How to Refinish an Interior Door Jamb

Summary: The door jamb is an under-appreciated part of home construction. Not seen at all when the door is closed, it is barely noticed even when the door is open. Yet it can be crucial to your home security and your state of mind. Deadbolts and other door locks extend through a recess in a door jamb, so a well-built door jamb is a crucial factor in the steadfastness of a lock. The door jamb also creates a seal between a wall and the door, so it can block out noise from other rooms if well constructed.

In this series of day home repair videos, our expert carpenter Mark Blocker tells you how to fix a door jam on the inside of your house. Follow along in these free film clips as he demonstrates how to prepare the surface for refinishing, applies the putty, sands it down, applies primer and repeats the process until he is ready to caulk the surface. More sanding, more primer and eventually you are ready for the base paint. More sanding, then the second base coat and you are done. This may seem like a lot of sanding and priming for a door jamb, but you want to do everything around the house done the right way. Any sign of sloppy work, even on the door jamb, and the neighbors and in-laws will start to doubt everything you do. And we can't have that!