During construction or remodeling projects, door sills are often destroyed by dirt, mud, paint splatters, and careless spills. To prevent replacement or refinishing of thresholds, it is recommended that contractors use temporary threshold protection. Below is a brief description of the pros and cons of each type of protection threshold.
UV protective tape is the best type of adhesive sill protection. It’s a 9mil. thick white tape that won’t flake, even if exposed to bright sunlight. UV protective tape has chemicals in both the tape and the adhesive that block UV rays and make the tape resistant to both sunlight and heat. It can be used in hot and cold climates without the concern of adhesive transfer, resulting in quick and clean removal at project completion. Although more expensive than other tapes, UV protective tape is very cost effective when you consider the costs of cleaning or repainting your door sills.
Blue masking tape and blue sill tapes are the most common tapes to protect thresholds. These inexpensive tapes work for short-term protection only in areas of low heat or sunlight. They are known to flake and chip when exposed to sunlight and are often cited as creating more work than the protection provided. These 2 or 3 thousand of low quality. the tapes often leave a sticky adhesive residue on sills, as the adhesive used in the tapes softens in warm temperatures.
Another option is to use a molded plastic recessed sill guard. Molded Plastic Threshold Guards are designed to protect the most common types of thresholds in residential or commercial construction. They are the most durable type of threshold protection and can be used for multiple projects. Several threshold manufacturers provide plastic threshold protection that is specific to the threshold model they sell. Unfortunately, strong plastic guards are not available for every type of entry threshold, so protection is not easy to come by. There is a surface protection company on the west coast that stocks plastic sill protection for two of the most common sill profiles.
To protect the rails of sliding doors, there are two types of threshold protection. The first is a hinged plastic guard that flips over the sliding door tracks to keep them clear of debris. This guard screws into a wood subfloor to hold it in place and therefore cannot be used on sliding doors installed on cement slabs commonly used on the West Coast. Another option that works for protecting sliding doors installed on concrete slabs is impact-resistant U-board protection. It is a thick and heavy compressed paper protection that is made from recycled material and is completely reusable. The U-board sits over the tracks while the door is open and protects the sliding door tracks from dirt and grime. As with the plastic protector, Sill Pro keeps the slide tracks clean and protects the door tracks from damage that could interfere with the working operations of the door.
Contact your local surface protection provider to learn more about the different types of sill protection available and which one is best for your construction or remodeling project.
