Replies

1. 
   PhillGiles | Aug 21, 2005 07:57am | #1

   Without seeing it, my instinctive vote is to just replace the jambs. It's probably about the same amount of work as horsing a prehung into that space. If you don't have a full hinge-jig, use the old jamb as a tell (aka: story-stick) to locate the hinges.

   .
   Phill Giles
   The Unionville Woodwright
   Unionville, Ontario
2. 
   YesMaam27577 | Aug 21, 2005 03:54pm | #2

   In terms of time to complete the job,  would it be best....

   In order to replace just the jambs, you need to remove the door, then remove the hinges, then remove the jambs. You'll then spend time replacing each of those, with added time to set the old hinges into new mortises, and for assembling all the pieces into a unit.

   If you have a full-jamb mortising jig, that's not much of an issue. If you don't, it depends on your experience level.

   With a new prehung, there is no time involved for mortising, and no experience needed. And of course, there is no time involved in assembling a unit, since it is pre-done.

    

    

   Unless you're the lead dog, the view just never changes.

3. 
   Sphere | Aug 21, 2005 04:01pm | #3

   Had 2 of those here when I bought the place. I replaced the whole units.Why? The door bottoms were just as bad as the jambs, so be sure to inspect them closely.

     Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

    let's be entrophatic, you start

4. 
   stinger | Aug 21, 2005 08:11pm | #4

   Many of the door jobbers (AKA prehanging distributor wholesalers) today are stocking jambs and brickmold with the bottom finger joint made of . . . let's just say it is a Trex-like material.  Pretty much rot proof.

   The frames and brickmold are conventional fingerjointed pine elsewhere, except that the bottom ends, maybe ten inches or so, are the plastic-wood material.

   Consider using that for your new frames.  Your local lumberyard can probably get it for you.

1. 
   Piffin | Aug 21, 2005 09:23pm | #5

   It is my understanding that these are more common in the SE US. i haven't seen them yet up here in Maine. 

    

   Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

1. 
   stinger | Aug 21, 2005 09:38pm | #6

   You are probably right.  My memories of my Therma-Tru days are getting dim, but I seem to recall the ol' rotten jamb/brickmold issue as a recurring carp from the soggy bottoms of the deep south.  Not just jambs and brickmold . . . door stiles and rails as well.

   Things don't really rot up in new England, do they?  Probably just weather.

   In any case, a good Therma-Tru dealer can probably special-order anything this guy needs, although by the time he goes through the hassle, he might as well just get a new prehung unit, made at the T-T factory with these frames.

1. 
   Piffin | Aug 21, 2005 11:05pm | #7

   TT just makes the slabs. Their jobbers assemble to frames. We do find rot up here, but mostly when good design is ignored, like placing a deeck at same level as the interior floor and no gutters or dormers to divert water, so splash-back at deck surfaces keeps doors wet. 

    

   Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

1. 
   stinger | Aug 22, 2005 01:26am | #8

   While T-T doesn't make the jambs, they do stock and sell to their distribs, those newfangled jambs with the plastic-wood bottoms.

   Their customers, like Huttig-Maine for example, buy direct from the wood mills, all their needs in jambs and brickmold.  What small quantities of no-rot jamb parts they might need, they buy from Therma-Tru.  Either of the T-T plants might be stocking 18 or 20 bunks of them, at any one time.

   Therma-Tru also prehangs units for their jobber customers.  Trust me on this one.  It is usually the wierd one-offs and those the customers call "special," but they are hanging units just the same.  Probably popping out more daily than some of their smaller customers are doing.  Those wide-crown staples used to fasten heads, jambs, and sills together, and brickmold to frames, are bought in pallet quantities, and when I was there, the prehang shops often worked two shifts.

   So let's just say Huttig-Maine has never even heard of the plastic jambs, but their customer in Blue Hill, we'll call them Ajax Lumber, gets an order from a fanatic for either a pair of jambs, or a prehung unit made with them.  The special order will go in, bounce around a little, but later, out will pop the parts or unit that Ajax and Mr. Fanatic wants.

2. 
   Piffin | Aug 22, 2005 02:12am | #9

   Yep, I know we can get anything we want
   It's Alices restaurant!LOL 

    

   Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!