Replacing Door Jamb

10 years ago

We just took possession of a new (to us) home.
One of the first things I began doing was replacing the main door hardware, and deadbolt.

This was to rekey, update the look for my wife, and attempt to make the door operate easier.

As I disassembled the existing system, I discovered that the reason why the door was difficult to latch was that the existing hardware had been cobbled into place, most likely last time they changed the locks.

So, the area where the plates attach are pretty beat up, and cracking. I tried one of those 'universal' attachments which is a metal 'L' screwed over the area, but I don't like the way it functions, as the catch openings are too sloppy.

If I want to replace the jamb and start over, should I remove the whole strike side, or cut out a section to replace?

I see both methods online (usually after the door was kicked in) but not sure which would be easiest to match.

I don't know if the putty and redrill method would work, due to the extent of the cracking and suck, but perhaps that should be the first attempt prior to full replacement?

Comments (2)

snoonyb
10 years ago
This is what I've done.
From the center of the two locks or lockset, mark at least 9" above and below and strike a level lime to the door stop. Remove the interior molding W/O disturbing the paint joint.
Using a sawzall or a multi-tool cut opposing horizontal 45's through the jamb, to the stop and an inset 45 along the stop to join the three cuts, remove the damaged piece.

Purchase a header piece of fur jamb stock an cut it to fit and using some warmed hide glue, butter up all mating surfaces, insert the new piece, tightly vertically schimm, remove the excess glue, allow to dry, replace the interior trim, cut, drill for and set the lock strikes.
jonw9
Original Author
10 years ago
Thank you.

I ended up being able to use the existing holes. I tried moving the upper hing in with longer screws, and chiseling out the mortise. What ended up helping the most was shimming out the bottom hing further.

This should suffice until we can replace the whole door, which is apparently tweaked.
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