How to fill gap at base of garage door frame

[WalksWithTurkeys]

I've stripped the galvanised garage door and the wooden frame. This has revealed that the base of the frame at each side is rotten. One side has some rough rubbery stuff as filler. I am removing the rotten wood, and putting in some wood hardener. What can I place at the base? It will be between concrete and wood, and the bottom does get damp, so wood is not so good. I thought of some rubber or plastic, but cannot find any. A piece of aluminium strip, bent round and screwed on might do, but I can't find any.

 

[ladylola]

I'd splice in a new preferably treated piece rather than use the wood hardener. As to where it meets the concrete then a piece of dpm , felt , lead or practically any impervious material could be used even a bed of mastic would work. Remember to paint that bottom first though to prevent water soaking into it in the first place . Alternatively put a coach screw into the bottom leaving say 3/4" sticking out thus providing support but keeping the base of the frame off the concrete.

 

[gregers]

maybe a resin repair kit could work here?

 

[WalksWithTurkeys]

The problem with splicing in some wood is how to remove old wood with a clean cut, and how to fix new wood in place. If the splice in piece is not screwed/nailed in, it'll come lose when sanding. Suppose I could just insert a short length, then bang in nails at an angle, if that makes sense, and use a hole punch to sink the heads in. It sounds a tad bodgy. .

I don't think the base of the sides is load bearing, looks like the sides are screwed to brick, and then a lath nailed over.

 

[ladylola]

The problem with splicing in some wood is how to remove old wood with a clean cut, and how to fix new wood in place.

Generally I would use some sort of lap joint cut vertically . The shoulders should ideally be cut at an angle to help prevent water entering the joint.
Use a saw and chisel to cut the joint but keep an older saw for the final part of the cut at the back as you will invariably catch the brickwork.

 

[foxhole]

Aluminium profiles are stocked by many hardware stores and B&Q.

 

[WalksWithTurkeys]

I tried to find some aluminium at the local B&Q but failed. Maybe a bigger one will have some.

 

[Hemsby]

Splice a new piece in.

If you have a hand held circular saw temporarily nail a suitable piece of wood on the face of the door frame opposite the brickwork at an angle upwards to the inside of the garage, set the circular saw depth to stop short of the brickwork. Using your nailed wood as a guide for the circular saw cut through the frame then use an old hand saw to cut the remaining timber.

Don’t be tempted to fit a short piece of new timber make sure it is long enough I would suggest about 30cms and put fixings into at least 2 courses of bricks

Fit the new piece of timber with the appropriate angle using frame screws or similar. Remember to treat all the edges of the new timber, not forgetting the cut edge of the old door frame. Personally I would cut the new timber so when it is fitted it is clear of the floor, approx 3mm then seal with silicone.

 

[WalksWithTurkeys]

For what it is worth, I scarfed in two new pieces of wood with 45 degree joints screwed and glued together, with a 5mm space at the bottom. The original pieces were not attached to the wall. I cut the joints by hand using a tenon saw, and some MDF screwed to the door frame to act as a guide. I thought this would be hard to do, but it was straightforward, although it took me three hours, plus time to pick up some wood. Thanks for convincing me to do the job properly.