Worn weather stripping around an exterior door lets in cold air, hot air, dust, insects, and moisture. You can feel the draft with your hand, see daylight through gaps, or notice increased energy bills. Replacing door weather stripping takes about 30 minutes and costs $10 to $25 in materials.

How to Replace Weather Stripping on an Exterior Door

Types of Door Weather Stripping

Compression Strip (Most Common)

A foam or rubber strip mounted in a groove in the door frame. When the door closes, it compresses against the door face, creating a seal. Most modern exterior doors use this type.

Replacement: Pull the old strip out of the groove, take it to the hardware store for matching, and press the new strip into the groove. No tools required for most styles.

V-Strip (Tension Seal)

A metal or plastic strip folded into a V shape, mounted inside the door frame where the door closes against it. The V flexes and presses against the door.

Replacement: Pry out the old strip. Cut new V-strip to length and nail, screw, or adhere it in place.

Door Sweep

Mounted to the bottom of the door (inside or outside) to seal the gap between the door bottom and the threshold. Sweeps have a flexible vinyl or rubber flap that contacts the threshold.

Replacement: Remove the screws holding the old sweep. Position the new sweep so the flap just touches the threshold when the door is closed. Drill pilot holes and screw in place.

Door Bottom (U-Shaped)

Slides onto the bottom edge of the door, wrapping around it. Provides a seal on both sides of the door bottom.

Replacement: Remove the door from the hinges (tap out hinge pins, bottom first). Slide off the old bottom piece. Slide the new one on and trim to length. Rehang the door.

Step-by-Step Replacement

Step 1: Identify What You Have

Open the door and examine the weather stripping on all three sides of the frame (top and two sides) and the bottom of the door. Note the type — compression, V-strip, or something else. Take a photo and measurements.

Step 2: Remove the Old Weather Stripping

Compression strips: Pull from the groove by hand
Nail-mounted strips: Pry carefully with a putty knife, remove nails
Adhesive-backed strips: Peel off, clean residual adhesive with rubbing alcohol

Step 3: Clean the Surfaces

Clean the mounting area of old adhesive, paint, and debris. The new weather stripping needs a clean surface for proper adhesion or seating.

Step 4: Install the New Weather Stripping

Compression strip: Starting at the top of one side, press the new strip into the groove. Work your way down, keeping it straight and fully seated. Cut to length at the bottom. Repeat for the other side and the top.

Adhesive-backed foam: Clean the surface, let it dry, apply the strip with the adhesive backing, pressing firmly. Start at the top corner and work down.

Step 5: Adjust the Door Sweep

With the new side and top seals installed, close the door and check the bottom gap. Adjust the door sweep so the flap contacts the threshold evenly across the full width without dragging.

Step 6: Test the Seal

Close the door and check for daylight around all edges. Slide a dollar bill between the door and frame at several points — you should feel moderate resistance when pulling it out. If the bill slides freely, the seal is not tight enough.

Threshold Adjustment

If the gap under the door is uneven, the threshold may need adjustment. Many thresholds have adjusting screws that raise or lower the threshold height. Turn the screws to bring the threshold closer to the door bottom, then adjust the sweep to match.

When to Replace the Door

Weather stripping fixes seal problems, but if the door itself is warped, rotted, or damaged, replacement may be the better investment. Signs include:

Visible warping when viewed from the edge
Soft spots in the wood (rot)
Cracks in the panels
The door does not sit flat against the frame even with new weather stripping

Properly sealed exterior doors can reduce heating and cooling energy loss by 10 to 15 percent. At $10 to $25 per door, weather stripping replacement is one of the highest-return home improvements you can make.