How to Repair a Kicked-in Door Jamb
Accidents can easily happen, especially to busy adults. It is easy to rush the kids off to school, run to the car for work and forget to grab your house key in all the confusion. A person might also have gone for a jog and left the keys sitting on the kitchen counter. In this situation, one’s choices are to either break a window or attempt to kick down a door. The latter of these two options may force you to repair the door jamb. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Utility knife
- Screwdriver
- 5-in-1 painter's tool
- Pry bar
- 80-grit sandpaper
- 2-part wood epoxy
- Putty knife
- Screws
- Paper towel
- Nails
- Hammer
- Caulk
- Caulk gun
Instructions
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1
Create a break in the seam that lies between the door jamb and the trim with a utility knife, being careful not to damage the paint on the wall in the process.
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2
Loosen the screws in the strike plate, using a screwdriver, and remove it from the door.
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3
Loosen the trim from the wall with a 5-in-1 painter’s tool.
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4
Pull the entire piece of trim away from the wall with a pry bar, taking care to not damage the trim or the paint.
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5
Pry out any grit from the cracked, damaged area with the painter’s tool. Create a rough surface over this area with 80-grit sandpaper.
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6
Prepare the two-part wood epoxy according to the package directions. Place a layer of epoxy into the cracks with a putty knife.
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7
Place screws into the door jamb, using a screwdriver, to help hold the damaged area together.
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8
Remove any excess epoxy with a paper towel. Sand the area with 80-grit sandpaper after the epoxy has dried completely, which could take several hours.
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9
Place the strike plate back into place and screw it into the wall with screws that are long enough to keep the door jamb anchored to the wall stud below.
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10
Reattach the trim with nails and a hammer. Place a bead of caulk between the wall and the door jamb, using a caulk gun.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Wear work gloves, safety goggles and a facemask for this project.
