side door

[FredWanaker]

Have standard 2 car garage with a side door to the back yard. The door is steel and was replaced about 2004 or so. The original prior door had a window and typical thin panel like many 50's - 70's side doors were. That rot was all around the floating panel. I probably got the steel replacement at Home Depot. The sill came loose right away so it is bolted now to the concrete below it, and there is some rot in the jamb on one side at the bottom. A new door is like $260 plus the time or expense to install it and paint it, transfer locks etc.. I haven't gone to look at it yet to be sure the dimensions are the same, but it looks like it will work. A custom door built by a local door company to fit the opening would be about $700. Another option is I can cut the existing door jamb at the bottom with a miter cut, and put a new piece of jamb in, some caulk and paint it. Might not be a perfect match but it would only cost about $50. What would you do? Am in my early 70's and I don't know how long I will stay here. Been here 32 years already and tired of how crazy this place is now. Have no idea what a home inspector might say on a home inspection if he caught a jamb repair vs an intact door and jamb.

 

[Jeff Ivers]

I had a side door on my barn that got rot down at the bottom of the frame. I popped the hinge pins, removed the door, used an oscillating tool to cut out the rotted frame, and then replaced with vinyl lumber. That was several years ago and still doing fine. I would only replace the entire door if the door itself is damaged.

 

[Jeff C]

No way would I spend $700 on a custom door for a garage. What condition is the steel slab in? If it’s in bad shape do a new standard door. If it’s still good just replace the bottom few inches of the jamb with pvc/composite. Around here that’s all that is normally done if a home inspector finds rot.

 

[Zeke]

Steel door and wood jamb? You have to be clear. There are a 100 videos on YT on how to cut a jamb and replace the bottom portion. It's not a cheesy thing to do, it's totally legitimate. When you cut laterally across the jamb, cut upwards and match the patch to the angle.

 

[FredWanaker]

thanks all. I made a similar repair on a big garage door for my dad years ago where it was too big of a project for the gain to replace the whole trim, so I am a bit familiar with the repair. If I can get matching jamb with a seal slot, that sounds like a reasonable way to go. I don't know if a synthetic jamb is available, and I lack the tools to make one. The steel door and other side of the jamb are in excellent condition. Just this one side, bottom 2 or 3 inches. I guess I will attach a guide for the circular saw, set the depth carefully and try to cut at about a 45 degree angle of the blade. Then cut the new piece to match. Nail it in with some glue, caulk and paint. It seemed the easy way to go but I wasn't sure how an inspector or buyer might perceive such a repair. Personally, I have no problem with it. It is a non-structural repair. I could cut at 90 degrees and use a router to cut a rabbit on the old and new piece instead of cutting at a 45 degree angle. Might be a bit complicated rabbit though with the different levels and seal slot relief.

 

[kaymccampbell]

PVC door jambs are available. All my doors have them.

 

[FredWanaker]

I thought about those, but they are like 2-3 weeks out on delivery, and I'd like to have this done by the middle of next week.

 

[Walkers]

Fix the jamb, move on with life, sell the house as is when you are ready.

 

[FredWanaker]

Thanks. Watched a DIY video. I had forgotten there were shims between the jamb and stud that give me room to remove the jamb at the top. Pull the jamb nails, lock plates, and the shims, now there is some space between the jamb and stud, smack the jamb at the top and the staples come out all the way or enough to cut with my vibrating saw. Slide it out, slide new piece of jamb in after measuring and trimming to fit, shim, nail and paint. Thanks all to those who made this work for me. That piece of jamb is not that expensive, and maybe a couple hours work.

 

[Wrench97]

I made the jamb for mine out of pressure treated 2x6's about 30 years ago they have been fine.

 

[FredWanaker]

Lowes has a pressure treated jamb. After breakfast I plan to pull the old one, measure it closely and use the Lowe's one if the dimensions work. If not Home Depot has an over length one but it is not treated. Both are primed but I will paint which ever one I use first. The large garage door one I fixed for my dad back in FL years ago I used pressure treated wood.

 

[CraigStu]

I did this on man door just like you and also on a sliding door on a house we sold a year later. To me the key was getting the new piece to be exactly flush and parallel w/ the old piece. Doing some fill at the joint was no big deal but if that bottom section is off by 5 degrees, it sticks out like a sore thumb. Also plan to paint the entire frame so you don't have a short section that is a different color/gloss.

 

[FredWanaker]

I put the old one in with one 3 1/2 deck screw to hold it then put in alternating 16D 3 1/2 inch nails every 18 to 24 inches, my guess is pre-drilled the holes first so not to split the wood. I am wondering if I would just be better off using the 3 1/2 deck screws since I have a package left over from building a gate. Your thoughts all. Exterior jamb on the lock side.

 

[Bert_]

I like to salvage and reuse wood doors. I build jambs myself out of treated lumber for exterior doors. The prehung doors use crappy lumber in the jambs and they rot quickly

 

[FredWanaker]

Bert if I had your energy I would do the same.

 

[FredWanaker]

other than caulk and paint, the jamb has been replaced. Thanks for the help. Do appreciate it.