on! But where we can it is so important to restore the beauty of natural wood finish and earth tones to our environment. This is how woodwork has been done for two thousand years in warmer and gentler climates simply for the beauty of it. Forgive me for the length here but I almost exclusively restore woodwork, buildings and furniture from the 14th-17th C and am always pleased to see the natural beauty of a thing be brought out in the practical usage of a thing. The right wood, the right finish…You’re a boss woodworker!

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DocRock2018 OP t1_ja86pk4 wrote

I did not but I agree the wood was much too beautiful to paint and with the natural finish it is close enough in color to match the floors so I figured, why not?

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debuenzo t1_ja0jmnk wrote

Looks clean! Really nice work

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pottmi t1_ja0w049 wrote

You also make a cut on the bottom so that water does not run towards the house. I think it is called a drop edge but it might have a more precise name when it is cut into a wood threshold.

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QuiteAffable t1_ja0yxbe wrote

It was asked above and he did put it in, a drip groove.

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lefthandrighty t1_ja12ft9 wrote

Read the whole, his balls get stuck bit and was having a hard time figuring out how. Lol

Edit: Also, nice job

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pinkhazy t1_ja14hqe wrote

Ohhh the color of the wood really pops against the desaturated brick exterior. Lovely work.

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Robobvious t1_ja1y3ir wrote

Nice work! But you know we have to ask about the PVC now... /s

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FireWireBestWire t1_ja212dj wrote

Mate I only glanced but that looks like a headache and a half

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diyjunkiehq t1_ja2wi6w wrote

now you need to upgrade the door to match this piece of the beautiful threshold.

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DocRock2018 OP t1_ja2wszu wrote

Yup, when the new piece went in I noticed the same dry rot on the bottom of the door. 😑

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TootsNYC t1_ja30kkg wrote

Is the dog’s ball still going to get stuck between the threshold and the PVC? Maybe a pool noodle would fill that gap. Too bad they’re such garish colors.

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DocRock2018 OP t1_ja362zv wrote

We will see about the ball. I suspect that because it’s not as soft as the old wood it won’t fit anymore.

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dcp777 t1_ja4olh7 wrote

Did your dog have mumps?

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waitingforwood t1_ja0h24z wrote

I would have cut a drip edge in the underside of the threshold. Looks good others wise.

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mavining t1_ja0s5ms wrote

You should apply a rubber mat with some outdoor adhesive. would make it less worrisome for when it rains.

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