How To Make Repairs On A Door Lock Frame

Dan is a licensed electrician and has been a homeowner for xl years. He has about always washed his own repair and improvement tasks.

Door Frame Repair

I got a telephone call from my son yesterday about how to set a cleaved door frame—it seems that ane of the children had run into the door hard enough to intermission the door frame and he wanted to know how to get about repairing the impairment. Upon inflow, I plant that the striker plate had been driven out of the frame and a skilful-sized slice of the wood had been split off equally well. Luckily the sheetrock wall was undamaged and we would not accept to repair any holes in the drywall, but at that place was no way to agree the door airtight fifty-fifty though the door was still hung and undamaged. We decided to simply replace the broken frame rather than try to gum it back together.

Stride One: Removal of the Damaged Frame

The kickoff step was to remove the old frame on the side where it was split up. The peak and hinge side of the frame were still in good condition, so our work would be express to the latch side of the frame. Luckily, the molding was also in proficient status and would not have to exist replaced, only it would have to be removed to remove the door frame, and nosotros started at that place.

Nosotros began by carefully prying off the molding with a small crowbar. Nosotros wanted to re-utilize this piece and therefore took a good deal of care non to splinter or break information technology - information technology was held in place with long pocket-size brads or staples and came off quite hands. The molding on the within of the door was already gone (knocked off by the children) but was still in good shape with only ane small nick on 1 edge.
The next step was to remove the door frame on the latch side, and this proved a trivial more than difficult. Rug had been laid effectually the door frame and it was not simply a matter of prying off the frame; the tiptop end was nailed to the meridian piece of frame and the bottom was buried in carpet.

We decided to remove the door stop first to be sure we didn't damage it. This is a small piece of wood attached to the frame, or sometimes part of it, that the door comes up confronting when closed. Ours was fastened with long brads once again and we easily pried it off without damaging it and set it aside for re-apply.
The door frame had shims between information technology and the studding backside it and we were likewise careful to relieve these shims for re-apply. These shims are at that place to correct whatever slanted or warped framing and to brand the opening exactly the correct size; they are thus quite necessary and they were left just every bit nosotros institute them.
As the door frame itself was ruined we simply pried out the center area, bowing the frame slice until it would come costless of the carpeting at the bottom. We plant the very top to exist nailed into the acme frame piece simply were able to remove the side piece without dissentious the one on the top, which we left in identify. Nosotros didn't break the door frame during removal, simply if we had it wouldn't have mattered as we had already purchased some other one.

Removal of the Cleaved Door Frame

Inside molding was broken off previously.

Step 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 simply brusque of the subfloor. Information technology was yet long enough to extend down just into the carpet, merely non so long every bit to be difficult to piece of work into place.

We held it firmly in identify, making sure it was affluent with the finished wall on each side, and nailed through the frame and shims into the studding backside. We used ii 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 adjacent; we advisedly aligned the peak end with the doorstop on the acme of the door frame and then closed the door and lightly pressed the bottom end of the doorstop against the door. Holding the doorstop firmly confronting the frame, the door was over again opened and the stop nailed onto the door frame using finishing nails. Nosotros establish the doorstop to be slightly warped, only past nailing top and bottom we were then able to bend the stop into the again closed door then that it followed the door all the style down and so blast the center expanse. Six nails were sufficient to hold the stop to the frame quite well.
Adjacent was the new strike plate. With the door closed but to the point that the strike touched the door, we marked the center of the strike on the border of the door frame and transferred the mark to the face of the frame. Careful measurement found the center of the strike on the frame with the door closed and a 3/four" pigsty was started there, using a drill and spade bit. We then held the strike in position and marked around it; it needs to be set slightly into the frame so that it volition exist flush with the surface when installed. We used a hammer and chisel to chisel out the inset for the strike plate, but a router will also work well if one is available. For the states, the chisel was quicker and did a good job. The door needs to be closed and the depth of the ¾" pigsty checked; ours was non quite deep enough for the lock to fully extend from the door, but information technology was quick work with a cordless drill to drill information technology just a piffling deeper. The new strike plate was screwed into place with the 2 forest screws provided with it and we were set up for the molding.
Next came the molding installation; this was a simple matter of property the molding into place and nailing. We chose to use longer finishing nails through the molding into the studding behind, adding simply a couple of smaller finishing nails into the new door frame where the molding was bowed out from the door frame and collection one at an angle into the top slice of molding and Voila!, the fixed door frame is set for pigment. We chose to utilise a coat of paint later that evening after the children were in bed and then they wouldn't touch the fresh paint.

While this door frame repair took the two of united states of america well-nigh two hours, it could accept been done hands in less than one. Most of the piece of work was washed by my son (I was there to suggest and railroad train) and nosotros took time to go for a soda, play a niggling with my grandchildren, and go a snack as it was around lunchtime. The price for the project was around $12, including the new piece of door frame and a box of nails—dandy to again take a chamber door for Mom and Dad that would stay closed—and it didn't toll such a sum as to require a ii-earner income family unit. Nor did information technology turn out that learning simply how to prepare a broken door frame was such an enormous job afterward all.

Installation of the New Frame

Marking the center of the latch.

This commodity is authentic and true to the best of the writer's knowledge. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes just and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional person advice in business organisation, fiscal, legal, or technical matters.

Utsler Chemical compound on April 22, 2022:

Dan,

Thanks so much for the commodity. Nosotros are doing some remodeling in our house and my husband was request the full general contractor to replace a few frames that are broken (Four boys growing were not easy on our house). But I feel confident I can practise this myself later reading your article. At present I can use the coin towards cabinets!

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

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Yes, you can supervene upon just the one side of the frame, with a new strike plate besides. If yous go the door route, I'd suggest a pre-hung door - information technology's not simply cheaper that manner just less work as well.

suly fr Tn on January 03, 2022:

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

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

@Wes: Sure, nothing incorrect with multiple shims. I don't know that I would pile iv or 5 of them on top of each other, just 2 or 3 won't hurt 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 Rock Gathers No Moss... on August 06, 2022:

This has to exist one of the best manufactures on how to repair a kicked in door frame in the web! Nosotros took your advice on repairing our door frame, but we also added a Rebar DSD48 Door Reinforcer from kickproof.com to insure that our door never gets kicked in again!

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

If the door itself is broken too badly to repair, information technology is probably best to supersede the entire matter with a new pre-hung door. If it is only the door frame, so replacing the jamb is probably the best choice.

sam on December 17, 2022:

Me and my brother's were playing in inside the business firm and we smashed the door and the door frame broke down in the middle what do u think I should do supersede the whole thing or only the side

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

We take a broken door frame that has a sliding door....Going to see if this will assistance me fix it:)

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

Based on your description, I would near probable replace but that side. Hopefully you will be able to find a door jamb that pretty well matches the balance, so the top and latch side won't need replacing.

That volition exist a little more than difficult that what is shown, because y'all volition take to advisedly measure out where the hinges become and mortice out a "slot" for the hinge to get into, only nevertheless isn't a specially tough job. I would probably hold the door in place, sitting on a shim to maintain the proper height, and mark the door jamb where the hinges go. At that point a little chisel work and information technology's set to install.

Kelly Nimmo on May 24, 2022:

I have more of a question than a comment, I managed to intermission the door frame on the hinge side , both the peak & bottom. The peak is just carve up ( no problem) but the lesser is major , my question is : Can I repair or should I supersede the whole side? It looks like the door frame was all i piece because there seems to exist a nail protruding upward through the metal "threshold".

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

While this is non really an exterior door, letting existent cold in, you should probably be prepared to hang a blanket or something over it in case the task takes longer than expected. If the molding is badly damaged yous will have to replace it all the way around the door unless you tin can friction match it exactly; if the home is fairly new there is a good hazard y'all can do that.

Outside of those 2 things, y'all should exist able to do just what was done in this directive; remove and supervene upon the door jamb (frame) and molding. Yous volition demand to drill and chisel for placement of the striker plate. We didn't even take to remove the door from the frame to replace just the one side of the frame, which was nice.

Practise you lot accept the tools necessary for the work? If not exercise you have a friend that has done some woodwork that could help out for a couple of hours and has tools? This is non a difficult job, but some tools are necessary.

Emily on Oct 23, 2022:

We have the aforementioned situation at the moment, the door was kicked in sort of, not on purpose but rough housing and the only side afflicted was the latch side and mostly where the door locks, only the framing and the molding was messed up, and im trying to either fix it myself (im a teenage girl) or get someone else to come do it professionally, anything you lot'd recommend ? the door is the one leading into the garage but is like the sleeping room doors.

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

You are about welcome; I'm glad you lot constitute information technology useful.

Thanks for the annotate.

proscourcefloors1 from U.s. on January 04, 2022:

Very useful tips for homeowners. Thanks for sharing!

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

You are certainly welcome. It can be a petty difficult when doing home repairs for the offset time and not really knowing how to exercise the chore - I hope this helps when (and if) you demand to repair a cleaved door frame.

WallStickerDecals from Usa on January 04, 2022:

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

Dan Harmon (author) from Boise, Idaho on December 08, 2022:

Yes it is of import. Further damage volition almost certainly happen as clothing or other things snag on protruding bits of wood, and injury can upshot also. Information technology's a good affair it isn't normally a difficult task.

Thanks for the comment.

whitton on December 08, 2022:

Nice Hub! I love these DIY tips for fixing or repairing a door frame. I agree that fixing the door frames when they demand to be is very important in order to avoid whatsoever future damage or accidents.

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

You are certainly welcome to the tips. I never thought about it, not hiring professionals, but you're right in that some cognition of the job would be valuable when hiring someone to practise the work.

PR_am from Oregon on October 29, 2022:

Every home owner needs such home comeback tips. It pays to take some noesis of home repairs, even when you decide to rent professionals for the job to avert getting ripped off on a minor repair.

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

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

Thanks for the compliment, and I'm glad you plant it useful. Yous are also certainly correct about the rubber angle - jagged and broken molding and frames are certainly a hazard, particularly to smaller children.

MsCookM on October xiv, 2022:

Nice DIY tip and the pictures helped a lot. I must also add that fixing door frames is very of import to avoid any further accidents, especially when you have kids around.

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

At least information technology'southward not a complex or difficult job, not does it take a long time to practise. I'm sure you'll have no problems. Good luck with the job!

Anti-Dolt on September 02, 2022:

Information technology was fun to read this commodity on "how to fix or repair a cleaved door frame" because it brings back many memories. I oftentimes have a bad addiction 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 and then hard, not only did I "accidentally" annihilate the actual door, the niggling "striker plate" that you spoke nigh in this article, went flying off upon my initial strike, besides. Hence forth...I landing on your informative postal service nigh broken doors, striker plate installation, the repair therein, and all that good stuff that rectifies the ramifications of my rage. Thank you a lot, bro. I got some fixin' to practice! Ha-ha!