You could use something like Minwax's High Performance Wood Filler to make the repairs. Basically you'd fill the area and the sand it to match the existing contours.

The gap between the casing and jamb can be filled with painter's caulk and then painted.

Another vote for the Minwax High Performance Wood Filler

I have used it to restore doors with holes from dead bolts (yes, on interior doors), to repair the case molding that was cut for the surface mounted strike, and on window muntins damaged by the lock on double hung windows (lock on the lower sash moved to the locked position as the window was opened because the flat spring designed to hold it had broken).

If you catch it when it is mostly set but not hardened completely you can use sharp chisels to shave away most of the excess, then after it hardens completely use sandpaper to make it level and smooth.

Under a coat of paint you cannot tell tere was ever any damage.

Good to know it can be fixed securely. I was concerned those edge chips on the casing wouldn't be strong and would just chip off again. Maybe that's with regular fill.

I would think it would have been easier with better results to have leveled and fixed the jam damage before putting the casing back on. Before or after is just fine? Looks very sloppy way of doing things to me.

I'm not sure why they took it off to begin with. The guy who did it years ago had done a really nice job. Very frustrating to see things get beat up.

:I would think it would have been easier with better results to have leveled and fixed the jam damage before putting the casing back on. Before or after is just fine? Looks very sloppy way of doing things to me. "

A lot depends on what you have more of, money or time.

It would seem easier to have done it when the pieces were separate because all is easy to reach to smooth out and work with. It still needs to be done. They waste so darn much time that there's plenty of that around to be better spent on doing a good job. They are also being paid by the hour. If I'm paying a lot for something I expect it to be well done. Maybe it will look fine and hold up over time. I don't know. Their drywall work is done in that room and is also lumpy. It looks pretty bad when the light hits it. I guess if there's a choice, spend a little more time making it look good or save money, the choice is mine. My money, my house.

You could have payed for new materials.

Check the thread linked below for some good instructions on how to remove casings without gouging them like this.

If your casings are now installed with nails, what I would do is use Brickeyee's method for removing them again, do the repairs on jambs and casings, and then re-install them to your satisfaction.

Filling between jamb and casing is an option if the gaps bother you, but has to be scraped off and redone any time the casings are removed.

Karin L

Here is a link that might be useful: How not to damage jambs and casings

Thanks. That's true, should have just been replaced. I'm guessing it was glued on originally. There are no set nails now so it seems to have been glued back on.

They make things so much more difficult than need be.

"That's true, should have just been replaced. I'm guessing it was glued on originally. "

That could easily increase the force needed to remove the molding resulting in damage (and even splitting of the molding if they used a strong glue).

That's what I thought. It looks to have been glued on so probably resulted in that type of damage. I wasn't thinking they were careless taking it off. It does look to me like the damage should have been addressed before re-gluing it in order to work efficiently overall and get good end results that will hold up over time. I do know that they were rushing that day.

Now they're rushing again. Applying casing over walls that still need drywall repair (patching holes from jam removal). The holes go underneath the casing. I don't see how that will be easy to accomplish or do a neat job with the trim being in the way now.

Why waste the money on a bad repair or one I'll have to go back in and do it myself anyway. That's not why they're here.

When they're done and it doesn't look so good, they get to get paid again doing it all over. They're by the hour and frequently manage to need to do things multiple times.

I am not in charge, obviously, but am the one here to see what goes on and common sense tells me this is not efficient or will it give good results. But I am not a construction worker.