The Best Draught Excluder for a Front Door
The best draught excluder for a front door is the one that seals where the cold actually gets in. On most front doors that is three places: the gap around the frame, the gap under the door, and the letterbox. Seal all three and the hallway stays noticeably warmer. Seal only one and the draught simply moves.
Find Where the Draught Is Coming From
On a cold, windy day, hold the back of your hand close to each edge of the closed door, then along the bottom and around the letterbox. A damp hand makes it easier to feel. Wherever you feel moving air is where you need a seal.
To check how big the gap is around the frame, press a small ball of reusable tack onto the door stop, close the door firmly, then open it and measure how thin the tack has been squashed.
Sealing Around the Frame
The sides and top of the door close against a strip of wood in the frame called the door stop. Over time doors shrink, frames move and paint builds up, so a gap opens between the two.
For a wooden door, the neatest answer is a rubber seal that sits in the frame itself. The Aquamac 21 door seal presses into the rebate of the frame, so it fills the gap between door and frame without anything stuck to the face of the door. It comes in a 5.5 metre length, in black, and needs no special tools.
If the frame is past repair, our external solid oak door frame comes with the Aquamac seal already included. It suits doors up to 2032mm high and 880mm wide.
Self-adhesive foam strips are cheaper and quick to fit, but they tend to flatten and peel, and on a good wooden door they are on show every time it opens.
Sealing the Bottom of the Door
The gap under the door is usually the biggest, and on a front door it lets in rain as well as cold air.
On an external wooden door the proper fix is a weather bar. It is fixed along the foot of the door on the outside and throws rainwater clear of the threshold, and it closes the gap where draughts get underneath. We sell three, all in solid oak so they match the door:
- The oak weatherbar for external doors, supplied in 900mm lengths
- The traditional oak weather bar, with a softer stepped profile for period and cottage doors
- The contemporary oak weather bar, with a clean squared profile for modern doors
All three are supplied unfinished, so they can be oiled to match the door. See the weather bar range to compare them.
Inside the house, a brush strip on the inner face of the door or a draught snake on the floor will help further. A brush strip suits an uneven floor, because the bristles fill the gap where a solid strip cannot.
Sealing the Letterbox
An open letterbox is a hole straight through the door. A brush cowl fixed over the inside of the letterbox stops the wind while still letting the post through. If you are replacing the letter plate anyway, choose one with a flap that closes firmly. See our external door hardware for handles and fittings to match an oak door.
Keyholes let in more than you might expect too. A simple drop cover on the inside closes them.
Why Wooden Doors Need a Little More Care
Oak moves with the seasons. It takes up moisture in a wet winter and gives it up in a dry summer, so a door that seals perfectly in October can show a gap in July, and the other way round. That is normal for real timber.
The best way to keep the movement small is to keep the finish in good order. An external oak door that is oiled on every face and edge, and re-coated when it starts to look dry, moves far less than one left bare. Our guide on how to treat external wood doors goes through it.
If a wooden door has dropped on its hinges, no draught excluder will fix the gap at the top corner. Tighten the hinge screws first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a draught excluder really work?
Yes, if it seals the gap that is letting the air in. Most front doors leak in more than one place, so a single excluder at the bottom often makes less difference than people expect. Seal the frame, the bottom and the letterbox together.
What is the best draught excluder for a wooden front door?
A rubber seal in the frame rebate for the sides and top, a solid wood weather bar on the outside foot of the door, and a brush cowl on the letterbox. Together they seal the door without spoiling the look of the wood.
How do you stop a draught under a front door?
Fit a weather bar on the outside to throw off rain and close the gap, and add a brush strip on the inside if the floor is uneven.
Do I need a weather bar on a front door?
On any external door that is open to the weather, yes. Without one, rain runs down the face of the door and can get under it. Our external door frame does not include one, so it is worth adding when you fit a new door.
Can I draught-proof a front door myself?
Yes. A frame seal, a weather bar and a letterbox brush are all straightforward to fit with basic tools.
