Door treads/sills

Hi all.

We're owner building a kit from Kitome and we're up to the doors. They have supplied the jambs for our sets of french doors and the front and back doors, but there is nothing for the tread (or whatever the bit along the floor is called).

I rang Kitome and they said that its designed that you just run your flooring all the way through under the door. But I can't work out or picture how this works at the edge or either the floating wooden floor or carpet. We've got the House Building Manual by Allan Staines, but it just shows external doors that have a sill.

Does anyone have and pictures or sections of how it all fits together? Or are we better off just going out and getting ourselves some hardwood to use there? We've got timber bearers and joists with a particle board flooring. The double french doors open out and the front door in.

Any tips or pictures/plans would be very helpful.

It depends on whether the doors are exposed to the rain or well under cover. If they are going to get rained on you really need a proper sloped door sill - generally available off the shelf (usually merbau)
If they are well under cover you can run the floor under the doors (fine for tiles or solid timber but not appropriate for any other such as carpet or engineered flooring)
The alternative is as you say, to use a piece of hardwood as a 'threshold' under the doors. The jambs simply sit on top of the threshold or for a sloped tread they will be rebated into the top of the tread.
I'll try and find a pic

Pages 20 and 24 of Staines' Book (5th Edition) or Page 30 of his "Owner Builder and Renovator" Book (7th Edition) - I'll scan at work tomorrow if you haven't got these.

Thanks for the replies guys.

The french doors opening on to the deck will be exposed to the weather as there is only the eaves above them. The other set of french doors and the front door are under the veranda, but I think I'd still be happier with some extra weather protection.

This is the pic that is in my 4th edition of the Staines book.



I just hope we have enough height in the opening to fit a sill of some sort. If its not meant to have one it might be a bit tight.

If you had some pictures of different options, that'd be much appreciated.

OK. So we've decided to put some sills in for our french doors and front and back doors. Is there somewhere that you can buy pre-shaped ones? I've rung a couple of places and they can mill them up for us, but I was wondering if anyone knew if you can buy lengths already done?

Hi Peter….. Tapitallee, lucky you!

Luke’s from Callala Bay, and I’m from North Nowra.

Looks like I draw the short straw.

Hi Michelle. It was either Tapitallee or Canberra. And I know which one I'd rather

Nothing wrong with Nth Nowra. Although Callala Bay is beaut, but not really a fair comparison

Peter we keep some on the shelf at work - DIY Timbers Bomaderry
I'm there Saturday if you want to pop in

Excellent. Thanks Luke. I actually rang DIY yesterday. I may have to get down there before the weekend, but otherwise I'll try for Saturday.