How To Notch A Door Jam For New Door Lock

Starting at the top of the faceplate outline make a series of closely spaced chisel cuts about 1 8 inch deep inside the marks.

How to notch a door jam for new door lock.

Make a pencil mark that aligns with the pencil mark from the door onto the 1 8 inch reveal of the door jamb. Once you re happy with the outline remove your hinge from the door. Drag the blade along each of the pencil lines creating small grooves you ll use later. Step 1 close the door and look for where the lock bolt or latch bolt contacts the doorjamb.

Mark the precise center top to bottom of the bolt onto the inside edge of the jamb using a pencil. Using a router attachment remove the wood between the pencil lines drawn on the door edge to create a mortise for the faceplate. If your door got kicked in due to a break in the most important thing is feeling secure again. Inspect the edge and face of the door jamb at the area of the strike plate.

Open the door and extend this mark across the jamb to the inner. Keep testing the plate in the recessed area as you work until you reach the correct depth. Cut through the base of the cuts to empty the mortise of excess wood. Make the depth of the chiseled out area the thickness of the strike plate so the plate will sit flush with the surrounding surface of the frame.

The result will be to remove these cuts. Tap the chisel at sharp angle to cut through the base of the chisel cuts. If the jamb is split squeeze wood glue into the crack and nail the edge of the jamb with 4d finish nails. Then grab a utility knife and extend the blade to no more than 25 in 0 64 cm.

Strike the chisel with a hammer to carve away slivers of wood. Score the outline with a utility knife.