Installing an automatic door bottom seal starts with understanding the door’s construction. The opening prepared for the seal must match the door structure and the intended installation arrangement.
The illustrated wood and metal door examples show two different approaches: a fully open channel for the wood door and a semi-recessed opening for the metal door.
Wood Door Example: A Fully Open Channel
In the wood door configuration shown, the automatic door bottom seal fits into a channel that extends through to the side edge of the door. The opening remains fully accessible at the end, exposing the end of the seal housing.
This detail is important when interpreting the installation drawing. The illustration shows not only where the seal sits along the door bottom, but also how the channel opens at the door’s side edge.
For this arrangement, the channel preparation should follow the profile and installation drawing of the selected seal.
Metal Door Example: A Semi-Recessed Opening
The metal door example uses a different opening arrangement. The seal sits within a semi-recessed opening, while part of the original door body remains at the side edge.
Unlike the fully open wood door channel, this configuration retains door material around the end of the seal. The illustration also shows the operating button projecting through the side of the door.
The retained material is a defining feature of this installation detail. It should be represented clearly in the door preparation drawing so the intended opening shape is understood before fabrication.
The Key Difference: Door-Edge Preparation
Both examples position an automatic door bottom seal along the bottom of the door. The main difference is how the opening terminates at the side edge:
- Wood door shown: A fully open channel extending to the side edge.
- Metal door shown: A semi-recessed opening that retains part of the door body at the side edge.
Looking at the seal profile alone does not show this distinction. The door section and side-edge detail together explain how the seal fits into each construction.
Planning the Installation Detail
When preparing a door for an automatic door bottom seal, review the selected seal’s installation drawing alongside the door construction drawing. Confirm the channel profile, the end-opening arrangement, and the position of the operating button.
These illustrated examples demonstrate why door-bottom preparation should be considered as part of the door design: the same product category can require different opening details for different door constructions.
