Door jamb repair.

[dodge man]

So my daughters fiancée locked himself out of their house when it was below zero outside when walking the dog. With the title of the thread you can guess what happened. The bottom half of the door frame broke away from the door handle down. The dead bolt wasn’t thrown luckily.

They make repair kits for this made out of metal. That’s what I’m leaning on using. Anybody use one of these? I assume I just need to remove the trim and screw the repair jamb in. We live 4 hours away so I’ll have to haul the needed tools up. I’m open for other methods but my mechanic skills and tools are way ahead of my carpentry skills but I do have some tools.

 

[2manyrocks]

The "correct" carpentry repair would be to at least remove the door jamb on the door latch side and replace the entire piece of wood, either by making one on the table saw or maybe they sell one at Lowes. You'd have to cut it to length and then install with a few trim nails....probably needing a couple of shims to position it where it needs to be.

If the broken piece is complete and not missing any part, you could use a waterproof glue like titebond to glue the door jam back together.

Obviously, the split jam isn't strong enough to keep out an intruder. It looks like the door latch wasn't even screwed into the stud. Usually, I want to see 3-4" of screws attaching the door latch through the jam into the stud.

I think the issue you are going to have is that the distance from the door knob bolt to the dead bolt doesn't look like a standard dimension to simply install a once piece metal door latch reinforcing plate. You will need to measure.

 

[/pine]

Based on the single picture...I would be inclined to remove the insulation and add whatever it takes to fir out the jack stud to the back side of the existing jamb and then glue and fasten the broken piece back in...use bondo (yes body filler) to fill any gaps sand smooth and paint...
...Replace the strike plate screws with ones that reach the jack stud...

 

[/pine]

I think the box stores used to sell milled jambs...(left and right)...but to replace one on a prehung door requires a bit of skill since it's fastend to both the header and the threshold...the latter up from the bottom...

Good Luck...

 

[ponytug]

I bet that hurts in a couple of ways. Ouch!

That's a pretty thin jamb, lucky for your daughter's fiancé. You could glue and clamp/screw it back into some sort of alignment, but I'm with @2manyrocks that I would expect to see more substantial fastening of the door frame to the wall. I would come prepared with some 4-6" screws to make it right, and to hold things in place while the glue sets.

If you go with the kit, I would be prepared for the deadbolt opening not to be in the right place, I.e. bring a metal saw, and extra screws.

Might be a chance to talk about how fast a locksmith can open locks...and how fast and easy it is to jimmy a door like that when the deadbolt isn't thrown.

Just in case, for the future...

All the best,

Peter

 

[zzvyb6]

Why don't you help your daughter's fiancee' deal with this problem?

 

[2manyrocks]

I'd want someone to hold up the broken jamb piece against what still remains of the door jamb to see if you can simply reglue it along with securing the door latches with longer screws into the stud. That would be your easiest repair if you're lucky enough that the broken piece can be glued back in place.

It becomes more involved if you have to replace the jamb. It's a common repair and there are many you tube videos showing how to do it.

 

[newbury]

Is this a rental?
I only see 2 screws in the top part where there are 4 screw holes.
Like 2manyrocks wrote glue the old parts back together.
Then move her to a safer place.

 

[dodge man]

No, it’s not a rental. It’s a series of townhouses, they own it.

 

[/pine]

A clarification...By removing the insulation and furring the jack stud out to the back side of the jamb (use whatever thickness of scrap plywood etc and some shims)...be sure that the furring extends behind the intact jamb (at least between the sets of nails)...that way finish nails can be used to fasten the broken piece in place while glue sets..

Be sure to add additional shims behind the jamb at the strike plate locations...so when you use longer screws you do not pull the jamb in too far away from the door...check the gap (top to bottom) before replacing the inside casing...