Project details
Skill
1 out of 5EasyOnly basic home-repair skills required
Cost
About $10 to $15
Estimated Time
1 to 2 hours
In this video, This Old House general contractor Tom Silva explains how to fix a door jamb.
Steps for repairing a split door jamb
- Unscrew and remove the old metal storm-door frame from the doorway opening.
- Carefully remove broken, split pieces of wood from bottom of the side jamb. Pull off any small splinters.
- Apply carpenter’s glue to broken wood pieces and glue them back onto the jamb.
- Hold scrap wood block over the repair and use a hammer to tap the glued pieces tight to the jamb. Repeat to repair damage at the top of the side jamb. Allow the glue to dry.
- Sand smooth the repaired areas using 80-grit sandpaper.
- Tape down a canvas drop cloth across the threshold.
- Use two putty knives to thoroughly mix a large dollop of auto body filler.
- Spread the auto body filler over the repaired areas with the 3-inch-wide putty knife.
- Allow the putty to harden, then sand it smooth.