Draught strip

A draught strip is a strip of rubber, foam or brush fitted to the frame or the leaf to close the gaps when the door is shut. It stops air, noise, dust and water getting through.

Security doors usually have a draught strip all round the frame and another at the bottom of the leaf, sometimes the automatic kind that drops down when the door closes. On the coast, the bottom one works hardest, because that is where the sand gets in with the wind.

When it cracks, flattens or comes unstuck, it stops sealing and the door starts whistling or letting light through. A draught strip that is too thick also causes problems: it forces you to push to close the door and strains the lock. We check it when upgrading security doors.