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kiki_girl

Reshape interior doorway?

kiki_girl
13 years ago

So we are buying a house that has interior doorways (no doors, just pass throughs) that I hate. The corners are clipped at the top so instead of being normal 3 sided rectangular openings, there are short diagonal pieces connecting each leg to the top. I am wondering how to change these to normal rectangles. I know I'd remove all the trim, cut away the extra corner and re trim. But What kind of trim hoes inside the opening? Not the casing surrounding but the flat part in the opening? I am not sure if I can DIY this...

Comments (6)

  • Jon1270
    13 years ago

    That "flat part in the opening" is called the jamb. It depends on how these were built, but my guess is that you'll have to replace the entire jamb.

  • kiki_girl
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    HA! I was fairly sure that was referred to as the jamb, but since it's not an actual door just an opening I did not want to use the term incorrectly, so thank you.

    Where will I find the materials for the jamb? Do I have to cut it from lumber or is there standard sized pre-fab stuff out there. Sigh... sounds like I will be finding a trim carpenter. Which will probably make the job too expensive and so I will have to live with them. Which is unfortunate to put it mildly.

  • brickeyee
    13 years ago

    "Where will I find the materials for the jamb? "

    Plain old 1x lumber ripped to the correct width is all you meed.
    The casing trim covers the joint between the edge of the jamb and the finished wall.

    Depending on the age of the house and the wall type it could be easy.

    Older plaster walls may have used metal forms the plaster was applied over to create the shape.

    Cut plaster. remove forms, repair plaster.
    A little messy but not that hard (unless you have textured plaster walls).

    Drywall walls can be shaped like this in many ways, but there will be a header over the opening.

    You just demo the corner wedges and then repair any wall damage that will not be covered with jamb or casing trim.

  • sombreuil_mongrel
    13 years ago

    You can buy standard-2x4-wall-thickness "jamb packs" at many lumberyards. They are 4 5/8 (4 9/16?) width. The material can either be pre-primed FJ wood or stain grade clear pine. The material is a little less than 3/4" thick and the tops or the side jambs are already rabetted; all you have to do is trim the head piece to length (it comes 36")
    In the old days they sold 1x5 stock for this purpose; now you would have to rip down your own jamb stock from a 1x6, or whatever width is most efficient to use. It helps immensely if the stock you buy is straight in all directions. Warped, bowed or twisted stock is very hard to get a nice opening with.
    Casey

  • brickeyee
    13 years ago

    "You can buy standard-2x4-wall-thickness "jamb packs" at many lumberyards."

    Works fine if you want to install a door (the jamb has stops).

    If you just want to trim out the opening smooth rip some 1x.

  • sombreuil_mongrel
    13 years ago

    Jamb pack we get are flat stock, rabetted at one end for head. "standard" 82" length
    Casey