Behold the Threshold

I don't remember when I realized that the threshold to our seldom used front door was decrepit, but I do remember thinking we should fix it before it snows. I knew I'd need some tools that we didn't already own and aside from being used for the task at hand, they'd be helpful for other jobs around the house. So a trip to the hardware store and we're a circular saw and speed square richer. I also picked up the threshold itself along with all the other parts I knew I'd need and circled yesterday as The Day, the day before the rains came to conquer it.

You could tell by looking at the threshold itself that it was in pretty bad shape but what I wasn't able to discern was the state of the boards underneath. Once I removed the old threshold, front fascia board and the boards behind it I found a robust any colony having their own little party in there. They had beat it up some but I think the moisture was the primary culprit. The sub sill and boards underneath appear to extend into the framing of the house behind the siding, and I have no idea how far back the punky wood runs. Does it run to the corner of the house? Does it stop in the next few inches? Is it on both sides? Do I feel like stripping down everything on the front of the house to get it all out? Not really. I decided to do what I needed to to finish the job and seal the living daylights out of it and hope it holds for the time being. Dismantling the front of the house looking for rotted wood is a job for someone else some other day, perhaps when we put a second story on the house.

With fascia boards in hand I covered the wood in borax (rot and insect repellent extraordinaire) threw down a vapor barrier and slapped them in. When I took out the old threshold I discovered that it was original or most likely was original to the house: it had a top and bottom horn on both sides and the casing for the door extended out over and was flush with the top of the threshold. So there are only 2 ways that threshold and that door arrived at their final resting place: by building one side of the door frame put the threshold down and finish building the other side of the door frame and then dropping the door in. The other option would by building the two sides and bottom of the door frame and then sliding the threshold down from the top and then finishing the frame and installing the door. They dropped a cool 11 nails into the top of it (mysteriously only a couple went into the sub sill as well.) They even nailed through the studs into the ends of it. What the hell were they expecting would happen to it? Were they going to hang elephants from it? Anyway we've discovered it's a very sturdy house.

So after hearing about all the home improvement excitement the elder version of myself stopped by to join in the power tool wielding party. We tried slamming the threshold into place but realized the casing was blocking it, so a few well placed swipes with the jigsaw later and the threshold popped into place. I ran some expanding foam up underneath it and managed to get a thin coating of it all over my fingers. This stuff doesn't come off, I did heed their 'wear gloves' warning but then took them off when I thought I was done got some on the can in the process and soon it's too late. I'm contemplating taking fine grit sand paper to my finger tips so I don't spend the next few weeks with tufts of pet hair stuck to my fingers. At least the threshold won't budge. Even with all that fine handiwork done it's not quite finished yet, I'm going to slap a finished fascia board on it next week after the rain stops and it's had a chance to dry out. I'm pleased with the outcome and am kind of excited for the next home improvement project that comes our way. Hopefully it'll involve using the new circular saw. If not I might just turn it on and wave it some scrap wood for good measure.