# Need advice! Door frame sticks out past wall



## 1930housedistress (Feb 21, 2021)

I did not build these frames. It was like this when I started redoing this house. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated on what to do.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

The normal would be to cut some off the other side of the door jam before installing it.


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## 1930housedistress (Feb 21, 2021)

1930housedistress said:


> View attachment 644011
> 
> I did not build these frames. It was like this when I started redoing this house. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated on what to do.





Nealtw said:


> The normal would be to cut some off the other side of the door jam before installing it.


Right. But it was already installed and I didn't do the installing, I'm just dealing with the after. Everything in the house was unfortunately done by taking "shortcuts" . I think I might have an idea. It involves, I guess you'd say, turning the trim into a box so it will meet the door jam. I dont know though because hinges might interfere. I've never had to deal with door frames before so I'm kinda stumped. It looks as though the frame is framed over an old frame.


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## ClarenceBauer (Mar 4, 2005)

1930housedistress said:


> View attachment 644011
> 
> I did not build these frames. It was like this when I started redoing this house. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated on what to do.


That wall construction was common 1840's thru about 1890. You most likely have wood lath & Plaster.
The plaster was applied to the depth of the screed board. ( board between plaster & door jamb )
Than a trim board was nailed to the screed board with another small trim nailed over the wider board.
Do you have any other doors in the house you could reference?


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

What did it look like before you removed the casing?


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## rjniles (Feb 5, 2007)

I would install a backer the thickness that the jamb protrudes past the wall surface. Install casing on top of the backer.


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## Mike Milam (Mar 3, 2017)

If you hold the door trim against the jam, how much gap do you have between the trim and the wall? Possibly put a piece of square or rectangle wood stock between the outer edge of the trim and the wall. Lowe's and other big box stores carry such filler.

Something like this.

3/4-in x 10-ft Pine Wood Square Moulding in the Square & Lattice Moulding department at Lowes.com


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

We can complain about the hack that installed it while we look for a hack way to fix it or you take it out and make it right.


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## crtcrln (Oct 30, 2018)

I had the same problem. I attached a router to the edge of a piece of 1/4" ply with a 1/2" flat faced bit installed and set to the bottom of the ply. I ran the ply on the wall and the bit just cut the frame right to the wall surface. Worked great at the windows but had to move stops on door frame back and reset hinges and lock plate. This was way faster than reframing the door plus I was able to use all the old trim which was old but matched the door and window stain.

Sent from my moto g(7) supra using Tapatalk


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

crtcrln said:


> I had the same problem. I attached a router to the edge of a piece of 1/4" ply with a 1/2" flat faced bit installed and set to the bottom of the ply. I ran the ply on the wall and the bit just cut the frame right to the wall surface. Worked great at the windows but had to move stops on door frame back and reset hinges and lock plate. This was way faster than reframing the door plus I was able to use all the old trim which was old but matched the door and window stain.
> 
> Sent from my moto g(7) supra using Tapatalk


don't work on the hinge side side of the door.


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## ClarenceBauer (Mar 4, 2005)

Nealtw said:


> don't work on the hinge side side of the door.


This is a cut section of a door & window from a 1841 house in Charleston, SC i converted it to a plaster trim on renovation.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

ClarenceBauer said:


> This is a cut section of a door & window from a 1841 house in Charleston, SC i converted it to a plaster trim on renovation.
> View attachment 644121
> View attachment 644121
> View attachment 644122


Yes but you can't trim the side where the hinges are. If it was sticking out the other side, I would like you plan. 
Your sample looks like hand planed the old way with assorted planes.


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

Nealtw said:


> don't work on the hinge side side of the door.


Is there some reason hinges can't be moved?


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## rjniles (Feb 5, 2007)

huesmann said:


> Is there some reason hinges can't be moved?


You would have to move the stops and that may not be possible depending on door frame constructions. In addition to the hinges you would have to move the strike plate


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

None of which is an insurmountable task, are they'?


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

huesmann said:


> None of which is an insurmountable task, are they'?


Pull the frame, cut the non hinge side and replace it. one hour.


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## firehawkmph (Dec 12, 2009)

I'm with Neal on this one. Take a sawzall, cut the nails holding the jamb in and remove the door and jamb. Tack a scrap across the bottom the jambs to brace it and run the jamb over a table saw to trim the side opposite the hinges. Done this many times, hour if you take your time.
Mike Hawkins


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## danebarnard92 (11 d ago)

I had a similar issue. Newly installed prehung doors on a new wall with just paneling. The jams stuck out about a half an inch to a quarter inch on each side of the wall. I did not know how much this will affect my miter! After the first door’s miters split wide open, I looked into how to fix this. I saw someone mentioned rolling the trim into the miter set at a 45. I wasn’t sure what they were talking about but try to anyway on the scrap piece and did not like how it turned out and thought it would be too inconsistent. So I thought why not take it vantage of my double bevel miter, and just change the bevel. I set the bevel to 10° and cut the top and side and worked until I realized there’s no longer gave me a 90° angle but an acute angle. So I went back to the saw and tried the same 10° bevel but at a 44° miter. And voila! it worked beautifully. I had a tight miter tight against the jam and tight against the wall. Picture. perfect! Hope this helps somebody!


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