How to Replace a Interior Door Jamb
The jamb is the inside frame of the door. Interior door jambs have three major pieces: the header, or top horizontal member, and the two side jambs that run vertically from the floor up to the jamb header. Door opening frames are typically constructed 1 inch wider and 1/2 inch taller than the outside dimension of the door jamb. To attach the jamb, wedge shaped spacers, called shims, are fitted between the outside of the jamb and the frame, then nailed in place. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Pry bar
- Locking pliers
- Hammer
- Cold chisel
- Reciprocating saw
- Prefab jamb kit
- Shims
- Nails
- Level
- Finish nails
- Painter's caulk or wood filler
- Touch up paint or stain
Instructions
-
-
1
Pry the vertical door trim, known as casing, away from the wall with a flat pry bar. Remove both side pieces and the top piece of casing on both faces of the jamb. Pull the nails through the casing from the back with locking pliers to prevent damage to the face and set it aside to reuse.
-
2
Knock the shims from between the jamb and frame with a cold chisel and hammer. Cut the nails attaching the jamb to the frame with a reciprocating saw. Lay the jamb down and remove it from the opening.
-
-
3
Purchase a prefab jamb kit that has door stop attached and notches cut in the side jambs for the header. Cut the header to the same width as the original jamb header with a circular saw. The side jamb height will be standard for an 80-inch doorway, which is typical, and will not need cutting. Glue and nail the header between the two side jambs, with its ends fitted into the notches supplied. The three pieces will now form an open-ended rectangle.
-
4
Stand the jamb in the opening and wedge shims between the jamb header above the hinge side jamb and the frame header to hold it in place. Drive a single nail up through the jamb header and shims into the frame above.
-
5
Place a level against the edge of the jamb and adjust the bottom in or out to level it. Add shims behind the bottom corner of the hinge side jamb and nail through the jamb and shims into the frame.
-
6
Realign the door casing with the new jamb and nail in place with a hammer using one finish nail every 8 to 10 inches. Fill the nail holes with painter's caulk, for painted surfaces, or wood filler, for stain. Apply a touch up coat of stain or paint with an artist brush to blend the nail holes into the wood work.
-
1
References
- Photo Credit cold chisel image by Aleksandr Ugorenkov from Fotolia.com
