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Trimming Interior Door Jambs

| Posted in General Discussion on August 4, 1999 06:50am

*
If you are having hardwood floors intstalled, most
installers (at least the good ones) have flush cut
saws so you can install the jams and trim to the
subfloor and let the installers cut back flush to
finish floor. Makes for a better more accurate job.

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Replies

  1. BruceF_ | Aug 04, 1999 06:50am | #2

    *
    If you are having hardwood floors intstalled, most
    installers (at least the good ones) have flush cut
    saws so you can install the jams and trim to the
    subfloor and let the installers cut back flush to
    finish floor. Makes for a better more accurate job.

  2. Guest_ | Aug 11, 1999 06:47pm | #3

    *
    Thanks for your help.

    Robert

  3. Lee_Jackson | Aug 21, 1999 09:21am | #4

    *
    Robert ,

    I'm not sure of your schedule, but maybe you want to wait to install the doors until after the floors are installed. That way you can be sure the casings are tight to the floor, and you won't have to fill in any bottom gaps with caulking (if not carpet).
    When ever I'm doing a remodel, and there is no compelling reason to get the doors in first, that's what I do.
    Even if you do need the doors in first, try not fastening them very securely, and take them out when the floor goes in - put them back properly after the floors are down.
    Be sure to watch the spacing at the bottom of the door, and the size of your rough opening, as this might raise your door up to 3/4 of an inch.

    If you have to put the doors in first - get a flush-cut back-stroke saw. Take a piece of flooring as a guide, and cut the casing using the piece of flooring as a thickness guide.

    Good luck.

    1. Jeff_J_Buck | Aug 21, 1999 11:46am | #5

      *Remember that all parts of a pre-hung come apart fairly easily and go back together just as quick.If you think cutting will be a problem just disassemble ,cut to fit and re-assemble.Sometimes easier to do than worry-ing about how to support entire structure.

  4. Guest_ | Aug 23, 1999 10:58pm | #6

    *
    Lee, Jeff,

    Thanks for your help.

    Robert

  5. JimaJ | Sep 02, 1999 11:36am | #7

    *
    I always install my doors when I'm ready, knowing full well that my finish floor installers, regardless of product, will be able to fit the flooring to the jamb. As far as the casing is concerned, with carpet I will install them pre-flooring, cutting them up about 1/2" to allow for the carpet to be tucked under. The same goes for the baseboard. On wood or vinyl finishes, I will leave the side casings and baseboard off until the flooring is down. JimaJ

  6. Guest_ | Sep 08, 1999 04:15am | #8

    *
    Door casings usually come with the door mounted 1 1/4" up so that they can be mounted right to the subfloor taking in to account for floor level of course and then let the hardwood floor guys cut to fit...And carpet will also fit well most of the time...I try to get all my finish floor thicknesses ahead of time anyway and check all with such things as stair rise and other areas of concern...Finally and really firstly, always try to know the final layer before putting up any earlier layers in building anything including a great pizza.

    near the stream,

    aj

  7. T_R_Construction | Sep 23, 1999 05:54am | #9

    *
    Keep in mind that 'shimming up doors' changes the top height and can become a visual problem when doors are 'in-line' with other doors, as in a hallway.

  8. Guest_ | Sep 23, 1999 05:54am | #10

    *
    I'm about to install interior pre-hung doors before my finish floor is put down. What's a good way to trim the side jambs (kind of saw, jig, etc.) before I install these doors so that they will fit the new floors?

    1. Guest_ | Aug 03, 1999 07:09am | #1

      *How about setting the jambs on shims equal to the thickness of your floor covering. If you are using carpet in any areas, just sit the doors on some 1/2" thick blocks. If you don't have head room for the jambs to sit on shims, you'll have to cut the jambs. First, are they flat or splits w/casing. For flats, I would trim them with a circular saw with a fine tooth blade cutting on the back side of the jamb. For splits, I brake out my old Sandvik 12 point hand saw. I would insert a block, about 4 1/2" between the to side casings to keep from damaging them or tearing them off the jambs as you saw. Also, provided your jamb sides are equal length and the door slabs are square, you can check the floor for level in the rough openings, and cut the jambs accordingly to insure a tight fight to the floor covering.

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