[Shop-talk] Door weatherstripping

[Karl Vacek]

I hope I can make this simple.

I have a new slab door to replace our old front door.  7' solid quarter-sawn
oak with a leaded window.  I'm using the same heavy routed frame as the old
door - nothing to improve there.  The old door was weatherstripped (1951)
with heavy routed-in zinc, and it's always been a good seal.  Current
practice is to use Q-Lon or equivalent bulb-type weatherstrip, though zinc
is still available.  I still have the heavy cast bronze threshold and mating
pieces too.

 

My first impulse is to just route the new door to accept the existing zinc
and buy new zinc for the piece on the door.  Finicky work but an afternoon's
job for me (an experienced zinc weatherstrip installer would probably knock
it out in an hour).  I'm willing to sweat and swear through the job for a
few hours.

 

OTOH, it would be just about the same work to pull out the zinc, fill the
slots, and let in grooves for Q-Lon into the door and frame, and most likely
there would be no initial adjustment or fitting issues.  But the plastic
material will need replacement in 5-10 years, and at this point I hope to
still be here then.

 

My question is whether there's any advantage to the newfangled stuff, which
will require periodic replacement.  Zinc is (for an old guy especially)
forever.

 

Thanks for any insight!
Karl