Northwest Indiana experiences some of the most intense storms during the summer season. At Nick’s Building Supply, we understand that keeping your family and home safe in these events are a top priority. Prepping your home for the worst-case-scenario all starts with one main objective: your front door. Today, we’ll be looking at the best ways to prepare your wood doors so your family and home will be safe during any summer storm. 

Most Efficient Ways To Protect Your Doors This Summer

There are many ways to avoid leakage, cracks, and breakage on your wooden door, and it can be hard to tell which steps are the most effective. We put together the ultimate four-step routine so you can make sure your home is protected every summer. Read on to find out the best ways to protect your door during the upcoming stormy season!

How to make sure your wood door is kept in tip-top shape even after the worst storms:

Prep with paints and sealants: The first and foremost step in protecting your door starts with the paint. To prepare your door, we recommend starting with opaque paints instead of clear ones. These require much less maintenance, allowing you more time to enjoy your summer or achieve other steps in the maintenance process. For protective finishes, we recommend using more durable sealants and varnishes. These offer protective barriers from UV rays, rain, and wind to keep the color of the door from fading and lower the chances of cracks in the door’s structure. 

Fill in the gaps: A big part of keeping your home protected from outdoor debris and weather is filling in cracks and gaps in your door. The reason caulk is the best option for this is because of its flexible structure. When filling in gaps, be sure to start with a clean area, then work in the caulk with your finger or a small tool, leaving it slightly out of the wood’s gap. Then, when it’s dry, take a razor and shave the dried caulk to level it with the wood. Caulk is perfect for filling in your door’s gaps since it’s able to expand and contract with the door’s movement. This allows the fillings to last for years, giving you less hassle and your home more comfort. 

Weatherstripping: Weatherstripping is perfect for homes that easily get warm in the summertime and cool during the winter time. Weatherstripping is the simple process of using adhesive strips around the doorframe to seal any gaps there may be. Another simple way to weatherstrip your home is by adding a door sweep at the bottom of the door – both ways effectively reduce drafting and air from entering/exiting the household. Here is a simple and fool-proof way to weatherstrip your door:

• Scrub with mild soap and water on your door to clean off any dirt or grime
• Measure your door’s frame and cut the weatherstripping to fit. Feel free to double seal or adjust your adhesive strips to fit the size of the gaps your door may have.
• You’re ready to apply! Apply the weatherstripping to your door in this order: latch side strip, hinge side strip, and then apply the top strip. If you’re looking for more coverage, now’s the perfect time to add a door sweep! This will minimize the amount of air leakes coming through the space between the door and the threshold. 
• Test and adjust anything you may need to as needed. If you’re looking to make the seal tighter, it’s an easy fix! Just tighten the screw on the weatherstripping until you’ve reached your desired strength.

Install an extra door: Storm doors are great for blocking out unwanted weather, wildlife, and pests, but also allows for more ventilation and sunlight to shine through when wanted. Although it sounds like a big project, many DIY kits are sold, making storm door installation an easy project to complete. 

Our team, in fact, deems this one of the best ways to revamp and protect your door for the many benefits it offers: protection from outdoor elements, keeping homes at comfortable temperatures, more natural light, noise reduction, and door longevity. Because of storm doors’ many benefits and simple installation, Nick’s Building Supply recommends it for any home looking to solve any of the problems listed above. If you’re not looking for a separate door, we also offer hurricane-rated front doors. These doors give premium protection and efficient installation from our excellent team of professionals. Either of these options are great to protect your home from any damage it may encounter this summer.

Protect Your Doors Today!

The summer is always a brutal time for wood doors, and Nick’s Building Supply is passionate about keeping you safe and your home keen. By taking the steps listed above, we believe that your home will be secure from any stormy circumstances this summer. If you’re looking for more advice on how to care for your wood doors, call us at (219) 663-2279 or email us at info@nicksbuilding.com to find your perfect maintenance routine.