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*Question & Answer Doors*

Dear Bob

I have French doors on the second level looking out over a deck, and it is entirely exposed to the weather. Now the bottom is collecting water and is rotting. A man fixed it but it is rotting again. What kind of a new door, or rather two doors, can I use to avoid this?

Dear JJ

A permanent cure is to replace the bottom stile and the lower part of the rails (vertical) with pressure-treated wood, but this takes considerable skill and time. I don't think it is worth it.
I suggest you invest in fiberglass doors, which will resist decay a lot more and a lot longer than the wood. Such doors are expensive but will give yeoman service for a lot longer than the wood did. They can be stained or painted, but I think it is best to stain them with a semitransparent stain. I would avoid steel, which has to be kept well painted to keep it from rusting, especially in an unprotected wall.

Dear Bob

My storm door does not close like it used to . When we put the storm window in and the door does not want to close tight.

Dear AP

When you change from the screen to the glass, especially with a full view door, the door closer has to move a door of a much different weight. The glass creates air resistance that requires the closer to have to pull harder to close the door.

There is a screw adjustment at the end of the door closer that should solve your problem. Try turning the screw a quarter turn at a time until the door closes properly. (photo1)

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