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The gap between the door and floor allows most of the noises in and out of the house. This is a gap that is deliberately left when constructing and installing doors.
The primary purpose of this gap is to ensure that the door opens and closes freely. As a result, the gap cannot be permanently sealed with any solid materials.
As long as there is space under your door, more noises will come in and out of the house. However, this should not always be the case. This space can be easily blocked. You can apply soundproofing techniques that will ensure there is no noise passing through this specific space.
Door sweeps specifically, covers this area. Most of the door sweeps are dense but soft. When installed under the door, they allow a smooth opening and closing.
Therefore, in this article, we will discuss door sweeps, how their work, and their installation processes. We will also recommend to you the best door sweeps you can find in the market.
Let’s dive in together.
Types of Door Sweeps
Door sweeps are products installed between the floor and door. Its primary purpose is to seal the air gap between these two surfaces. A door sweep is anything that mounted under this space.
The purpose of using a door sweep is to prevent noises from passing through the space left between the floor and door. It’s not the only soundproofing technique that should be applied over the door. Other soundproofing methods should be combined with door sweeps to give the best results.
With that said, let’s look at some types of door sweeps available for soundproofing your doors.
Basically, there are two different types of door sweeps used in soundproofing. They are; heavy draft stoppers and rubber door seals.
However, other household items can cover the gap. Some of these household items used in place of door sweeps includes towels, blankets, and heavy rugs.
For more insight on using household items for soundproofing doors, click here to read: How to soundproof your door with household items.
However, soundproofing sweeps will give better results than household items.
Most of the soundproofing door sweeps come with soft rubber gasket. Others come with dense brushes. This makes most of the door sweeps effective.
Let’s discuss how each type of door sweep functions.
1. Draft Stoppers
Draft stoppers function just like its name suggest. They are long pillows. They have a heavy filling in them. They prevent drafts from entering your room. At the bottom, they have a large flat surface the size of the stopper. This helps it to slide easily under the door.
The draft stopper soundproofs a door easily.
Soundproofing requires density, mass, or both. Draft stopper comes with both properties when installed under the door. Even better, they have added weight on every side. This eliminates the slamming noise when shutting or opening the door.
If you are thinking of using household items to act as a draft stopper, don’t worry. It’s easy to make draft stoppers on your own. Staffing a towel under the door acts as a draft stopper. Other options would include using a long stretch of fabrics, foam products, or even pant legs. Basically, using any material that can be stuffed below the door and cover the air gap between the door and floor.
Making your own draft stopper at home could be a perfect idea if you are under budget. Use a hot glue gun to create the shape of your draft stopper. To gain the right density, stuff it with bagged or loose beans, rice, or sand. The final step would be to install it under the door.
However, if you are looking for a more professional draft stopper, buy them on Amazon. You will get a draft stopper of your choice. You will be able to get materials that are ready to install. With ease, all your noises will be blocked from entering your own house.
Installation of Draft Stoppers
Draft stoppers are the easiest to install. You just slip them under your door. Most of the draft stoppers have padding over them on both sides. They are also made of fabric.
Therefore, when slipped over the door, draft stoppers pad on both sides of the door. As a result, the door holds the draft stopper tightly against the floor. When the door slides over the floor, the draft still remains intact.
Relevant Resources: Soundproof Gaming Room: Let’s Quiet The Noises with 6 Steps
Draft stoppers have a fabric cover. This is what makes them easy to slide over the floor. The padded sides make the stopper hold firmly over the door when it’s moving over the floor.
Other stoppers have wrap-around clips. The clips are installed over the door. The stopper is, therefore, installed over them. Alternatively, you can get the draft stoppers with a magnetic strip over them. The magnetic strip is installed under the door. The draft also has magnetic beads that get attached to the door.
Best Draft Stopper on Amazon
- Under Door Seal for Exterior/Interior Doors
- Soundproof Door Bottom
- Weather Stripping
- Double-Sided
- No cold
- 36 Inch Foam
2. Rubber Door Seals
Rubber door seal primary purpose is to soundproof. Unlike, the draft stopper they don’t prevent dirt from entering the house. Their design is to ensure that sounds don’t go out. It also prevents noises from outside from entering the house.
Rubber door seals have two parts; plastic or metal bit and a rubber strip. The metallic or plastic part hung over the door. The rubber part touches the floor. The rubber part is what blocks the air gap. It dampens any sound coming or leaving a room through the door gap.
The metallic/plastic part has embedment for fixing them over the door.
In the market, there are various brands and types of soundproof rubber door seals. Other rubber seals come with dense brushes or gasket.
Rubber seals with gaskets make the doors airtight. Gaskets are materials fixed over the doors of cooling units or refrigerators. Their role is to make the doors airtight. As a result, they dampen all noises leaving or entering into a house.
When choosing a rubber door seal, buy solid rubber seals. They are effective. Compared to nylon brush sweeps, they give better results in soundproofing a noisy area. The nylon sweeps also drag on the floor when it’s opening or closing.
However, as compared to draft stoppers, rubber seals are difficult to install.
Installation
We have already seen that rubber seals have two parts. The rubber and metallic or plastic part. The plastic or metallic element of the door seals have holes drilled over them. These holes are for screwing the seal over the door.
Most of the rubber door seals come with screws. These are screws needed for attaching them over the door.
Therefore, to install, check the number of screws that comes with your rubber door seal. Screw them over the holes on the rubber or metallic part.
But first, start by measuring the seals over your door. Check whether they can fit well. If the seals are too long, cut them to the desired size. Remove the extra parts before you attach them on the bottom of the door.
This is the only procedure you need to apply when installing the door sweeps over your door. Installing the rubber seals are more complicated than draft stoppers. As we discussed, draft stoppers you only squeeze them below the door.
Best Rubber Door Sweeps
- Fits doors up to 36-Inch wide
- Seals Gap Up to 3/4-Inch High Between Bottom of Door and Threshold
- UL Rated
- EPDM Foam Rubber Seal with HT (General Acrylic) Pressure Sensitive Adhesive
- Door & Window Weather Seal for Homes, Cars, Boats
- 5” Height, 1.25” Width, 25’ Length
Use Weather Stripping Products as Alternative Door Sweeps for Specific Doors
Weatherstrips specifically seal other door gaps rather than space between the door and floor. However, for some types of doors, you can use the weather stripping.
If the space between the door and floor is small and cannot allow any draft stopper or rubber seal under it, then use the seal. For example, storm doors are designed in a way that they touch the floor. However, a small gap is left under the floor. No other door sweep can be fitted under this space. In this case, use the door sweeps.
It will block the air gaps between these small spaces. One thing is for sure, whether strips are perfect in soundproofing. They will ensure that there is no noise passing through the door.
Installation
Weatherstrippings are adhesive rolls. Cut it according to the length of your door. After that, peel of the adhesive protective layers. Paste it under your door. Alternatively, you can paste in on the floor where the door touches when closed.
Best Weather Stripping on Amazon
- Foam Adhesive Strips
- 2-Inch-Wide X 1/4 Inch Thick
- Total 13 Feet Long
- Seal, Doors,
- Waterproof,
- Sound Dampening
- Craft Tape (33 Ft- 1/8″ x 2″)
Conclusion
The door allows most of the noises to go in and out of the room. The primary reason for this factor is the air gaps found on the door. Air space between the door and floor allows most of the noise through it. However, with door sweep, you can easily block all noises passing through this air gap. As a result, all noises passing through the door are reduced.
Therefore, it’s upon you to buy a door sweep and fix it under your door. The most important thing to do is to ensure that you purchase quality door sweeps from Amazon.
To understand how to soundproof the entire door, read our article on 11 Effective Ways to soundproof doorways.
