Removing metal strip in doorstep

[Grahamshed]

Hi all
I want to replace our backdoor frame with a new one. Part of doing that means I need to remove a metal strip ( presumably a draught excluder ) that is partially imbedded in the concrete doorstep. I have no way of knowing how deep this goes into the concrete or how to get it out without destroying the step which goes out sideways under the house wall brickwork.
I am guessing grinding it down would be possible but the spark shower in the confined space is quite disturbing
Anyone know how these are normally removed ?

 

[Racers]

Angle grinder and cutting disk would be easiest way, hacksaw the least sparky and time consuming way and would probably leave some to be ground off.

Pete

 

[AndyT]

I could be wrong but it sounds like a galvanised water bar. It's there to stop rain blowing in under the door. I think they are probably about an inch to an inch and a half wide and embedded half in the concrete. You might be able to drill round one end and get a crowbar underneath it, then lever it up, but that could leave you with a badly chipped step.

Can't you leave it there, doing its job and cut notches in your new doorframe to sit over it?

 

[powertools]

It will be there to stop water from coming through underneath the door and I would have thought that it is best left in place because you will still need one when you refit the door.

 

[wizard]

I pulled one out once, big mistake.

 

[Grahamshed]

I pulled one out once, big mistake.

Why ?

I agree it is probably there to stop water coming in but that is not an issue here. SWIMBO keep tripping over it is.

 

[wizard]

water and wind

 

[Grahamshed]

Cheers Wizard.
Water and wind will not be a problem as the back door opens into an 'outhouse' type affair with its own door.
I have been having a firk around with a chisel ( about twenty coats of stone paint ) and it looks as if the step has a 3/8 inch(isn) channel in it with the bar dropped into it and filled with cement much as AndyT said above.
I am wondering if a diamond cutter disk on the grinder will go down the side of the bar to the bottom of the chanel.

 

[AndyT]

I pulled one out once, big mistake.

Why ?

I agree it is probably there to stop water coming in but that is not an issue here. SWIMBO keep tripping over it is.

You ought to let her take her high heels off if she just wants to pop out to the back yard ... :lol:

 

[Grahamshed]

Hi Andy.
I see we have another Andy T just joined us ( just made a post about chucks ) perhaps you should say hello, this could get confusing

 

[DMF]

I am wondering if a diamond cutter disk on the grinder will go down the side of the bar to the bottom of the chanel.

Hi,

The multipurpose diamond blades with no slots in are designed to cut rebar as you find it in reinforced concrete so generally fine aiming them at something with metal included, if you have the type with slots in the answers no especially with small electric grinders (no slipper clutch), you could end up fracturing the blade or getting to the shrapnel wound stage which looks unpleasant from my observations on one previous co-worker.

Dean

 

[AndyT]

Hi Andy.
I see we have another Andy T just joined us ( just made a post about chucks ) perhaps you should say hello, this could get confusing

It's easy - I'm the properly dressed one, using capital letters when they are needed!

 

[Grahamshed]

I am wondering if a diamond cutter disk on the grinder will go down the side of the bar to the bottom of the chanel.

Hi,

The multipurpose diamond blades with no slots in are designed to cut rebar as you find it in reinforced concrete so generally fine aiming them at something with metal included, if you have the type with slots in the answers no especially with small electric grinders (no slipper clutch), you could end up fracturing the blade or getting to the shrapnel wound stage which looks unpleasant from my observations on one previous co-worker.

Dean

Ah, a very important consideration. Looking through Axminster though I can only find ones with slots in ( though some slots are bigger than others ) Any idea where to get unslotted disks from ?

 

[Grayo]

Hi Graham,

Are you going to incorporate a sill on your new door frame ??? if so wont this be higher than the metal strip. I had the very same a few years ago when I changed our back door and frame. What I did was to remove the concrete step altogether then when the new frame was fitted the rebate was left slightly higher than the floor level. By doing it this way I also had to drop the head which was no problem it just took a little boxing in.

 

[Grahamshed]

Hi Grayo
My first intent was to remove the whole doorstep because there is a gap between it and the 'outhouse' floor but how do you do that when the house is sitting on it ? It is like a lintel only at floor level.

 

[Grayo]

Hi Grayo
My first intent was to remove the whole doorstep because there is a gap between it and the 'outhouse' floor but how do you do that when the house is sitting on it ? It is like a lintel only at floor level.

It only goes into the side of the wall about 2 to 3 inches or at least mine did. I had a few bricks over the same as on the house so when the step was removed I just had to put a course of bricks for the hardwood sill to sit on. The house won't fall down around you if the step is removed. If you can take a picture and post it here I can offer better advice.

 

[Grahamshed]

Wife has just reminded me that the other reason we didn't try to take the step out is that the gas pipe for the cooker is running 1 inch under the kitchen floor right up against the edge of the doorstep ( as we discovered when removing the linotype tiles to lay proper floor tiles )

 

[Grayo]

That shouldn't be a problem providing you started from outside then gently worked around where the pipe is. Once the new frame and sill are in place a little cement to skim over any loose cement around the pipe and you should be fine.

 

[DMF]

Any idea where to get unslotted disks from ?

Sorry I meant multi purpose not general purpose which will probably help your search! Looking at a few online there are some slotted ones available now that state you can cut metal with them so maybe changed a bit the last few years, even so I won't be using them as I'd rather there wasn't an edge to catch if your using an electric. I use premier discs on all my cutters as in this type http://www.obas.com/pdp/multi-purpose-5-in-1-diamond-blade.html have performed very well but wasn't a brand choice just a mate got some packs of 20 and offered me a couple for each grinder, also just the first image I found of them - other suppliers are available and cheaper I'm sure!

Dean

Edit: senior moment I did say multi purpose at the start lol Thought I must of got it wrong if you couldn't find any!

 

[ColeyS1]

Id try some molegrips first then get a crowbar between the concrete and molegrip jaws. Or drill a hole and poke through a rod and lever that each side- it might work

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