Pick out the Best Garage Door Seal for You!

This is a very simple question to answer, and we get asked it quite a lot. A garage door threshold is designed to keep your garage clean and dry throughout the year. They achieve this by stopping water from going inside your garage when they’re properly installed. Regardless of whether there’s a lot of drafts which carry in windswept rain or leaves, our seals will have you protected.

What you will find with our range of threshold seals is that they are made from quality materials. In all cases they are extremely durable and long-lasting, which is why we have a 5-year warranty. We are extremely confident in our range of products. Keep reading through the guide to find out how to install the seals and to find out how to choose the best garage door threshold.

If you have a gap between the bottom of your garage door and floor through the course of the year this can cause a lot of problems. This is caused by an uneven floor from wear and tear over the years, or a poorly installed garage door that does not seal to the floor when closed. Even if your garage door looks like it seals to the floor, strong winds can still blow rain and dust underneath, especially when it is flood season, another large storm or particularly heavy torrential rain. You may find that you go back home, and your entire garage is full of water; this can happen even with small gaps.

Each of the threshold seals you see on our website were created with the goal of stopping this. Even if you have a tiny gap underneath your garage door, we will have the size for you. Our floor seal products range from ¼” all the way up to a huge 2” height. They are perfect for any type of gap and garage door.

Our seals all function the same way when it comes to protecting your garage. Each one prevents leaves, dust, and windswept rain from blowing underneath your garage door. This doubles up to also reduce drafts blowing cold air inside your garage.

We are also committed to being environmentally friendly with all the products we make. We believe that the carbon footprint we leave should be as minimal as possible. This is why our products are made from materials that are 100% recyclable.

Click the button below to see some real-life garage door threshold installations.

Whether safeguarding a classic sports car, storing holiday decorations, or keeping sentimental items, we offer a diverse selection of threshold seals tailored to your personal needs.

You can trust that our seals can be installed on various surfaces, from concrete and asphalt to paving slabs, epoxy, and tiles, as demonstrated by our customer photos. With our extensive coverage of different flooring types, visualizing how each seal would enhance your garage is effortless.

The decision is ultimately up to you; however, each material has its own advantages depending on the installation. We offer both PVC and Aluminum weather seals which have plenty of differences between them. With many options available from many different materials, including those made from rubber, it can be a little overwhelming when trying to choose the correct one for your needs. Hopefully this guide will help you choose the right material for your requirements.

GaraDry’s most popular garage door thresholds are made from PVC. What makes these seal strips ideal for domestic use is the ease of installation and versatility. They can be installed by any competent DIYer with minimal tools and time requirement. It can easily be installed in under an hour following the included instructions. Our seals come in a kit so everything you need to install them is included in the box.

The main reason you would get this product over rubber seals is that they have a much longer lifespan. Many rubber seals will become brittle or decay in prolonged contact with water and will discolor in direct sunlight. Whereas with our PVC products that is not something you have to be worried about, as the material is long-lasting and durable and will always maintain its original shape. It is also UV-stable meaning excessive sunlight won’t discolor it or cause it to bend and break over time.

They are flexible and can provide a watertight seal even on an uneven floor against flood water up to the height of the seal. These weather seals come in one continuous strip, which you can cut down if you order it a couple sizes too large. These PVC seals come in a variety of sizes ranging from ½”, ¾”, 1”, 1¼”, 1½” and 2” in height. They each also have standardized widths with variable lengths depending on your needs.

In a direct comparison when it comes to the weatherproofing features of the seal there isn’t that much difference between the PVC and aluminum. However, there’s one giant difference that really makes the aluminum threshold seals shine in a specific scenario. That scenario is when installing a seal in industrial premises. Whether a factory, warehouse or anything which has heavy vehicles passing over the threshold would require the use of an aluminum seal.

They can withstand weights of up to 35,000lbs, you can look at a video which shows them being tested by an industrial press by clicking here. Unlike the PVC range, they come in less variable heights ranging from ¼”, ½” or 1” but unlike the thermoplastic seals they come in interlocking sections of aluminum. The sections can be joined together to create longer lengths and as the bottom seals are supplied in a continuous length you will have a waterproof seal along the complete length up to the height of the seal.

That isn’t to say that these seals can’t be installed in a garage, they absolutely can. If you do a lot of work or have some heavy vehicles, then the aluminum seal might be a better option for you. Otherwise, the PVC seal can more than do the job, they can withstand up to 6,200lbs which is roughly 18% of what the aluminum can take but can handle most common vehicle sizes and weights.

The one thing that is of paramount importance before you choose to buy any of the products you see on our site is measurements. It is best to be thorough to ensure you get the right size first time. Below we will talk about how to measure your garage door to select the best garage door threshold for your garage door.

All you need to do to pick the correct height of the seal is to measure the largest gap between the garage door and floor. This is best done by measuring the gap in several places as it may vary across the width of the garage door, and you may have a garage that has a ½” gap on one side and a 1-inch gap on the other. Which would indicate that a 1” would be what you need at minimum.

When you have found the largest gap, you can then pick out the ideal seal for you. Because the seals range from ¼” all the way to 2” of height you have a lot of choice when it comes to sealing the gap. In addition to the height of any gap underneath your garage door, you would also need to consider the volume of water that you require protection from as the height of the threshold will protect against that level of standing water. So if you suffer from a lot of heavy torrential rain one of the larger seals is probably going to be more suitable for your needs.

If you do decide to purchase a larger threshold seal, then you can easily fit a taller threshold but just keep in mind that you should set it back slightly away from the door. This will allow the garage door to close without any modifications.

The other thing that is important to measure before purchasing is the length of threshold seal you will need. The way to do this is quite simple, all you will need to do is measure the width of the garage door from left to right. This will help inform you on which of the lengths you will need to select.

Because we have so many different lengths you can choose from, you can be sure that you will find the exact length you need. You will need the seal to be slightly longer than the width of the door (around 1 ½” each side) to notch it around the door frame or garage door tracks. You can cut it down with a hacksaw, sharp knife, or scissors depending on the material used.

This section is a brief summary, but we have resources available which can explain this in-depth depending on which type of seal you buy. If you are hoping to install a PVC floor seal, then you can view this YouTube guide which has all the steps laid out clearly or you can look at the PDF fitting instructions by clicking here. If you are hoping to install an aluminum seal, then you can find the instructions here.

What you need to be aware of primarily is that the seal should fit behind the garage door, sitting against the back of the door. This will ensure a tight seal when the door is closed. Alternatively with a lot of door models this may not be feasible, and you will need to place the threshold seal further behind the tracks. Each of our kits comes with foam blocks which you can use to stop water around the side if you do need to install it further behind the tracks.

If you try to fit a threshold in front of the door you will find that the water will run down the face of the door and leak inside anyway. This will just make your seal purchase completely wasted. If you need advice on how to properly install the seal feel free to give us a call.

When you decide to install any of our range of threshold seals you will stop water from leaking into your garage. Regardless of whether it’s melting snow, standing water, or water carried in by heavy winds. On top of this, if you have any metal machinery, tools, or gym equipment inside your garage then by preventing moisture it will stop the buildup of condensation and therefore prevent rust. This is also handy if you have cardboard, as moisture can cause it to go soggy and moldy and cause it to be ruined quickly.

One of the other benefits is that anything that the wind brings with it will be stopped at the door by the threshold. Whether that’s leaves, dust, or sand that gets blown into the garage. Additionally, any small rodents such as mice or rats alongside any insects will also be prevented from entering underneath the garage door. This allows you to not have to deal with any nuisances and lets you rest at the weekend without worrying about the state of your garage.

The final thing that the seal can help you with is its ability to keep drafts out of the garage. This lets you keep a warm garage throughout the year and not have to worry about turning the heating up. As an indirect result of installing the seal you can reduce your energy costs because you’ve sealed the gap between the bottom of the garage door and floor.

Our 1” High Commercial Door Aluminum Threshold Seal can be driven over by forklifts and commercial trucks up to 3mph. The Threshold Seal will withstand over 35,000 lbs. across a 10” plate under laboratory testing.

For example, based on 10” wide tires, the Threshold Seal will withstand axle weights of:

2 tires => 58,000 lbs.
4 tires => 116,000 lbs.

The wider the tire the more weight the threshold will withstand, the narrower the tire the less weigh the threshold will withstand.