door jamb not plumb

I want to replace an old door on my bathroom renovation project and have a problem with the jamb not being plumb. It is out by approx 5mm top to bottom which results in the lock side of the door not lining up with the jamb.

Is there any way I can get around this without pulling out the jamb as the architraves are hell to remove. I have the architrave off inside the bathroom and have replastered but have not touched the architrave in the hallway.

The door will be hinged on the other side from what it currently is.

Any suggestions appreciated.

Attachment 59799

Cheers

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Originally Posted by juan

Is there any way I can get around this without pulling out the jamb as the architraves are hell to remove.

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Not really, if you want to do it properly. The architrave locks the jamb in position on the hallway side, being fixed to the wall as well as the jamb.
You could hold a handsaw against the jamb style and cut vertically up through the head, stopping at the rebate. Try not to cut into the architrave by angling the saw slightly down at the architrave side. If you hit a nail, you'll have to finish with a hacksaw blade or a recipro/sabre saw. Then drive a sharp timber wedge between the jamb and the render, just under the head, to close the gap. The jamb will be slightly twisted then, and you'll have to bog up part of the saw cut near the hall side. If it needs to go in at the bottom instead, then just wedge it there, twisting the jamb slightly at the bottom. I wouldn't go more than a few mm, or it becomes noticeable.
If you don't put a sawcut in, then you can still wedge it a little bit and the jamb will twist slightly, but only at the rebated section. You may split the jamb with this technique if you go more than a millimetre or two. Just glue and nail it back together if you do. :wink:

5mm is half of bugger all anyway. If it's out where it's close to the adjacent wall there, then just humour the architrave by planing a few mm off one end, Then you won't notice the wedge shape as much since it's split between the arch, and the space to the wall. Nobody is going to notice a 2 1/2mm wedge.

You could use a combination of all the methods above, but of course to do it properly you'd be installing a new jamb so you won't have to patch up the old striker and hinge mortises when you re-hang the door swinging the opposite way.

Thanks John

I think you are right. Replace the jamb and do it properly.

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Originally Posted by juan

I think you are right. Replace the jamb and do it properly.

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That's not exactly what I advised. Of course if you're a perfectionist then that's the way to go, but I also said that 5mm is half of bugger all.
Pinch a mm by cutting the head, pinch another mm by twisting it extra at the rebate, pinch a mm and a half from the architrave, and you're left with a wedge shape that's only one and a half millimetres over the height of a door. Nobody is going to pick that, unless it's very close to the adjacent wall, in which case you might add a strip to the edge of the architrave so it butts tight against the wall. In your case the space is rather large. If the architrave only covers a third of the space, then just take a 1mm off the arch and leave a 2mm wedge in the larger space. You can also play around with the quirk on the architrave, pinching a half a millimetre or so. You're really getting fussy if it gets down to a single millimetre though.

Of course if the adjacent wall is out as well then it could compound your problems, but it may help you out as well. In my case Murphy's law usually applies, and my toast always lands with the buttered side down.

I've seen jambs in old semis that are 10mm or more out, and they're still not noticeable, unless it's on the hinge side, and the door automatically swings closed or open by itself. Then you'd try to find some old stiff hinges and don't oil them. :2tsup: Or you can play around a bit by adjusting the position of the hinge point, but that's another subject that would need more explanation if anyone is interested.

Edit: See this post. :wink: