- A doorjamb is the vertical portion of a door frame to which a door is secured. There are two door jambs for most doors--a left (rear) and a right (front) door jamb. A door jamb is a fixed part that provides slots for any locking mechanisms that a door might have, such as deadbolts and standard key locks. When a door is locked, the locking mechanism bolt inserts into a recessed area on the front door jamb.
- A door jamb provides attachments for the door hinges. When a door is installed, there are normally two hinges - an upper hinge and a lower hinge. Both the upper and lower hinges bolt directly onto the door jamb. The door jamb provides a solid, immovable base for the door to anchor to.
- By providing a solid base to anchor a door to, door jambs make it possible to install a variety of hinged door mechanisms, all of which allow a door to be opened to varying degrees. A door hinge rotates and moves while the door jamb holds the hinge firmly in place.
- No matter how big or strong a door lock, the overall strength and integrity of a door is highly dependent on the strength and integrity of the door jambs. A heavy-duty, reinforced door jamb will be able to withstand much more force or pressure than a cheap, low-grade door jamb. When force is applied to a door that is locked, the stress is transferred directly to the part that is holding the door lock in place--the door jamb. Strong door jambs make for strong doors.
