A Shed Door Drip Cap Will Protect The Top Of Your Shed Door And Throw The Rain Clear

Keep rain away from the top of your shed door

The top of a shed door is one of the places we often find neglected on repair jobs. Shed doors and their frames move with the weather, and the exposed end grain at the top of the door boards can repeatedly get wet. A gap above the door can also let wind-driven rain into the shed.

Some sheds have a timber cap above the door, but a flat or damaged strip may do little to direct water away from the opening. Others have no cap at all. Our folded steel drip cap is designed to project beyond the door and throw water clear of its top edge and the gap above it.

It is an upgrade for a new shed with an inadequate drip, a replacement for a worn timber cap, or a useful addition to a shed that never had one. It is made from galvanised, plastisol-coated steel and fabricated in the UK.

An extra-long door cap protecting a pair of double doors

How the drip cap helps

The cap carries water arriving above the doorway towards a positive folded drip edge. That edge helps water drop clear instead of tracking back under the metal and towards the door. In the intended fitting position, it projects approximately 40 mm beyond the face of the closed door, with a length that extends beyond the sides of many single shed doors.

It protects this particular part of the opening; it cannot cure a leaking roof, rotten frame, poor fit around the sides or water entering under the door. If these faults are present, they need to be addressed as well.

Will The Shed Door Cap fit your shed?

The cap is 900 mm long. Measure the width you want to shelter, including the door opening and any exposed edge of the frame. Check that the cap reaches beyond both sides of the area you want to protect. It needs sound timber above the doorway for the fixings, room to fit its 30 mm upright leg, and enough clearance for the door to open freely.

It can be used above either an outward-opening or an inward-opening door: in both cases, the aim is to protect the top of the door and the gap above it. The exact position depends on the frame and cladding. Look at the section drawing and fitted photographs before ordering, particularly if the cladding is deeply profiled or the door frame projects well forward of the wall.

For a double door or an opening wider than 900 mm, this standard cap may be too short. If you are unsure, measure the opening and take front and side photographs so we can check the detail.

End view of shed door cap, showing how it protects and shelters the top of the door and the over-door gap

Product details

• Material: 0.7 mm galvanised steel with a plastisol coating.
• Finish: Anthracite on the weathering face; grey on the underside.
• Length: 900 mm.
• Profile: 30 mm upright leg and a projecting section with a folded drip edge.
• Fixings: Four 25 mm black, exterior-grade pan-head wood screws are supplied.
• Pack contents: One drip cap, four screws and fitting instructions. Sealant is not included.
• Manufacture: Fabricated in the UK. Cut edges are deburred.

How to fit the cap

1. Check where the water is coming from. Repair any leak in the roof or wall above the door before fitting the cap.


2. Offer it up. Centre the cap over the opening, check that its drip edge is forward of the closed door and open the door fully to check clearance.


3. Mark and pre-drill the fixing holes. The proposed four screw positions are approximately 50 mm and 300 mm from each end. Check that each position will fix into sound timber and follow the fitting instructions supplied with the finished cap.


4. Fix and check. Fit the four supplied screws without distorting the metal. Check that the junction with the wall sheds water; where sealant is needed for that junction, provide a suitable exterior sealant. Pour a little water above the cap to confirm it falls clear of the door opening.

The door cap is held in place by four 25mm long, pan head, outdoor wood screws

Order your shed door drip cap

The 900 mm shed door drip cap costs £14.82 including VAT and delivery. Delivery is available to UK destinations excluding the Highlands and Islands, with an estimated delivery time of four to five days from ordering.

Shed Door Drip Cap - 900mm long £14.82 (UK Only) Protect the top of your shed door and opening from driven rain

Common questions

Will this make my shed door completely waterproof?

No. The cap helps with water reaching the top of the door. The sides and threshold still need a good fit, and the roof and wall above the door must be sound.

Do I need to cut it to length?

The standard 900 mm length is intended to span many single shed doors with some cover at either side. Measure first: if it does not extend beyond the area you need to protect, it is too short. There is normally no need to trim it simply to match the width of the door.

Will it work above an inward-opening door?

Yes, provided the cap can be fixed to sound timber and positioned so that it protects the top of the door and the gap above it. Check the frame and wall detail against the fitting photographs.

Need more help with the door or the shed?

If the timber above the door is already soft, the door has dropped or rain is entering from several places, have a look at our shed repair service. John and Simon undertake repairs and construction around Tunbridge Wells and nearby parts of West Kent and East Sussex. The drip cap can be posted anywhwere in the UK, whether or not you live near our repair service.

You can also browse the shed hardware shop for other useful parts for shed doors, floors and security.