Weatherboarding

Summary: Learn how to install a weatherboard.

To protect the base of the door getting saturated in the rain it is advisable to fit a weatherboard. This is a shaped moulding designed to guide the rain away from the door, which helps to prevent the bottom of the door from rotting.

Once the weatherboard is in position, Screw it in place and check that the door opens and closes without catching the frame.

Fitting a weatherboard

  • Measure the distance between the stiles of the doorframe (a stile is the vertical side section of a door or doorframe).
  • Cut your weatherboard to this measurement.
  • Position the cut piece of weatherboard against the door. Once you are sure that it is square and does not touch the doorsill, use a pencil to mark a line on the door indicating the top of the weatherboard.
  • Mark the position of the screw holes on the weatherboard, then drill and countersink the holes. The number of screws needed to fix the weatherboard in position depends on the size of the door, but generally three or four screws should be sufficient for a front door of standard size.
  • Wood preservative should be applied to the underside of the weatherboard.
  • When the wood preservative has dried, apply wood adhesive to the back of the weatherboard.
  • Reposition the weatherboard on the door with its top edge in line with the pencil line you marked earlier.
  • Screw the weatherboard in place and check that the door opens and closes without catching the frame. If this is a problem it is easily remedied by using a plane to shave away any projecting parts.
  • Fill the countersunk holes with filler. Finally, sand and decorate the weatherboard.

Tools needed

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