Replacing a rotten door sill

[seriousdude]

It's a victorian terraced house with stone doorway.

I'm replacing the front step with a hardwood sill, but the existing riser (the thing the sill would rest on) is rotten, and all that was holding it in place was the floorboards.

I guess I'll have to replace that too. With softwood? And how would I fix it?

More images are here

 

[JohnD]

I imagine there is a brick wall underneath? You could cast in concrete. You can use thick polythene as a dpc so that no damp part is in contact with wood.

I would also treat any new timbers with plenty of Cuprinol Green after any cutting, shaping and drilling has been done and before you fit it. It looks like you have no porch so it will get wet with rain.

 

[seriousdude]

Thanks for your help. There is no brick wall. Should I be worried?

As you can see, there is the underneath of the front path, and then earth and clay. And a few bits of broken brick.

I've got to have a front step, so I guess I will have to put some more broken bricks down there and then concrete on top.

 

[JohnD]

By brick wall, I meant a continuation of the front wall of the house, it is usual for it to run under the door frame.

If you are casting a concrete step I would dig out a bit and make a good big slab of concrete, you will probably get a crack where it meets the old path (which looks like it needs re-doing).

I would go down at least 6 inches and bash the broken brick down with a big hammer to that it does not settle later.

 

[masona]

Shouldn't there be or was there a continuous air vent under the original door sill

Does your neighbour have the same front door setup

 

[seriousdude]

Most neighbours seem to have stone or marble sills. Often with three vent holes in the matching riser underneath. Some have tiles.

 

[masona]

Okay, best to put the air vent back in by using ducting or a couple of downpipe etc