14 Different Types of Weatherstripping to Keep Mother Nature Out

Weatherstripping is a strip that goes around windows, doors, and garages to keep Mother Nature out of your home. It keeps the temperature outside at bay, prevents snow or rain from entering, and helps seal air leaks to help prevent HVACs from overworking. However, choosing the best type of weather stripping starts with where you’re going to put it.

Whether you’re planning to DIY replacement weather stripping or hire a pro for the job, here are 14 types o weatherstripping to consider.

1. Tension Seal
Tension seals are one of the most common types of weather stripping. You might also find this type of weather stripping called a “V Strip.” This type of weatherstripping is typically made out of vinyl, aluminum, bronze, and stainless steel.

You’ll typically find this type of seal around the tip and sides of a door or sliding window. A tension seal generally is “invisible” in the sense that, unless you’re looking for it, you won’t find it on a door. It’s also easy to install and relies on a peel-and-stick method.

There are downsides to tension seals, though. They tend to increase the difficulty of opening the door, and they also require a flat surface for proper installation.

You should choose tension seals for most doors and sliding windows in the home, as they tend to fare the best at creating a seal to prevent drafts.

2. Felt
Felt weatherstripping is made up of a flexible metal strip. Rather than the peel-and-stick method, you’ll instead need to use staples or glue to put the felt into place. You’ll typically only use this weather stripping for the side of the door where it’s connected to the hinges.

While relatively inexpensive compared to a tension seal, it requires constant replacing. Opening and closing doors repeatedly causes the flexible metal strip to bend and stop, preventing a draft relatively easily.

3. Reinforced Foam
Reinforced foam is another fairly common weatherstripping. This type of weatherstripping will go at the bottom of a door or window, which means you’re likely to pair this one with another type. It’s made up of closed-cell foam to prevent any weather from entering your home.

For reinforced foam, you need to saw the material first and then nail it into the area. This does create quite a bit of durability and tends to fare well against even the highest winds. Because of the material, though, it does tend to stick out like a sore thumb.

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