Help Around the House host Henry Harrison helps a guest repair a doorjamb that's been chewed up pretty good by his dog (
figure A). On his elbow grease scale of one to four, Harrison gives this job a two.
Tools:
kneepads
safety glasses
cardboard
pencil
awl
rubber gloves
sandpaper
hand plane
carpenter square
frozen dessert stick
narrow paintbrush
putty knife
taping knife
utility knife
small scraper
wood hardener
plastic wood filler
universal primer/sealer/stain-blocker
Steps:
1. Use the awl to poke at the wood and make sure the wood is still nice and solid. If the wood is still in good shape, go ahead and sand the trim to get it nice and smooth (figure B). Be sure to wear safety glasses while sanding.
2. Brush away dust and clean area. Next, put on the rubber gloves and apply wood hardener to the area with a 3-inch brush, making sure to saturate the damaged wood (figure C). The wood hardener will give the filler a nice surface to cling to. Allow the hardener at least 10 minutes or so to set up.
3. Wood filler consists of two components, a putty and a hardening agent, that you mix up right before applying. Combine the two components of the filler and mix with a small wooden dessert stick.
4. Apply the filler in two stages. First just quickly smear on a base coat to cover the damaged area. Don't worry about being neat and smooth. Next, mix up another batch of filler and try to smooth it out a bit as you apply (figure D).
5. Once the filler dries use a hand plane to knock down the roughest areas of the filler (figure E). Sand the area smooth.
6. Next create a crisp corner for the edge of the area using duct tape and more filler. Place a piece of duct tape along one side of the jamb and pack some filler under the tape (figure F). Smooth the edge down using a taping knife to create a straight edge (figure G). Once the filler dries peel the tape away and sand the corner.
7. Use a carpenter's square and utility knife to mark a cutout groove to match any existing aesthetic indentations or grooves.
8. Once everything's dry, sand the area once again. Clear away any dust or debris and coat the repair with spray primer. Use a couple of pieces of cardboard to mask the area while you spray (figure H). Paint to match the rest of the doorjamb.
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