During Spring Break I will be laying hardwood flooring in my house. Since both entrances will be covered with hardwood, I'll be damned if people are going to wear shoes in my house. I want a place for people to take off their shoes. In a couple of years I will be restructuring my garage's roof and will be constructing a proper mudroom. However, I need something to hold me over until then.

Looking at the picture below, my plan is to erect 2x4 walls at the sides of my breezeway. Where the walls meet the concrete slab, I will use pressure treated lumber and caulk. I know this will not be water proof but I'm just trying to keep as much water out as possible. I will add gutters to the breezeway to help keep water away from the bottom of the walls.

Do you guys have any other ideas to help keep water out?

Where's the picture?

Pic Added... sorry.

One question I see here

How is the person supposed to take off and put on their shoes if there is no place to sit down to do this?

Also what are you going to use as a roof to keep this area free from rain, snow?

The space is very small, I know this... that's why it's only temporary. I guess I was thinking of it as more of protection from the elements when someone is standing and taking their shoes off. I know it is far from perfect, but I'm just trying to protect my new hardwood floors.

So another question. How are you going to expect someone to stand up in the elements and remove their shoes hopping around on one foot while getting drenched?

Can't you do some arrangement inside the door instead? This would make more sense to me.

Also new wood floors are great and all but don't expect everyone who comes into your home to walk on their hands just because you have new wood floors. Ain't going to happen.

I've had wood floors in many of my homes and once they are properly installed, you don't have to keep people off the floors. Just keep the floors clean.

Also, you need to have the proper inside entrance rugs to absorb the snow, rain, mud, etc. Those rugs are cheap and easily found at the doityourself stores for under $50. Easily cleaned via vacuum cleaner or hosed down outside.

I wouldn't keep people off the new floors. They are easy to refinish if necessary down the road.

I know it's probably going to be a lot of elbow grease for you to put them down, but I don't think you'll have too many repeat visitors to your home if you insist on everyone walking on their hands when they come and visit you! LOL

So another question. How are you going to expect someone to stand up in the elements and remove their shoes hopping around on one foot while getting drenched?

Visitors would not be out in the elements. The breezeway has a roof and I want to close in the sides. No one would be wet once inside the small "mudroom." As it is, when people come into the house from either entrance, they have to stand up and take their shoes off. I have a very small Cape Cod home.


Can't you do some arrangement inside the door instead? This would make more sense to me.

When it's raining or snowing, I don't want people coming in the front door. The back door leads into a small kitchen, which will also have hardwood flooring.


Also new wood floors are great and all but don't expect everyone who comes into your home to walk on their hands just because you have new wood floors. Ain't gonna happen.

I don't want people to walk on their hands or on eggshells for that matter. Hell, they can breakdance on the floors as far as I'm concerned... just as long as they have their shoes off.

You have raised some good things for me to think about, but part of my original question still remains. I know that caulk on the bottom of pressure treated lumber will not keep the elements out for long. Structurally, can you think of anything I can do to hold back the elements until I can restructure the roof and put down a proper foundation to the room?