How To Repair The Door Frame

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

Door Frame Repair

I got a call from my son yesterday about how to fix a broken door frame—information technology 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 go near repairing the damage. Upon arrival, I found that the striker plate had been driven out of the frame and a expert-sized piece of the wood had been split off as well. Luckily the sheetrock wall was undamaged and we would non have to repair any holes in the drywall, just at that place was no style to agree the door airtight even though the door was yet hung and undamaged. We decided to simply replace the broken frame rather than try to mucilage it dorsum together.

Step One: Removal of the Damaged Frame

The first stride was to remove the old frame on the side where information technology was split. The top and swivel side of the frame were nonetheless in good condition, and then our work would be express to the latch side of the frame. Luckily, the molding was likewise in good status and would not have to exist replaced, but information technology would have to be removed to remove the door frame, and we started in that location.

We began by carefully prying off the molding with a pocket-size crowbar. We wanted to re-employ this piece and therefore took a good deal of intendance not to splinter or break it - it was held in place with long minor brads or staples and came off quite easily. The molding on the within of the door was already gone (knocked off by the children) merely was however in good shape with just ane small nick on one edge.
The next step was to remove the door frame on the latch side, and this proved a little more difficult. Carpet had been laid effectually the door frame and information technology was not only a thing of prying off the frame; the top terminate was nailed to the top slice 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 slice of wood attached to the frame, or sometimes part of it, that the door comes up against when closed. Ours was attached with long brads once again and we easily pried it off without damaging it and set information technology aside for re-apply.
The door frame had shims between it and the studding behind it and we were as well careful to save these shims for re-utilize. These shims are at that place to correct whatsoever slanted or warped framing and to make the opening exactly the right size; they are thus quite necessary and they were left just equally we plant them.
As the door frame itself was ruined we simply pried out the center area, bowing the frame piece until information technology would come free of the carpet at the lesser. We found the very top to exist nailed into the top frame piece just were able to remove the side piece without dissentious the one on the top, which nosotros left in place. We didn't break the door frame during removal, but if we had it wouldn't have mattered equally we had already purchased another ane.

Removal of the Broken Door Frame

Inside molding was broken off previously.

Step Two: Fixing the Door Frame

The next step 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 just fine, stopping simply short of the subfloor. It was still long enough to extend down just into the carpet, but non and then long every bit to be difficult to work into place.

We held it firmly in place, making sure it 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 beingness careful not to drive them and so far they would bend the frame.
The doorstop was side by side; we advisedly aligned the superlative end with the doorstop on the top of the door frame and then closed the door and lightly pressed the bottom stop of the doorstop against the door. Holding the doorstop firmly against the frame, the door was once more opened and the stop nailed onto the door frame using finishing nails. We institute the doorstop to be slightly warped, but past nailing pinnacle and bottom we were and then able to curve the stop into the again closed door so that information technology followed the door all the manner down and and so blast the center area. Vi nails were sufficient to hold the stop to the frame quite well.
Next was the new strike plate. With the door closed but to the point that the strike touched the door, we marked the heart of the strike on the border of the door frame and transferred the marking to the face up of the frame. Conscientious measurement found the centre of the strike on the frame with the door closed and a 3/4" pigsty was started there, using a drill and spade bit. We and so held the strike in position and marked effectually it; information technology needs to be set slightly into the frame so 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 as well work well if ane is bachelor. For u.s.a., the chisel was quicker and did a practiced job. The door needs to be closed and the depth of the ¾" hole checked; ours was not quite deep enough for the lock to fully extend from the door, just it was quick piece of work with a cordless drill to drill information technology just a little deeper. The new strike plate was screwed into place with the two wood screws provided with information technology and we were ready for the molding.
Adjacent came the molding installation; this was a uncomplicated matter of belongings the molding into place and nailing. We chose to use longer finishing nails through the molding into the studding behind, calculation just 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 elevation piece of molding and Voila!, the stock-still door frame is ready for paint. We chose to utilise a coat of paint afterwards that evening after the children were in bed and then they wouldn't affect the fresh paint.

While this door frame repair took the two of us nigh two hours, information technology could accept been done easily in less than ane. Most of the work was done past my son (I was in that location to advise and railroad train) and we took time to go for a soda, play a little with my grandchildren, and get a snack as it was around lunchtime. The cost for the project was around $12, including the new piece of door frame and a box of nails—not bad to again accept a bedroom door for Mom and Dad that would stay closed—and it didn't cost such a sum as to require a two-earner income family. Nor did it turn out that learning but how to fix a cleaved door frame was such an enormous chore later on all.

Installation of the New Frame

Marking the centre of the latch.

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

Utsler Compound on April 22, 2022:

Dan,

Cheers so much for the article. We are doing some remodeling in our business firm and my husband was asking the general contractor to replace a few frames that are cleaved (Four boys growing were not easy on our business firm). Only I feel confident I can exercise this myself after reading your article. Now I can use the money towards cabinets!

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

Curlicue to Continue

Read More From Dengarden

Yes, you can replace but the 1 side of the frame, with a new strike plate likewise. If yous go the door route, I'd suggest a pre-hung door - information technology's non just cheaper that way but less piece of work as well.

suly fr Tn on January 03, 2022:

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

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

@Wes: Sure, nothing wrong with multiple shims. I don't know that I would pile 4 or 5 of them on top of each other, merely 2 or iii won't injure a thing. Simply make sure you lot nail through the stack of shims, holding them firmly in identify.

Wes on January 03, 2022:

Is multiple shims ok?

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

This has to exist one of the best articles 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 once again!

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

If the door itself is broken too badly to repair, it is probably best to replace the entire thing with a new pre-hung door. If it is just the door frame, then replacing the jamb is probably the best option.

sam on December 17, 2022:

Me and my blood brother's were playing in inside the house and we smashed the door and the door frame broke downwards in the center what do u think I should do replace the whole thing or just the side

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

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

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

Based on your description, I would near likely supercede just that side. Hopefully you will be able to observe a door jamb that pretty well matches the rest, and then the top and latch side won't need replacing.

That will be a little more than difficult that what is shown, because you will take to carefully measure where the hinges become and mortice out a "slot" for the hinge to get into, but notwithstanding isn't a specially tough task. I would probably concur the door in place, sitting on a shim to maintain the proper height, and marking the door jamb where the hinges get. At that betoken a trivial chisel work and it'south ready to install.

Kelly Nimmo on May 24, 2022:

I have more than of a question than a comment, I managed to pause the door frame on the hinge side , both the top & lesser. The top is only carve up ( no trouble) but the bottom is major , my question is : Can I repair or should I replace the whole side? It looks like the door frame was all one slice because there seems to be a smash protruding up through the metal "threshold".

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

While this is non actually an outside door, letting real cold in, y'all should probably exist prepared to hang a blanket or something over information technology in example the task takes longer than expected. If the molding is badly damaged you will have to replace information technology all the way effectually the door unless you can match information technology exactly; if the home is fairly new at that place is a good chance you can do that.

Outside of those 2 things, you lot should exist able to practice just what was done in this directive; remove and supersede the door jamb (frame) and molding. You will need to drill and chisel for placement of the striker plate. Nosotros didn't even have to remove the door from the frame to supercede but the one side of the frame, which was overnice.

Do you 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 non a difficult chore, only some tools are necessary.

Emily on October 23, 2022:

We have the aforementioned situation at the moment, the door was kicked in sort of, not on purpose only crude housing and the only side affected 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 become someone else to come do it professionally, anything you lot'd recommend ? the door is the i leading into the garage but is like the bedroom doors.

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

You are most welcome; I'm glad you institute information technology useful.

Thanks for the comment.

proscourcefloors1 from United States of America on January 04, 2022:

Very useful tips for homeowners. Cheers for sharing!

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

Yous are certainly welcome. Information technology tin be a petty hard when doing home repairs for the get-go fourth dimension and not really knowing how to do the job - I promise this helps when (and if) you demand to repair a cleaved door frame.

WallStickerDecals from US on Jan 04, 2022:

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

Dan Harmon (author) from Boise, Idaho on December 08, 2010:

Yes it is important. Farther harm will almost certainly happen every bit clothing or other things snag on protruding bits of wood, and injury tin result as well. Information technology'southward a expert affair it isn't normally a difficult chore.

Thank you for the comment.

whitton on December 08, 2010:

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

Dan Harmon (author) from Boise, Idaho on October 29, 2010:

You are certainly welcome to the tips. I never idea virtually information technology, not hiring professionals, but you're right in that some knowledge of the chore would be valuable when hiring someone to do the piece of work.

PR_am from Oregon on October 29, 2010:

Every domicile owner needs such home improvement tips. It pays to have some knowledge of abode repairs, even when you lot determine to hire professionals for the job to avoid getting ripped off on a minor repair.

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

Dan Harmon (writer) from Boise, Idaho on October 14, 2010:

Thanks for the compliment, and I'm glad you found information technology useful. Yous are also certainly correct about the safety angle - jagged and broken molding and frames are certainly a chance, peculiarly to smaller children.

MsCookM on Oct 14, 2010:

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

Dan Harmon (author) from Boise, Idaho on September 02, 2010:

At to the lowest degree it's non a complex or difficult task, non does information technology take a long fourth dimension to do. I'grand sure you'll have no bug. Good luck with the job!

Anti-Dolt on September 02, 2010:

Information technology was fun to read this article on "how to fix or repair a broken door frame" considering it brings dorsum many memories. I oftentimes have a bad habit of running my 'fist of fury' and my 'kung fu kicks' through random doors (within or outside) when angered, simply I never had much problem with the framework itself. Simply recently, I side-kicked a locked door so hard, non only did I "accidentally" annihilate the actual door, the fiddling "striker plate" that you spoke near in this commodity, went flying off upon my initial strike, as well. Hence forth...I landing on your informative post about broken doors, striker plate installation, the repair therein, and all that good stuff that rectifies the ramifications of my rage. Thanks a lot, bro. I got some fixin' to do! Ha-ha!