
If you hear a lot of noise coming from the outside hallway under your door, or you know that sound from inside your apartment is escaping through the door, you probably need a new door sweep. The weatherstripping or existing door sweep isn’t getting the job done, and the gap between the bottom of your door and the floor is so wide that air, and therefore sound, can easily travel back and forth underneath it.
The obvious solution to this problem is a quality door sweep, such as the kind we offer at Soundproof Cow. But if you’ve tried a door sweep, you may have encountered a different problem. Older apartments may have wood floors that are not quite even, so there is an uneven gap under the door. Can a door sweep work for an uneven door? The answer is yes.
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How Can Door Sweeps Help With Uneven Floors?
You may find that with an uneven floor, your door sweep only blocks some of the air from getting through while leaving an unacceptable gap where it does not meet the floor. A sweep that leaves an uneven gap under the door is little better than no sweep at all. If you install your sweep lower, so that it covers that gap, the door may not be able to open or close. However, your door sweep can still solve your sound transmission problem if you just make a few adjustments.
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How to Seal a Door With an Uneven Floor
You can effectively use a door sweep with an uneven floor. The idea is that instead of trying to install the sweep evenly across your door, you install it at an angle. Here’s the trick:
For a standard door sweep situation, you would measure the inside dimension of the door frame and cut the sweep to fit the opening of the door using a hacksaw. Usually, a measurement 1/8 inch shorter than the distance between the door stops makes for a nice, clean fit.
Then, you would measure from the floor 1 11/16” up the door from the bottom center and mark the measurement with a pencil. Measure down ¼ inch from that mark and make another mark. Draw a line between those two marks on both sides of the door and align the top of the sweep with that line. Then, screw the sweep to the face of the door.
If you have an uneven floor, the procedure will still be similar. Before screwing the sweep in, take another measurement from the floor on the left side of the door. Then, do the same for the right side of the door. Now that you have three marks, position the sweep so it goes evenly across those three marks rather than straight across the door. Screw it in at this angle, and you should get a sweep that covers the gaps without blocking the door.
Purchase Door Sweeps From Soundproof Cow
Now that you know how to use door sweeps to quiet your unwanted door noise, even with an uneven floor, there’s no time like the present to get started! Soundproof Cow has all the products you need to seal and soundproof your door, including perimeter seals, automatic door sweeps and full door soundproofing kits. Order yours today!
Learn More About Door Soundproofing
- How to Soundproof a Door
- How to Soundproof a Hollow Door
- Importance of Caulking for Soundproofing Doors
- Guide to Soundproof Door Sweeps