How To Repair A Busted Door Jamb

Dan is a licensed electrician and has been a homeowner for 40 years. He has nearly always done his ain repair and comeback tasks.

Door Frame Repair

I got a call from my son yesterday most how to fix a broken door frame—it seems that one of the children had run into the door difficult enough to break the door frame and he wanted to know how to get most repairing the harm. Upon arrival, I institute that the striker plate had been driven out of the frame and a good-sized slice of the forest had been split off also. Luckily the sheetrock wall was undamaged and we would not have to repair any holes in the drywall, but in that location was no way to hold the door closed even though the door was still hung and undamaged. We decided to simply replace the broken frame rather than try to glue it back together.

Step One: Removal of the Damaged Frame

The commencement step was to remove the quondam frame on the side where it was carve up. The top and hinge side of the frame were still in practiced status, so our work would be limited to the latch side of the frame. Luckily, the molding was as well in skilful condition and would non have to be replaced, but information technology would have to be removed to remove the door frame, and we started there.

We began by carefully prying off the molding with a small-scale crowbar. We wanted to re-use this piece and therefore took a good deal of intendance not to splinter or break it - it was held in place with long pocket-sized brads or staples and came off quite easily. The molding on the inside of the door was already gone (knocked off past the children) but was still in good shape with only i minor nick on one edge.
The adjacent step was to remove the door frame on the latch side, and this proved a footling more difficult. Carpeting had been laid around the door frame and it was not just a affair of prying off the frame; the acme end was nailed to the top piece of frame and the bottom was cached in carpet.

Nosotros decided to remove the door end first to be sure nosotros didn't damage information technology. This is a pocket-sized piece of wood attached to the frame, or sometimes function of information technology, that the door comes upwards confronting when airtight. Ours was attached with long brads once more and we hands pried it off without damaging information technology and set up information technology aside for re-use.
The door frame had shims betwixt it and the studding behind it and we were also conscientious to save these shims for re-employ. These shims are at that place to correct any slanted or warped framing and to make the opening exactly the right size; they are thus quite necessary and they were left just every bit we plant them.
Every bit the door frame itself was ruined we simply pried out the center area, bowing the frame piece until it would come up free of the carpet at the bottom. We constitute the very top to be nailed into the pinnacle frame piece but were able to remove the side slice without dissentious the i on the top, which we left in place. We didn't intermission the door frame during removal, only if we had it wouldn't have mattered as we had already purchased some other one.

Removal of the Broken Door Frame

Inside molding was broken off previously.

Inside molding was cleaved off previously.

Stride 2: Fixing the Door Frame

The next pace was to install the new door frame and re-install the molding and doorstop. The new door frame (or "jamb") we purchased was very slightly shorter, which worked only fine, stopping but short of the subfloor. It was nonetheless long plenty to extend down but into the carpet, but not so long as to exist difficult to work into place.

Nosotros held it firmly in place, making sure information technology was flush with the finished wall on each side, and nailed through the frame and shims into the studding behind. We used two nails at each shim and added a couple more between shims while being careful not to drive them so far they would bend the frame.
The doorstop was next; we carefully aligned the top end with the doorstop on the top of the door frame and then closed the door and lightly pressed the lesser terminate of the doorstop against the door. Holding the doorstop firmly confronting the frame, the door was again opened and the cease nailed onto the door frame using finishing nails. Nosotros found the doorstop to be slightly warped, but by nailing top and bottom we were then able to curve the stop into the again closed door so that it followed the door all the way down and then nail the center area. Six nails were sufficient to hold the stop to the frame quite well.
Side by side was the new strike plate. With the door closed just to the bespeak that the strike touched the door, nosotros marked the center of the strike on the edge of the door frame and transferred the mark to the face of the frame. Conscientious measurement found the middle of the strike on the frame with the door closed and a 3/4" hole was started in that location, using a drill and spade chip. We then held the strike in position and marked around it; it needs to be set slightly into the frame and then that it will exist flush with the surface when installed. We used a hammer and chisel to chisel out the inset for the strike plate, simply a router will also work well if one is available. For usa, the chisel was quicker and did a good task. The door needs to be closed and the depth of the ¾" pigsty checked; ours was not quite deep enough for the lock to fully extend from the door, just it was quick work with a cordless drill to drill it merely a picayune deeper. The new strike plate was screwed into identify with the two wood screws provided with it and we were ready for the molding.
Side by side came the molding installation; this was a uncomplicated thing of holding the molding into identify and nailing. We chose to apply longer finishing nails through the molding into the studding behind, adding just a couple of smaller finishing nails into the new door frame where the molding was bowed out from the door frame and drove one at an bending into the summit piece of molding and Voila!, the stock-still door frame is gear up for paint. We chose to apply a glaze of paint later that evening subsequently the children were in bed then they wouldn't affect the fresh paint.

While this door frame repair took the two of us almost ii hours, it could have been done easily in less than one. Nigh of the piece of work was washed by my son (I was in that location to advise and train) and we took time to go for a soda, play a lilliputian with my grandchildren, and become a snack as information technology was around lunchtime. The cost for the project was around $12, including the new piece of door frame and a box of nails—corking to again have a bedroom door for Mom and Dad that would stay closed—and it didn't price such a sum equally to require a two-earner income family. Nor did it turn out that learning just how to fix a cleaved door frame was such an enormous chore after all.

Installation of the New Frame

Marker the center of the latch.

This article is accurate and true to the best of the author'south knowledge. Content is for advisory or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional communication in business, financial, legal, or technical matters.

Utsler Compound on April 22, 2022:

Dan,

Thank y'all and so much for the article. We are doing some remodeling in our business firm and my married man was asking the general contractor to replace a few frames that are broken (Four boys growing were not easy on our house). Simply I experience confident I can do this myself subsequently reading your article. At present I can use the coin towards cabinets!

Dan Harmon (author) from Boise, Idaho on January 03, 2022:

Read More From Dengarden

Yes, you lot can replace just the one side of the frame, with a new strike plate as well. If yous go the door route, I'd suggest a pre-hung door - information technology'southward not only cheaper that way merely less work also.

suly fr Tn on January 03, 2022:

landlord glued the door frame together even around the strike plate because it was shattered(previous tenants)..and then tried to screw in place the door knob latch but it's so damaged information technology wiggles. tin can we only replace the frame with the strike plate? and probably a new door?

Dan Harmon (author) from Boise, Idaho on January 03, 2022:

@Wes: Sure, nothing wrong with multiple shims. I don't know that I would pile iv or 5 of them on top of each other, but 2 or three won't injure a thing. Just make sure you nail through the stack of shims, property them firmly in place.

Wes on January 03, 2022:

Is multiple shims ok?

A Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss... on August 06, 2022:

This has to be one of the best articles on how to repair a kicked in door frame in the spider web! We took your advice on repairing our door frame, but we too added a Rebar DSD48 Door Reinforcer from kickproof.com to insure that our door never gets kicked in over again!

Dan Harmon (author) from Boise, Idaho on December 17, 2022:

If the door itself is broken too desperately to repair, it is probably all-time to replace the entire matter with a new pre-hung door. If it is just the door frame, then replacing the jamb is probably the best choice.

sam on December 17, 2022:

Me and my brother's were playing in within the house and we smashed the door and the door frame broke down in the centre what do u recall I should exercise replace the whole thing or merely the side

Paul Edmondson from Burlingame, CA on June 10, 2022:

We have a cleaved door frame that has a sliding door....Going to encounter if this will help me fix it:)

Dan Harmon (author) from Boise, Idaho on May 24, 2022:

Based on your clarification, I would near probable replace just that side. Hopefully you volition exist able to find a door jamb that pretty well matches the rest, and so the elevation and latch side won't need replacing.

That will be a little more hard that what is shown, because you volition have to carefully measure where the hinges go and mortice out a "slot" for the hinge to go into, but nevertheless isn't a peculiarly tough job. I would probably hold the door in identify, sitting on a shim to maintain the proper height, and mark the door jamb where the hinges become. At that point a piddling chisel piece of work and information technology's fix to install.

Kelly Nimmo on May 24, 2022:

I accept more than of a question than a comment, I managed to suspension the door frame on the hinge side , both the top & lesser. The top is just split ( no problem) simply the bottom is major , my question is : Tin can I repair or should I replace the whole side? It looks like the door frame was all ane slice because in that location seems to be a nail protruding up through the metallic "threshold".

Dan Harmon (author) from Boise, Idaho on Oct 24, 2022:

While this is not really an exterior door, letting real cold in, you should probably exist prepared to hang a blanket or something over it in instance the task takes longer than expected. If the molding is badly damaged y'all will have to replace information technology all the way effectually the door unless you tin friction match it exactly; if the home is fairly new in that location is a adept adventure you can do that.

Exterior of those two things, you lot should be able to practise just what was done in this directive; remove and replace the door jamb (frame) and molding. You volition need to drill and chisel for placement of the striker plate. We didn't even have to remove the door from the frame to replace just the one side of the frame, which was squeamish.

Exercise you lot have the tools necessary for the work? If not do you have a friend that has done some woodwork that could help out for a couple of hours and has tools? This is not a hard chore, just some tools are necessary.

Emily on October 23, 2022:

We have the same situation at the moment, the door was kicked in sort of, not on purpose but crude housing and the simply side afflicted was the latch side and mostly where the door locks, but the framing and the molding was messed up, and im trying to either fix it myself (im a teenage girl) or go someone else to come up do information technology professionally, annihilation you'd recommend ? the door is the i leading into the garage merely is like the bedroom doors.

Dan Harmon (author) from Boise, Idaho on January 04, 2022:

Yous are well-nigh welcome; I'm glad y'all found it useful.

Thanks for the comment.

proscourcefloors1 from United states of america of America on January 04, 2022:

Very useful tips for homeowners. Thank you for sharing!

Dan Harmon (author) from Boise, Idaho on Jan 04, 2022:

You lot are certainly welcome. It tin can be a little difficult when doing habitation repairs for the first time and non actually knowing how to do the job - I hope this helps when (and if) you need to repair a broken door frame.

WallStickerDecals from US on Jan 04, 2022:

My husband is not at home so ofttimes, and so I have to know how repairing things goes, thanks for the tips.

Dan Harmon (writer) from Boise, Idaho on Dec 08, 2022:

Aye it is important. Farther damage will almost certainly happen as vesture or other things snag on protruding bits of wood, and injury can result equally well. Information technology's a skillful thing it isn't usually a difficult job.

Thanks for the comment.

whitton on December 08, 2022:

Prissy Hub! I love these DIY tips for fixing or repairing a door frame. I concur that fixing the door frames when they need to be is very important in order to avoid any future damage or accidents.

Dan Harmon (author) from Boise, Idaho on October 29, 2022:

You are certainly welcome to the tips. I never thought nearly it, non hiring professionals, simply you're right in that some knowledge of the job would be valuable when hiring someone to do the work.

PR_am from Oregon on October 29, 2022:

Every home owner needs such home improvement tips. It pays to accept some knowledge of home repairs, even when you decide to rent professionals for the job to avoid getting ripped off on a pocket-sized repair.

Thanks for sharing such informative DIY tips. Best wishes to you!

Dan Harmon (author) from Boise, Idaho on October 14, 2022:

Cheers for the compliment, and I'm glad you found it useful. You lot are likewise certainly correct about the safety angle - jagged and broken molding and frames are certainly a hazard, particularly to smaller children.

MsCookM on October 14, 2022:

Nice DIY tip and the pictures helped a lot. I must likewise add that fixing door frames is very important to avert any further accidents, particularly when you lot have kids effectually.

Dan Harmon (author) from Boise, Idaho on September 02, 2022:

At least it's not a complex or difficult task, not does information technology take a long time to do. I'm sure yous'll have no issues. Good luck with the job!

Anti-Dolt on September 02, 2022:

It was fun to read this article on "how to set up or repair a broken door frame" because it brings back many memories. I often accept a bad habit of running my 'fist of fury' and my 'kung fu kicks' through random doors (inside or outside) when angered, but I never had much trouble with the framework itself. But recently, I side-kicked a locked door so hard, non merely did I "accidentally" annihilate the actual door, the little "striker plate" that you spoke about in this commodity, went flying off upon my initial strike, every bit well. Hence along...I landing on your informative mail about broken doors, striker plate installation, the repair therein, and all that proficient stuff that rectifies the ramifications of my rage. Thanks a lot, bro. I got some fixin' to do! Ha-ha!