A door jamb are the set of boards that lines the rough opening in the wall. A door jamb is essential for ensuring that the door that will open in that space has a place to close against. A door jamb have vertical side piece and a horizontal head piece.
Each of these piece must be of the correct width for the door jamb to sit flush against the wall. If the door jamb are too wide, it will extend out of the drywall on the side of the door. If the door jamb is too narrow, the door jamb will sit in from the drywall.
How to Choose the Right Door Jamb
When a installer install a door jamb of the correct width, the door trim will cover any gap between the door jamb and the wall. However, if the door jamb is of the incorrect width, the trim will not cover the gaps between the door jamb and the wall correct. The thickness of the wall must first be determined before a person can select a door jamb.
If the wall contain 2×4 studs with half-inch drywall on each side, the door jamb must be just over four and a half inches wide. For walls with 2×6 studs, the door jamb should be just under six and a half inches in width. Many walls may be thicker than these standard sizes, typically because they contains extra insulation.
In these situation, door jamb extensions is available to fill the gap between the door jamb and the studs in the wall. However, the thickness of the wall must be measured in several spot along the wall since the thickness can vary on walls with plaster or paneling installed. The material used to construct a door jamb will impact the type of environment in which it is used.
For example, interior door jambs are typically made of pine or MDF. Pine is popular because it is inexpensive and takes paint well. However, MDF is a common interior door jamb material because it is available in thick, solid sheet.
However, MDF can swell if it get wet. For exterior doors, the jambs have to be thicker and able to take the element of the exterior. Using an interior door jamb for an exterior door will cause it to fail when exposed to the weather.
The rough opening is the opening in the wall that is larger than the door itself. The rough opening should be roughly two inches wider than the door. Additionally, it should be roughly two and a half inches taller than the door.
This space allow for shims to be placed between the door jamb and the studs in the wall to allow the door jamb to be plumb. The width of the rough opening should be measured at the top, the middle, and the bottom of the opening. The smallest measurement will determine the size of the door jamb.
There are two type of door installations: pre-hung units and jamb-only kit. Pre-hung units come with the door installed in the door jamb. These save time in installing the door.
However, because the manufacturer installs the door in the door jamb, the manufacturer set the hardware and bore the door jamb. For jamb-only kits, there is no door include. This allow for the use of an existing or salvaged door slab for the project.
However, since there is no door include in the jamb-only kit, the installer must install the door into the jamb themself. A door jamb should meet several requirement for the installation site. The door jamb should be the correct width for the studs in the wall.
Additionally, the door jamb should be the correct thickness for the location. Finally, the material should be correct for the environmental condition in which the door will be used. If the door jamb is the correct width and made of the correct material for the environment, the door will swing and latch without rubbing against the door jamb.
However, if the door jamb is the incorrect width, the door may stick in it’s swing or the latch plate may not strike the latch on the jamb. These issue will be present regardless of the adjustment of the door’s hinges.
