The storm door closers, strong winds and short screws where the storm door closers were attached to the door stop, have combined to rip large holes in door stops on the hinge side of the front entry door. Their were two closers—top and bottom of the door. The wood damage is too great to repair the stops, so I want to pull off the stops and replace them. Although the stops appear to be a separate piece of wood from the jams, I can’t get under the stops to pull them away from the jams. There is round rubber/fabric weather stripping between the door stops and front door that seems to be attached by a rubber/fabric piece that goes under the stops.

Are the stops and jams one piece or two?
If two pieces, they are clearly attached with more than nails, what was used and how can I get them apart?
Suggestions on how to proceed?

Thanks for your help.

Jay

 

They could be one piece. They have been made both ways, and on an older house I see almost all one piece. A thicker board with rabbets to produce a stop. Filling the holes with Minwax High performance filler and use longer screws (try about a 2 inch) to get into solid wood. The filler will not take the kind of tension load a door closer produces and the screws will pull.

 

On an EXTERIOR door, the stop and jamb are PROBABLY one piece (although, like brickeyee said), it could be either way. Minwax High performance filler, or simply glue in some slivers of wood to fill the holes, then, after it's dry, drill and use longer screws.

 

thanks for your responses. I count two votes for repair and no votes for replacing the jam. If the new screws will hold that is clearly the easier approach.

Jay

 

Hello Jay
The door Jam is a one piece of wood....you can take out a larger chunck of wood and glue in a "dutchman" to run the screw into and when you reinstal the closers Use Longer screws that will go into the framing wood so not to add strain on the door jamb...