How to Install the Best Door Sweep for Exterior Doors

What is the best door sweep for exterior doors? We think you should opt for U-Shaped door sweeps because they will prevent your doors from rusting or rotting from the bottom. Check out this video to see how easy it is to install a door sweep and in 30 minutes you might be able to lower your utility bills & stop rodent or pest invasions.

And the door sweep I'm referring to only costs $9.47. Pretty sweet!

#bestdoorsweep #installdoorsweep #nomoredraftydoors

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0:00 What is the best door sweep?
1:09 Remove the door from the hinges
1:59 Measure before you buy a door sweep
2:30 Cut door sweep to size
2:51 Add a bead of caulk and place door sweep
3:44 Drill holes and screw in place
5:14 Replace the door

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Videos produced by Home Repair Tutor are provided for informational, educational, & entertainment purposes only. Some of these projects, materials, and techniques may not be appropriate for all ages or skill levels. Home Repair Tutor does not make any claims of the safety of the projects, techniques, or resources listed on this site and will not take responsibility of what you do with the information provided by this site. Viewers must be aware by doing DIY projects on their homes they are doing it at their own risk and Home Repair Tutor cannot be held liable if they cause any damage to their homes. Home Repair Tutor cannot claim liability with all applicable laws, rules, codes and regulations for a project.

[dickhertz]

I have a tip for all Y'all you tubers. Always read the follow-up comments on these little do it yourself videos...most videos are good and get the job done, but the comments from others give the ins and outs that really help with your projects! Thank me later!

[theatomis]

I strongly discourage from using caulk on this project. First, he caulked the sweep to the door without checking to make sure it did not need adjusting. The screw holes on ones I have bought are actually slots which allow you to lift or lower the sweep as needed. Those slots are worthless if you caulk and screw the sweep into place. Second, Jeff is using what I consider to be a a disposable sweep. In 3 years or so, the fins of the sweep will begin failing and the sweep will need replacing again. If you've screwed from the bottom and caulked the sweep, it's going to take a lot longer to remove the old one next time.

[sharober]

Thank you! Your detailed instructions are clear for me, a single mom, can follow ❤

[vigilantobserver]

I just installed a "Duck Triple draft Seal" yesterday. You don't have to remove your door unless you want to repair some dry rot on the bottom of the door. The side with the larger lip goes on the inside, slip the end over the edge of the door. Then use a rubber mallet to bump it into place. Then you can adjust the height of the draft seal for the gap.

[joethalman]

This is short sweet and simple. The tip to leave the door in place while removing the pins is essential!

[bene.]

Things settle and move over the years too or sometimes even new doors are slightly askew and all doors dont have the exact same gap between the door and the threshold. Thats why they make these sweeps adjustable. You may have to adjust just a couple of screws once you have it installed to make it contact the threshold in just a certain spot. Happens all the time. How would you do this if its caulked and screwed from the bottom?

[TheClimb]

I have the same door sweep he used but before you install it, MAKE SURE the bottom of your door is level from end to end and not leaning. Don't just assume everything's all good. Otherwise when you install the door sweep and secure it with screws, you might find out you don't have the clearance from the floor and the bottom of the door. As you open and close the door, the rubber seal part will scrape more on one side than the other, especially if you have carpet.

[debbyweeks]

Being a do it yourself older lady, I can’t seem to find the right drill bit, (none of mine worked near as easy as yours..)..and the instructions did not say to put screws on the bottom of the door, but I had decided to do that anyway. Glad to see you do that....and caulking was a good idea as well.. thanks for your help.

[zzthunder]

At first I didn't see the need to remove the door. Glad i watched. Reinforcing with glue and screws on the bottom is a good idea.

[Ishkatan]

Thanks for telling us about the U shaped door sweep. My one concern is you did not caulk the outside edge, or put in weep holes on the outside in case rain gets between the sweep and the door. Even with a metal door you don't want standing water on the bottom. But I added to my list and will be measuring my doo width!

[derek.morrison]

I like this guy's style - he's very thorough. 👍

[andrelinoge]

You just installed that adjustable sweep to where it won't adjust by screwing it from the bottom. Instead, keep the door hung, slide the sweep on, close the door, and push the adjustable sweep down to contact the threshold to ensure a tight seal before screwing it to the door. Notice how he didn't put the camera on the floor to show us the huge gap he now has or the footage of him having to undo everything he just did to reinstall correctly.

[awhodothey]

Don't take the door off the hinges for this, don't ever caulk and screw the bottom. Just open the door and slide the sweep on from the side. It's way easier to set the height of the sweep if you leave the door on the hinges.

[fairies]

Thanks!! Normally tubers don’t explain step by step but you did!! Thanks

[vinny]

the problem that I see or don't see in this video and others like it is what does the seal look like on the exterior? Does it seal enough to wear water, dirt or other things won't fall into any gap and rot your door? I used this U-shaped one a few years ago on my front door. And while it was pretty good, I had to eventually run a piece of duct tape across the top of the exterior to prevent it from pulling away from the door, and to keep out any moisture. The original door sweep was bad, and had to be replaced. Thanks.

[mannyv]

Great presentation with great visual details. very easy to follow. Thanks.

[Yourockrockyou]

Did you notice that the holes are elongated to make the sweep adjustable. This is done to allow for an uneven fit at the bottom & if you caulk & screw down the sill flush to the door bottom,  you will no longer have this option available. On the other hand, if both door & frame are new & installed square, as long as the gasket at the bottom is long enough for the bottom gap, then there should be no problem.

[rickhargett]

Attachment holes are oval shaped for up and down movement to make adjustments. Driving screws underneath prevents this adjustment from being made. I guess you just lucked out that the gap was the same size as the sweep.

[stevenpoetzl]

please do not screw the sweep to the bottom of the door and do not put caulk there. It defeats the whole purpose of having an adjustable sweep. The screw holes on the interior side of the sweep are elongated to make adjustment perfect for the threshold. Caulk and screws on the bottom won't allow for the custom fit.

[markbratcher]

I tried that kind of door sweep. Within a few weeks, the flaps started tearing off a bit. The original that I replaced was a similar design, but attached to the bottom of the door via some channels/grooves in the bottom of the door. That one lasted a couple of years or so before wearing too much. I'm looking for a different kind at this point. I'm thinking something more tube-based rather than thin flap based.