Look at the bottom of most timber front doors and you'll spot a shaped strip running across the foot of the door. It has a name — a weather bar — and a real job to do. It's one of the smallest parts of an entrance and one of the easiest to overlook, but on an exposed door it earns its keep every time it rains. Here's what a weather bar is, what it actually does, whether your door needs one, and how to fit and finish it.
What is a weather bar?
A weather bar is a shaped strip — usually timber on a wooden door — fixed low across the face of an external door. Its angled profile throws rainwater outwards and clear of the threshold, so water runs off the door rather than trickling down and pooling at the vulnerable bottom edge. You'll also see it called a rain deflector, a storm bar or simply a weatherbar — different names for the same part doing the same job. It's a small addition that makes a real difference to how well a timber door copes with British weather.
What does a weather bar do?
Three things, really. It deflects rain away from the threshold so water doesn't collect where the door meets the frame. It protects the bottom of the door — the end grain along the base is the part most likely to soak up water and, over time, to swell, stain or rot — by keeping the worst of the weather off it. And it helps keep draughts and water from working their way underneath, so the entrance stays that bit drier and warmer. On a door that faces the prevailing wind and rain, that protection adds years to the life of the timber.
Weather bar or rain deflector — and is it the same as a draught seal?
"Weather bar" and "rain deflector" are two names for the same thing, so don't be thrown if you see both — they describe the strip fixed across the face of the door. What's worth separating out is the threshold seal (or draught excluder) at the very bottom of the opening: that closes the gap between the door and the cill. The two work together rather than instead of each other — the weather bar throws the rain clear on the outside, and the seal closes the gap beneath. A well-set-up external door often has both, which is why a weather bar sits so naturally alongside a proper external door frame with its cill and seal at the threshold.
Do you need a weather bar?
Not every door has to have one, but some really benefit. A weather bar is well worth fitting if your door is a timber external door (the material that most needs protecting at the base), if it's exposed to driving wind and rain with little or no porch or canopy over it, or if it's a hard-working front or back door that takes the weather day in, day out. A door that's well sheltered under a deep porch needs one less. If in doubt, fitting a weather bar is a cheap, low-risk way to protect a much more expensive door — it's easy to add and easy to renew. It suits a front, back or stable door equally; you can see the full timber range on our external doors page.
Oak or hardwood?
A timber weather bar should match the door it protects, so it's made in the same woods. Oak gives the warm grain to sit with an oak door, and hardwood offers the same protection at everyday value; the profile you choose is mostly about the look of your door. Our range covers four:
| Weather bar | Profile | Size (trims to fit) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oak | Standard | 900 × 45 × 50mm | Solid oak, to match an oak door |
| Contemporary Oak | Clean, modern | 915 × 60 × 40mm | Newer and contemporary doors |
| Traditional Oak | Classic | 915 × 60 × 40mm | Period and cottage doors |
| Hardwood | Traditional | 915 × 55 × 38mm | Great-value protection on any timber door |
Whichever profile suits your door, all four trim to size and fit the same way.
Fitting and finishing a weather bar
A weather bar is one of the simpler jobs on a door. It comes a little over-length and trims to size to match your door width, then fixes across the lower face of the door so its angled edge sheds water outward. The one step not to skip is finishing: like the door itself, a timber weather bar is supplied unfinished and should be sealed on all faces — including the cut ends and the back — with a suitable exterior wood treatment before you fit it, then re-treated along with the door every year or two. Sealing it to match means it weathers at the same rate as the door and keeps doing its job for years.
Frequently asked questions
What is a weather bar on a door?
A weather bar is a shaped strip fixed across the lower face of an external door. Its angled profile throws rainwater clear of the threshold, protecting the bottom edge of the door and helping keep water and draughts from getting underneath.
Is a weather bar the same as a rain deflector?
Yes. "Weather bar", "rain deflector", "storm bar" and "weatherbar" are all names for the same part — the strip across the foot of the door that deflects rain away from the threshold.
Do I need a weather bar on my door?
It's well worth it on a timber external door that's exposed to wind and rain, or a front or back door with little shelter over it. A door under a deep porch needs one less. It's a cheap, easy way to protect a much more expensive door.
Is a weather bar the same as a threshold seal?
No — they do different jobs and work together. The weather bar deflects rain on the outside of the door; the threshold seal or draught excluder closes the gap between the door and the cill underneath. Many external doors have both.
Should I choose an oak or hardwood weather bar?
Match it to your door. Oak suits an oak door and comes in standard, contemporary and traditional profiles; hardwood gives the same protection at better value. Both are timber, trim to size, and need sealing before fitting.
A weather bar is a small part with a big return: a few pounds and a few minutes of fitting to protect the most vulnerable edge of a door that costs far more to replace. Browse the full range in oak and hardwood on our weather bar page — and if you'd like a hand matching one to your door, our team is happy to help.
Related reads
| How to weatherproof your doors | The full picture on keeping weather out of an external door. |
| How to treat external wood doors | Sealing and protecting timber — including the weather bar. |
| Guide to door frame materials | Choosing the frame and cill that sit at the threshold. |
