How to Effectively Protect Door Sills During Construction Projects

During construction or remodeling projects, door sills are often destroyed due to dirt, mud, paint splatters, and careless spills. To avoid replacement or refinishing of thresholds, it is recommended that contractors use temporary threshold protection. Below is a brief description of the pros and cons of each type of threshold protection.

UV protective tape is the best type of adhesive threshold protection. It’s a 9 thousand. thick white tape that will not peel, even in strong sunlight. UV protective tape has chemicals in both the tape and the adhesive that block UV rays and make the tape resistant to both sunlight and heat. It can be used in both hot and cold weather without worrying about adhesive transfer, resulting in quick and clean removal at the end of the project. Although more expensive than other tapes, UV protection tape is very cost effective when you consider the costs of cleaning or repainting entrance thresholds.

Blue duct tape and blue sill tapes are the most common tapes for protecting thresholds. These inexpensive tapes work for short-term protection only in areas with little heat or sunlight. They are known to flake and chip when exposed to sunlight and are often cited for creating more work than the protection provided. These low quality 2 or 3 mil. tapes often leave a sticky adhesive residue on thresholds as the adhesive used in tapes softens in warm temperatures.

Another option is to use a tight-fitting sill guard made from molded plastic. Molded plastic sill guards are designed to protect the most common types of sill in residential or commercial construction. They are the most durable type of threshold protection and can be used for various projects. Various threshold manufacturers provide plastic threshold protection that is specific to the threshold model they sell. Unfortunately, heavy duty plastic guards are not available for all types of entry thresholds, so protection is not easy to obtain. There is a surface protection company on the west coast that does a plastic sill protection inventory for two of the most common sill profiles.

To protect sliding door rails, there are two types of threshold protection. The first is a hinged plastic guard that flips over the sliding door tracks to keep them clear of debris. This protection bolts into a wooden subfloor to hold it in place and therefore cannot be used on sliding doors installed over concrete slabs commonly used on the West Coast. Another option that works to protect concrete slab-installed sliding doors is impact resistant U-board protection. It is a thick and heavy compressed paper protection that is made from recycled material and is completely reusable. The U-board sits on the rails while the door is open and protects the sliding door rails from dirt and grime. As with the plastic guard, the Sill Pro keeps the slide rails clean and protects the door rails from damage that could interfere with door work operations.

Contact your local surface protection provider to learn more about the different types of sill protection available and which one is best for your construction or remodel project.

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