Cold air sneaking under doors can make even the coziest home feel chilly, but thick plastic weather-stripping can instantly dampen your decor.
Luckily, there are smarter, better-looking ways to keep drafts out that last longer, too, so you can keep warm without compromising on style.
These are the experts’ favorite ways to draft-proof doors without ugly strips and make heating more efficient this winter.
How to Draft-Proof Doors Without Ugly Strips
1. Install a Drop-down Door Sealer
Drop down sealers are ideal for exterior doors.
One of the best long-term solutions to draft-proofing your home is to install drop-down door sealers, available at Amazon.
Alice Moszczynski, a New York-based Interior Designer at Planner 5D, explains, ‘A drop-down door sealer is an elegant way to block drafts without adding bulky strips or visible hardware. It’s a concealed mechanism installed within the bottom of the door that automatically lowers a seal when the door closes, creating a tight fit against the threshold to keep out air and noise.’
While these can be installed yourself on the exterior of your door, for a hidden, sleek look, it is best to call a pro, Alice says.
‘Your contractor may need to rout a channel into the door, so it’s important to know they’re experienced with this type of fitting to guarantee a smooth result,' she explains. 'Make sure your installer is comfortable with this.’
2. Use Stylish Draft Excluders
Draft excluders are a quick, affordable way to block drafts.
Whether you are draft-proofing a living room or draft-proofing a bedroom, a humble draft excluder is a quick fix that doesn’t have to dampen your decor.
Jonathan Palley, CEO of Clever Tiny Homes, shares, ‘Draft blocking bolsters are another simple solution, especially in older homes. You can make these yourself if you're crafty,' especially as arts and crafts decor is making a comeback for 2025, or, alternatively, buy them.
'Most modern ones are easy to cut to size for any door,' adds Jonathan.
All prices were correct at the time of publication.
Available in various sizes from 70 to 200 cm, this timeless design not only enhances your decor but also provides excellent draft-blocking performance with its weighted construction.
Featuring a richly detailed tapestry fabric, this draft stopper is perfect for adding a touch of flair while keeping your home cozy. Its weighted or hollow fibre filling options make it ideal for blocking drafts on wooden floors.
This excluder is easy to install for a tight seal. Simply stick the hook and loop fastener to your door and attach the door draft stopper.
3. Seal the Door Frame
Sealing around the door will block drafts and pests.
As with sealing window gaps to stop cold air leaks, you can seal the areas around your doorframe to prevent cold-air transfer, Alice continues.
‘Before adding any trim or strip, inspect where the door meets the frame, and seal any tiny gaps between the door and jamb or uneven surfaces, which often leak air. Use paintable silicone or a specialty exterior sealant to fill hairline cracks between any trim, frame, and the underlying structure.
‘I’ve used the 3M Marine Adhesive Polyurethane Sealant from The Home Depot to great effect in my home – I am located at the beach and I need the extra protection.’
4. Layer Doors
A storm door has the added benefit of protecting against adverse weather, too.
Storm doors, available at The Home Depot, are not just a home upgrade to prepare a house for extreme weather. Jonathan says they can also help draft-proof an entryway.
He explains, ‘Layering your doors is another key here. If you don't have a glass storm door, you should get one. This makes a huge difference in terms of drafts as well as the lifespan of your door.’
Plus, you have the added bonus of preparing a house for hurricane season. It’s a win-win in terms of home investments.
5. Opt for Decorative Strips
Opt for decorative strips to make solutions look intentional.
If you are still struggling to fix a drafty door with large gaps, Alice concludes, ‘The alternative is to lean into the more visible solutions – make them cute! Get a nice brass door sweep like this one from Amazon. Make the fixes look intentional.’
This decorative door sweep helps to block drafts and pests while looking like an intentional part of your home design.
Home Draft-Proofing Essentials
It isn't just doors that need draft-proofing to protect your home against cold air and high energy bills.
Weather stripping applies around the edges of your doors and windows to form a tighter seal in the frame, reducing air transfer for a warmer home.
This product applies crystal clear to add an extra thermal layer to window panes, helping to make heating more efficient for a warmer home.
Insulating foam expands on application to fill gaps up to one inch in size, preventing air transfer for a warmer home.
This large room air purifier cleans rooms up to 1,000 sq ft in one hour, helping to keep your home's air clean and flowing when you block up drafts and close windows for winter.
This ENERGY STAR Certified smart thermostat allows you to control your heating from anywhere, setting smart routines to keep your home warm without wasting energy.
Window condensation strips efficiently absorb moisture forming on windows, preventing drips that could damage sills, walls, or floors. They keep interiors dry and tidy, effortlessly tackling damp.
Meet the Experts
Alice Moszczynski is an Interior Designer at Planner 5D, where she strives to create transformative spaces for her clients. Alice has worked under acclaimed architects and designers such as Groves & Co, Thom Filicia, and Sandra Nunnerley in New York. Alice holds a degree in Interior Architecture from the Rhode Island School of Design and is NCIDQ certified.
Jonathan's goal with Clever Tiny Homes is to use his experiences at the highest levels of design, construction, technology and manufacturing to deliver incredible homes at highly affordable prices.
Of course, it always helps to lean into curtain ideas, adding in thermal drapes over doors to help keep cold air out and warm air in. It’s also one of the lazy fall decorating tricks that can instantly make a house feel cozier, too.
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