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By MCW from Lewiston, NY
I got tired of my draft guard not staying where it belonged, next to the bottom of the door keeping the cold air out. It was either being moved by my cats or being pushed out of the way when I opened the door to leave. It would remain away from the door until it was noticed or I came back home.
I needed something that weighed enough to stay put but also would allow me to open and close with the door. Here's how I solved the problem.
Double the polar fleece and wrap it over the window shade. You can leave the plastic on it or tape it closed if you use an old one. A 2 inch dowel (36 inches long or a 2" x 2" x 36" piece of wood would also work.)
Put the material around the shade and mark or pin it where you would sew your seam.
The velcro is a little tricky. You will want to glue the velcro onto the door, or you could staple or tack it. Put it up an inch from the bottom.
Put the other side of the velcro on the polar fleece. On mine I had the seam on top and pinned the velcro on one side of the fleece near where the seam would be.
Make sure that the two sides of the velcro will stick to each other when you put the draft guard next to the door.
When you are sure it will work, stitch the velcro on, sew the long seam, either by hand or by machine. Insert the window shade and sew up the ends.
Stick it to the door by matching up the velcro on the door and the velcro on the guard.
I hope I've explained this well enough. We made it last year and other than the cats occasionally pulling it away from the door or someone kicking it so it comes off the velcro, it has worked very well.
Susan from ThriftyFun
We all have socks with mates that have disappeared in the big black hole where all socks go. Most people know that these unmatched socks make great dusters and cleaning rags but how about filling one tube sock with clean kitty litter and using it as a Draft stopper at the bottom of your door? One bag of cheap kitty litter costs about 3.00 bucks and can make many of these. These also can be used to block drafts on window sills in older homes as well.
Go to hardware store and buy 1/2 inch pipe insulator. It should be less than a dollar for 6 feet of foam insulator. Buy one for each door your going to do. Measure width of door and cut foam 1/2 inch less than that measurement.
Take a 30 gallon garbage bag. Place one cut piece of foam on long end side of bag and roll towards the middle. Tape down. Do the same with the other side, but before taping the second side make sure their is enough room to slip the stopper underneath the door so that each side of door will have insulator on it.
Tape edges so it will run smoothly over flooring. Tadah! Now you have paid $1 for something that would have cost $10 if you had bought on television!
By Emily from Erlanger, KY
Instead of spending money on cute little draft stoppers to place at the bottom of your doors, make your own. You can roll up a scatter rug for each door, and secure it with string or yarn. I have a collection of "rag" rugs that I use for this purpose. They are perfect, and easy to roll. When the draft stoppers are no longer needed, I cut the strings, wash the rugs, and save them for next year.
By Marie from West Dundee, IL
If you have doors or windows in your home that let in the cold winter air, here is a very simple draft stopper idea that I use. I purchased 1 yard of fleece fabric from the "bargain" table. This 36 inch length should work at any exterior door.
If this winter, you need to stop cold air from entering under your door, simply stick paper tape to the bottom edge of the door. Not under the door but simply on the inside edge of the door. . .
Slow down the cold drafts coming in through your doors with this easy craft.
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I want to make a door draft stopper. Any ideas? Thank you.
By Barbara from Union Mills, NC
Take a 4-5" wide strip of strong fabric and measure it about 3" longer than the width of the door. Sew the end shut and then down the length, double seamed. Fill with play sand, cat litter or something non-food, till about 4" from the end. Secure end and sew, by hand if you have to (the tube is kind of heavy by then). Lay it down in front of the door, molding the sand around the drafty bottom. When you don't need it, pick it up in the middle and the slack in sand will let you hang it over the knob.
Problem Solved!
Hope that helps.
PBP
Don't want to intrude to posts already here however I have found using sand eventually will flatten. Using cat litter is dusty. I have crocheted several of these and have used beans such as pinto beans. They are inexpensive and don't create dust nor flatten. They are heavy enough to stay put but light enough to move when needed. If you do not crochet, but sew, the dollar stores have inexpensive towels. Just sew those together and fill with beans. Let us know what you have tried and how it has worked out for you!
I made my door draft stopper out of foam pipe insulating, it comes in sticks and is fairly cheap.
I made mine to look like the ones they advertise on t.v. Just make a long rectngle the size to fit your door(I used a leg from an old pair of jeans) then sew straight down the middle to form two long "pockets" then cut your foam to fit your door,slide foam into pockets and slide onto bottom of door. It stays put when you open & close the door.
How can you make an effective door draft stopper for the sliding patio door?
By Joyce M
We have a problem with air coming in where the two doors join in the middle on our sliding glass door. I made a draft stopper using a hot water pipe insulation tube. I cut it to fit the length of the door track. It's round and stays in the track with no problem. I cut a smaller piece to fit where the door stop is. On that piece I cut the bottom so it will sit flat on the door stop. This stopped all of the draft of cold air coming in from that door.
If it was me, I'd try weatherstripping the whole thing really well with foam tape, then getting insulated curtains.
I saw somewhere that you can use pipe covers to make a draft snake. Something to put between the doors to cut down on drafts. Does anyone know how to make one? Thank you.
By Margie from Lake Orion, MI
Pipe covers come with a slit on one side. Just open the slit, 'cover' the bottom of the door with the pipe cover; close the door and the pipe cover will stop any air from coming in or leaving.
ThriftyFun is one of the longest running frugal living communities on the Internet. These are archives of older discussions.
Cut off a leg of a worn-out pair of men's jeans. Sew one end of the leg shut. Stuff it with towels and rags. Sew the other end shut (or use snaps/Velcro if you want it to be washable). (11/26/2005)
By M
I used to make a long tube out of old blue jean legs and then fill with sand. (11/29/2005)
By Linda
In an emergency. roll up towels and place on window sills. Have had 3 on window sill during the cold spell we had, it helped a lot. (11/30/2005)
By Annette from Maine
My mom made these from a rug (preferably one that matches the room)
by stitching the rug around several layers of newspapers that she placed evenly - so that when she rolled it - it was about the size of a softball in circumference - & stitch a loop on one end to hang it beside the door on a cup hook so it's out of the way when you need it less
Just cut whatever cloth you want to use a couple inches longer (or so) at each end.
lay it down & start layering the newspapers
then roll it & secure it while you stitch by hand or sew the tube first on the machine - then slide the rolled papers in --secure them with tape or rubber band or something so they stay rolled until you have it ready
but I like that the "jean leg" full of sand seems easier :)
(12/01/2005)
To keep out cold drafts from under a door, make a draft catcher. Just get a piece of flannel the width of the door, roll it into a tube and tie the ends and middle with some string the same color. Put it against the bottom of the door to block any cold air. This keeps your house warmer, and saves a lot on the heating bill.
By Laurie from Portland, OR
Because draft stoppers are so cumbersome to remove when you open and close the door, we made ours two-sided. We made two draft stoppers the usual way. Then we wrapped each one in a large piece of heavy duty garbage plastic. (We put one on each side and rolled them towards the middle, making a "U" shape.) We made sure that there was enough room to fit the door depth and taped them shut. Slip them under the door and we had a waterproof draft stopper we didn't have to wrestle with. I'm not too great at explaining, but this should a start in letting someone figure it out. (12/01/2009)
If you have drafts coming in from under your door, here's a quick and easy solution from items you already have on hand to make a draft stopper:
Take a bath towel or two, roll them up lengthwise, and tie with yarn, embroidery thread, or string, every few inches to secure. :-)
By Deeli from Richland, WA
I have made my own Draft Dodger by measuring my door and add 2-3 inches to the length and 9 inches wide. Cut a piece of fleece. Fold in half so you have a long tube. Sew twice across the bottom and up the long side. Turn right side out and fill with 'kitty litter', then sew the opening closed. No drafts from under the door! (01/27/2009)
By JoanDogs
Our dogs - especially our mutt - would dismantle anything we sewed, so we just end up tossing a shirt or something in the crucial spot. That way, when the dogs inevitably drag it away to chew on, we haven't wasted a lot of effort.
Stuff like this is too nice for us "doggie" folks, lol! (01/28/2009)
By JustPlainJo
I would like to know if anyone knows how to make a draft stopper that you can lay at the bottom of a drafty door. I have seen them out in some little craft shops, but I'm not sure what they are filled with. Thanks in advance.
Barb from Mountaindale, NY
I use a towel, I do a "ogroll" with the towel and secure it with rubber bands or tie ribbon along the roll. So if it gets dirty, just unroll and put in the washer. Easy to make without sewing.(12/23/2008)
By dixie35481
For interior doors such as the mud room to the house use a 1 and 1/2 inch insulation tube. you can get the insulation tube from the hardware store. Measure the door. Cut the tube. Slide the tube under the door. You now have a twin draft stopper! (01/01/2009)
By Elizabeth
I made mine with scrap fake fur and filled it with cat litter. (01/05/2009)
By Lily May
Cat litter, rice, beans, foam. I think I'd use the cat litter since it'd be cheaper than the rice or beans. I got the foam Idea from one I saw on TV where there were two tubes of fabric connected by a section of fabric.. the into the tubes were inserted foam dowels (for lack of a better term) this could all be trimmed to fit. Then you slip it under the door, one tube on either side and shut the door. It's nice.
(01/05/2009)
By Shosha
You can also fill with sand. (01/06/2009)
By mulberry204
