Repairing broken wooden doorjambs after a forced entry has always been part of many residential locksmiths' services. With newer residences being constructed out of lesser costly (softer wood), doorjambs are splitting sometimes just over time as entry doors begin to have problems opening and closing. This is a little known or understood problem for many homeowners.
There are three basic methods of repairing a broken doorjamb. One is to remove the door casings on both sides from the lock side jamb. Then cut out the broken portion of the doorjamb (if practical) or remove the complete lock side doorjamb. Install a new doorjamb or piece. The doorjamb and surrounding area will need re-finishing. Either way, this is a time-consuming job.
The second choice is to install a super strike or several, creating a metallic brace that is larger than the damaged area of the doorjamb. Additional support is provided by long mounting screws designed to reach a solid stud behind the doorjamb. These heavy duty strike plates and blank plates are usually available in the popular door hardware finishes including Bright Brass, Antique Brass, Oil Rubbed Satin Bronze and Satin Chrome. This way the longer strikes will have the same or similar finish to the lock hardware.
A third choice for severely damaged doorjambs is to install a Major Manufacturing Jamb Jacket. These custom-shaped covers are manufactured of cold roll steel approximately 1/16" thick. The Jamb Jacket covers the strike side of the doorjamb from the casing to over the stop. The Jamb Jacket is designed to cover a standard l/2" stop.
Jamb Jacket lengths range from 24" to 72", and can be ordered for a 1-3/8" or 1-3/4" thick door. They are supplied with a strike plate and #10 mounting screws that are 2-1/2" long.
Jamb Jackets are finished in an almond powder coat. The Jamb Jacket can be painted, but first remove the shine using steel wool or Tri-Sodium Phosphate (TSP) or a similar type de-glossing product.
In addition to repairing damaged doorjambs, the Jamb Jacket can increase security to an existing lock strike area. The surface -mounted Jamb Jacket is designed to be screwed through the doorjamb and stop into a framing stud. This configuration strengthens the doorjamb.
For this article, we installed a Jamb Jacket on a residential opening where the doorjamb was severely broken out, leaving an ANSI strike hanging by a drill screw. A significant portion of the doorjamb was missing as the door could be opened and closed with the deadbolt bolt fully extended. The casing had been removed from the strike side of the jamb. The doorjamb face had a wide door stop that extended from the strike plate about two inches. There was so little wood left that a super strike could not be used. The only other option would have been to remove the lock side stop and jamb. This was not an option as the home was a rental.
Before installing the Major Mfg. Jamb Jacket, we made sure there were no nails or screws causing an obstruction. The Jamb Jacket mounted directly onto the doorjamb once the strike plate had been removed. We centered the plate onto the strike opening. All of the screw holes were circled. A pilot hole was drilled into the center of each hole. Three mounting screws were installed. The door was closed to make sure the latch extended through center of the strike opening and secured the door. The remaining screws were installed. The strike plate was installed. The door was opened and closed several times to ensure the installation was correct.
At a later time, the opening for the deadbolt's bolt will be made either using a 1" diameter holesaw or a grinder. Because of the door gap, the strike plate can be surface-mounted. As can be seen in the photos, the jamb will need some further repair and paint.
For doorjamb repair, the Major Manufacturing Jamb Jacket provides a minimal cost repair for break-ins. The Jamb Jacket can be also used to strengthen the jamb. The Jamb Jacket is available with double strike plates.
For more information, contact your local locksmith distributor or Major Manufacturing, Inc., 1825 Via Burton, Anaheim, CA 92806. Telephone: 714-772-5202. Web Site: www. majormfg.com
