How can I reduce the gap between my front doors?

[Maymay]

Hi online experts 

My door has big gaps in between, how can I fill up the door gaps, it is very bad during whole year, very dusty, sandy and windy, could you show me some methods to solve it out 

Thank you 

Regards 
May 

[MitchellMc]

Hi @Maymay,

It appears you might need an astragal. An astragal is a piece of hardware used on a pair of doors to seal the gap between the doors when they are closed. We have the Porta 50 x 30mm 2.1m Tasmanian Oak Round Astragal Moulding which would be mounted on these doors' exterior. The T section's bottom is mounted to the inside edge of the door, allowing the top of the T section to span across the gap. Once installed, you'll need to open the doors one at a time. 

The only alternative to this I can think of would be some self-adhesive strip stuck to one of the door's edges. Perhaps something like Moroday 9mm x 4.5mm x 5m Black E-Shaped Weatherseal could be used.

Let me mention @TedBear and @redracer01 to see if they had any other ideas.

Mitchell

[TedBear]

From the picture, it looks like one of the doors is damaged at the joining edge...? There appears to be some overlapping left, as would be expected to provide a seal to the door, just below the latch and a bit at the top. Would that be correct? If so, the broken lip will need to be replaced by a strip of timber of the same size as that which has broken off. It may be best,  in order to attach it successfully for strength, to use an L shaped moulding (something like this https://www.bunnings.com.au/porta-20-x-20mm-2-4m-tasmanian-oak-round-edge-external-corner-moulding_p... ), which would need to be trimmed to fit. The moulding will protude on the door face, but can be made to look like it belongs there. 

Perhaps the moulding that Mitchell suggested could be trimmed for the job, which would provide even more overlap, and the bit that needs trimming will be kept out of sight. 

[Maymay]

Hi Mitchell

Thank you and TedBear’s advice, the door was not perfect made by the factory, the door doesn’t look like been damaged .

Regards 

May 

[TedBear]

If the gap is caused by doors being too far apart, you could repack the hinges to make the doors sit together when closed. Otherwise, have you considered using foam sealing tape in the gap?

[Maymay]

Hi TedBear

yes! I would like to take the easy way that I can manage, could you tell me what size and type of foam sealing tape to use ?
Thank you for your advice

Regards

May

[MitchellMc]

Hi @Maymay,

You'll want to measure the width of the gap and select a foam sealing tape of that same thickness or slightly thicker. If the gap is 3-5mm you would select Moroday 24 x 5mm x 10m Grey PE Foam Tape. The packaging conveniently notes the thickness in the top right-hand corner.

Mitchell

[Maymay]

Hi Mitchell

Thank you for your advice, it is much easier for me to put the foam tape on

best regards 

Maymay 

[Maymay]

Hi Mitchell

Please find attached the photo the size of the door, do I still use the tape you suggested for me 

Thank you

Maymay

 

[TedBear]

Hi Maymay, I just had a much closer look at your earlier pics, where it appeared that the door was damaged, but isn't...  I see that someone has put some sealing tape (looks like felt tape) along the bottom of one door's overlap, but on the wrong surface. I think that this is what is stopping the door from being able to close properly. Sealing tape must go on one of the faces that would touch each other. Ie a face that is in line with the glass. The tape I see is in line with the wall. This will make it hard for the door edges to slide past each other and close properly, and even if it doesn't, it won't provide any seal there anyway. Remove all of that tape and replace it with that which @MitchellMc suggests, but it must go on the bit that sticks out from the doors, so that the corresponding flap on the other door will press against it and seal any gap when it closes.