# Forum Forum Help Desk Introduce Yourself  Constructions details needed for external door sill on timber framed weatherboard

## MADAS

Hi everyone  
Great site 
I am currently working on an old weatherboard cottage -very old school construction   
I am struggling to figure out suitable construction details for some elements 
I've got some questions on proper construction detailing for an external timber door sill as follows-    
Where can a I buy a timber door sill in Sydney? 
What size should the sill be? ( for old weatherboard house) 
What type of material should be used? 
Should the sill have a recessed grooves cut into the underside? What are these for? (to prevent warping/ drip grooves?) If I can only get a slab of timber should I cut in my own recessed grooves ? Any specs for these? 
Should the sill have wings extending past jambs each side ? Why? What are these for? 
Should the sill sit on top of the floor boards or should it finish  flush with the floorboards?
If the sill sits flush with the floorboards should I notch out the top of the floor joists  to fit the sill in flush? ( assuming floor boards 20mm  and sill 30 + mm thick) Is this normal? 
Weather proofing 
Should the sill sit on a flashing/ damp-coarse ?  Is PVC type damp-coarse material acceptable? what is the usual practice? 
Should the sill have an external fall on it?  If so, what %? how do I create this fall - pack or shave? 
I've been advised that a groove can be installed on the top face of the sill and a metal strip inserted   to bund/ stop water getting inside . Has anyone used this method? 
Where can I find information on Australian doors and window detailing? it would be nice some explanations with the detailing 
Thanks in advance. 
MADAS

----------


## David.Elliott

> Hi everyone  
> Great site 
> I am currently working on an old weatherboard cottage -very old school construction...Me too, 1860s...  
> I am struggling to figure out suitable construction details for some elements 
> I've got some questions on proper construction detailing for an external timber door sill as follows-   My answers, on my experience, but somebody with actual qualifications may be along to correct me...feel free...  
> Where can a I buy a timber door sill in Sydney? They are actually a component of the total door frame. Generally when the sill is buggered so is the door frame so a complete change out will give you a nice square, plumb opening to hang a door from... 
> What size should the sill be? ( for old weatherboard house) Whats there seems to be about right, size and style wise, but we'd need to see a more complete shot of the cottage to know 
> What type of material should be used? Hardwood...here in the west they are nearly always jarrah...I just had two door frames and 5 x 6 light windows made. the sills are jarrah by request. 
> Should the sill have a recessed grooves cut into the underside? What are these for? (to prevent warping/ drip grooves?) If I can only get a slab of timber should I cut in my own recessed grooves ? Any specs for these? Not really. A saw blade width is ok, position wise far enough forward the the water drips free of the wall boards. 
> ...

  David

----------


## MADAS

> David

  _ _  David  Wow 1860 that's an oldie! Mines still just a baby at circa1915 Thanks for your advice, its very helpful.
Some response below_ _  _Greatsite 
I am currently working on an old weatherboard cottage -very old schoolconstruction...__Me too,1860s..._ _ 
I am struggling to figure out suitable construction details for some elements 
I've got some questions on proper construction detailing for an external timberdoor sill as follows-  _ _My answers,on my experience, but somebody with actual qualifications may be along tocorrect me...feel free...__  
Where can a I buy a timber door sill in Sydney?_ _They are actually a component of the total doorframe. Generally when the sill is buggered so is the door frame so a completechange out will give you a nice square, plumb opening to hang a door from...___ I ended up buying a hardwood sill from Hume Doors in Lansvale.  Its just a flat plank of hardwood 150mm widewith a bullnose on the front edge and 20mm deep x 10mm wide rebate on the rearwhich will slide over the 20mm thick floor boards neatly.  There is no drip grooves in this one. I thinkits more suited to a protected area but I will retrofit small drip groove tounderside and install with a slight fall. It was pretty hard to get any technicaladvice out of Hume (which is not unusual these days!) but a 1.2 m length only costme about $20 which I think was a bit of a bargain. I tried Doors Plus but theywanted $150 for a timber sill, supply only! Ridiculous!!! _
What size should the sill be? ( for old weatherboard house)_ _Whats there seems to be about right, size andstyle wise, but we'd need to see a more complete shot of the cottage to know__ 
What type of material should be used?_ _Hardwood...here in the west they are nearlyalways jarrah...I just had two door frames and 5 x 6 light windows made. thesills are jarrah by request.___ I think the new sill is Jarrah  - redcoloured hardwood  _
Should the sill have a recessed grooves cut into the underside? What are thesefor? (to prevent warping/ drip grooves?) If I can only get a slab of timbershould I cut in my own recessed grooves ? Any specs for these?_ _Not really. A saw blade width is ok, positionwise far enough forward the the water drips free of the wall boards.___ Thanks will do_ 
Should the sill have wings extending past jambs each side ? Why? What are thesefor?_ _Dunno._It probably just covers the spacebetween the jamb and the stud. _ 
Should the sill sit on top of the floor boards or should it finish flush withthe floorboards?_ _Should sit above...my read is about 5mm above the finishedfloorcoverings..._ The hume door sill is 10mm above in this case _If the sill sitsflush with the floorboards should I notch out the top of the floor joists tofit the sill in flush? ( assuming floor boards 20mm and sill 30 + mm thick) Isthis normal? 
Weather proofing 
Should the sill sit on a flashing/ damp-coarse ? Is PVC type damp-coarsematerial acceptable? what is the usual practice?,_ _The two I have just installed are under a 2,5mdeep verandah so i did not dampcourse. The last ones I did that were gettingweather, I made a galv metal "pan" in the oldstyle that fed waterinto the cavity, being double brick. In this case the pan is set with a fall.
I also gave the underside of the sill lots of nice coats of the old red leadprimer..__ _  Ill set these sills with a bit of a fall to the outside. 1 to 2% 2- 3mm Ill cut the jambs at an angle to accommodate the sillfall  I observed this at the Hume Doors display) Ill use the PVC dampcourse under the sill. Ill fall itto the outside of the building in this case. I am interested in this oldstyle pan you made. Did youbend it yourself?  What type of materialdid you use ?  thickness? Did it need tobe cut and soldered? Where do you buy the materials? Could malthoid/ aluminum materialfor this type of pan flashing?  Have you seen the Dupont style sticky flashings? Theyseem to be the convential system in the US. You can use them to create a sillpan flashing too. Ive never seen anyone use them in Australia. I dont knowwhy, they look very handy and easy to use.  Why did you fall your sill flashing to the cavity? Isthis the usual practice? Note Ive seen one sill flashing that falls to theoutside of brick veneer, ie bridging the to skins _
Should the sill have an external fall on it? If so, what %? how do I createthis fall - pack or shave?_ _when the frame is constructed some makers have a tiny one in the design__ 
I've been advised that a groove can be installed on the top face of the silland a metal strip inserted to bund/ stop water getting inside ._ _Has anyone used this method? The onesI havejust installed have these. In my case it's more about a good seal fordraughtproofing as the door bottom will be rebated to make a snug fit to themetal strip...___ I like the rebate on the door that makes sense.  Do you know what these metal draft/ weather stripsare called, who makes them and where can you buy them? _
Where can I find information on Australian doors and window detailing? it wouldbe nice some explanations with the detailing 
Thanks in advance._

----------

