Rubber Door Sweeps & Door Bottom Seals

How to choose a door bottom seal

Measure the gap between the door and the threshold with the door closed. Then pick a seal taller than the gap by about 1/8 in. so it compresses against the floor without dragging. For gaps under 1/2 in., the Zero 328, 329, 8194 and Pemko 315N carry 1/4 in. to 7/16 in. neoprene seals. For 1/2 in. to 1 in. gaps, the Zero 39, 339, 8191 and Pemko 307 and 321 carry 1/2 in. to 1 in. seals. For gaps over 1 in., the Zero 39W, 339W and 639W and Pemko 56 carry 1 1/4 in. to 3 in. seals. An uneven floor needs a taller, softer seal; a flat threshold can take a short, firm one.

Door sweeps, door shoes and door bottoms

A surface-mounted door sweep screws to the face of the door and is the easiest retrofit. A door shoe (Pemko 210, 216, 221, 222APK, 2173) wraps the bottom edge of the door in a U-shaped aluminum channel and adds a drip edge, which suits exterior doors that take rain. A door bottom is the flat aluminum casing with the seal along the bottom, the standard choice for commercial wood and metal doors. The Zero 8194PSA has an adhesive back for glass doors; the Pemko 222APK is made for metal doors.

Neoprene, vinyl or rubber lip

Neoprene bulb and fingered seals (Zero, Barzen, Legacy) stay flexible in cold weather and are the standard for exterior and fire-rated commercial doors. Eco-V vinyl seals (Pemko 308V, 2173, 3452) cost less and suit interior and light-duty exterior doors. A rubber lip (Pemko 307) is a single flap that sweeps the floor and is the simplest draft stop for an interior door.

Aluminum or bronze

Every seal here comes in a mill-finish aluminum casing. The Zero 328, 329, 339, 339W and Pemko 315N are also available in bronze, and the Barzen SRS30 comes in a dark bronze casing to match bronze door sweeps, thresholds and hardware.

Lengths and brands

Pemko and Barzen quick-ship items come in 36 in. lengths and ship the same day. Zero, Legacy and most Pemko door bottoms are sold by the foot and cut to your door width. Barzen is Trademark Hardware's own line: the SRM20 fingered sweep, the SRM10 mortised sweep and meeting stile, and the SRS30 bulb seal, all made to order in custom sizes. NGP, Pemko and Zero are the three largest US makers of commercial door weatherstripping, and this page carries their full rubber and neoprene sweep lines.

Related door seals

Brush Door Sweeps for uneven floors and carpet. Mortised Door Sweeps for a seal hidden in the bottom of the door. Door Shoes for exterior doors with a drip edge. Automatic Door Bottoms for a seal that drops only when the door closes. Garage Door Bottom Seals for overhead doors. Door Thresholds to pair with any of these.

Door bottom seal questions

What size door bottom seal do I need? Measure the gap with the door closed and add about 1/8 in. A 3/8 in. gap takes a 1/2 in. seal (Zero 39, Legacy 793). A 1 in. gap takes a 1 1/4 in. seal (Zero 39W, Legacy 7836).

What is the difference between a door sweep and a door bottom seal? Nothing in practice. Door sweep is the common name, door bottom is the trade name, and both mean a seal fixed along the bottom edge of the door. A door shoe is the same thing in a U-shaped channel.

How do I replace the rubber on an exterior door bottom seal? On most Pemko and Zero door bottoms the neoprene or vinyl insert slides out of the aluminum casing and a new insert slides in. See Insert Replacements for the matching inserts; if the casing is damaged, replace the whole door bottom.

Will a rubber door sweep work on an uneven floor? Up to about 1/4 in. of unevenness, yes, with a bulb or fingered seal (Barzen SRM20, Zero 339W). For more than that use a Brush Door Sweep or an Automatic Door Bottom.