How can I repair this door threshold?

August 22, 2019 7:37 AM

The threshold under the door to our garage (not the garage door) has rotten away. What should I use to repair it?

I'm reasonably handy, but don't know a lot about building materials. The threshold to the non-garage-door door on our detached garage has nothing underneath it and I'd like to repair it. There's a concrete slab on one side and patio pavers on the other side. I'm comfortable with cutting wood to fit where it needs, but I don't know what to put into the space between the garage's concrete slab and the pavers that is underneath the threshold. The garage floor has some cracks in it, as you can see.

What would you use to support the threshold?

posted by msbrauer to Home & Garden (3 answers total)

Since its outdoors, I would take out the wood and replace it with a stone threshold sonething like this, mortared into place. Or you can DIY the equivalent from bricks or pavers.
posted by RandlePatrickMcMurphy at 7:54 AM on August 22, 2019

Stone is a good idea, but pressure-treated wood or something like cedar might work; the existing wooden board was probably just pine and lasted a long time. I would remove the existing board, dig out whatever is underneath to a depth of 3-4 inches at least, put in a base of pea stone topped with crushed gravel, tamp it all down well and lay down your new threshold. The stone/gravel base should provide enough drainage to avoid rot for many more years.
posted by beagle at 8:07 AM on August 22, 2019 [2 favorites]

Most wooden building materials are designed to be replaced, as wood is cheap and easy to work. beagle has the right idea here.
posted by Rock Steady at 8:20 AM on August 22, 2019