Kicked-In Door Frame Repair — Jamb Splice or Full Jamb
The jamb split at the strike, the casing is in pieces and the door will not lock. We rebuild the strike side, reinforce it and match the trim so the door is secure and looks like nothing happened.
JMB Builders does kicked-in door frame repair for landlords, property managers and homeowners across the Twin Cities metro. A split jamb gets spliced with new wood glued and screwed into the framing, or replaced with a full new jamb when the split runs past the strike, and the strike side gets a steel reinforcement plate with long screws into the stud so it does not kick in again. Priced per opening, quoted from photos within one business day.
- Priced per opening
- Splice or full jamb, quoted from the photo
- Steel strike plate screwed into the stud
- Casing matched to the rest of the unit
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
A door gets kicked and the jamb loses. The strike side splits from the latch down, the casing pops off, and the door either will not latch or latches into nothing. On a rental it is a turnover item; on a house it is a break-in that needs to be fixed today. JMB Builders repairs kicked-in and split door jambs across the Twin Cities metro, and we do the part that matters: the strike side goes back in stronger than it was, with a reinforcement plate and screws into the framing, not the half-inch screws that came with the lockset.
The decision on each door is splice or full jamb. A splice cuts out the split section of the jamb and lets in new wood, glued and screwed to the stud, then the strike is remortised. A full jamb replacement pulls the door and jamb and sets a new prehung unit or a new jamb with the old door rehung. We pick from the photo: how far the split runs, whether the hinge side moved, and whether the framing behind the jamb cracked too.
What you supply
- A photo of the strike side of the jamb with the door open, and a photo of the whole door from the room
- A photo of the casing on a door that is not damaged, so we match the profile
- Your lockset or entry hardware standard if this is a rental, or the existing hardware if it still works
- Unit access and the date the unit has to be ready
What JMB supplies
- Jamb splice: the split section cut out, new jamb stock let in, glued and screwed into the stud, strike remortised
- Full jamb replacement when the split runs past the strike or the hinge side moved, as a prehung unit or a new jamb with your door rehung
- Framing repair behind the jamb when the stud or the trimmer cracked, before the new jamb goes in
- Steel strike reinforcement plate with long screws into the stud, and long screws in the hinges too
- Door stop and casing replaced in the profile the rest of the unit uses
- Filled, caulked and primed; painting as a separate line, or leave it for your painter
- Photos of the finished door in your job folder
How it is priced: per opening
Quoted in writing from your photos within one business day. What moves the number:
- A splice at the strike vs. a full new jamb and rehanging or replacing the door
- Framing damage behind the jamb — a cracked trimmer stud has to be repaired before anything else
- Interior door vs. a unit entry or exterior door, which needs a rated door, weatherstrip or a threshold put back
- Whether the door slab is still good or was split at the latch and has to be replaced too
- Reinforcement level: a strike plate and long screws, or a full-length jamb reinforcement kit
- Matching an existing casing profile vs. a standard one
- Painting the repair as a separate line, or primed for your painter
Two photos, strike side with the door open and the whole door from the room, are enough to quote splice vs. full jamb firm.
How long it takes
A splice with a strike plate and new casing: two to three hours. A full jamb or a new prehung door with framing repair: half a day. Most repairs are done the day we arrive.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized quote within one business day. We only come out to measure first when the job needs a tape measure — no pressure, no games.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
Jamb splice at the strike
The split section comes out, new jamb stock goes in glued and screwed to the stud, the strike is remortised and a steel plate goes over it. Fastest repair when the split is local to the latch.
Full jamb replacement
When the split runs the length of the jamb or the hinge side has pulled away, we replace the jamb with a prehung unit, or a new jamb with the original door rehung if the door is still good.
Strike and hinge reinforcement
A steel strike reinforcement plate and long screws into the stud on the strike side, long screws in the hinges, and a full-length jamb reinforcement kit on unit entry doors that get kicked more than once.
Unit entry and exterior doors
Rated door and closer put back where the building requires it, weatherstrip and threshold reset on an exterior door, deadbolt strike reinforced so the next kick hits steel screwed into framing.
Kicked-In Door Frame Repair — Jamb Splice or Full Jamb: questions, answered
Can a split door jamb be repaired or does it need to be replaced?
Most can be repaired. If the split is at the strike and does not run far past it, we cut out the damaged section, let in a new piece of jamb, glue and screw it into the stud, and remortise the strike. If the split runs the length of the jamb, the hinge side has moved, or the framing behind it cracked, a full jamb replacement is faster and stronger. We decide from a photo of the strike side with the door open.
How do you make a door frame stronger after a break-in?
The jamb only fails because the strike screws were short and went into the jamb, not the stud. We put a steel strike reinforcement plate over the strike area with screws long enough to reach the framing, replace the short hinge screws with long ones, and on doors that get kicked repeatedly add a full-length jamb reinforcement on the strike side. A kick then has to break the stud, not a half inch of pine.
Do you repair kicked-in doors in apartments and rental units?
Yes, that is most of this work. We repair the jamb, reinforce the strike, replace the casing to match the unit and put your standard lockset back on, then send one invoice for the unit with photos. If the door slab was split at the latch, we replace it as a prehung unit so the whole opening is new.
Will the repaired jamb match the rest of the trim?
Yes. The splice is hidden behind the stop and the strike plate once it is filled and painted, and the casing goes back in the same profile as the other doors in the unit. We match the profile from a photo of an undamaged door. The repair goes in primed; painting is quoted as a separate line, or leave it primed and paint it yourself.
Can you fix the frame the same day?
Usually. A splice with a strike plate and new casing is a couple of hours and we carry the jamb stock, plates and standard casing on the truck. A full prehung replacement is half a day once we have the door. Send the two photos and the door size and we tell you whether it is a same-day repair or needs a door ordered first.
What about the door itself if it was damaged too?
If the latch side of the slab split or the door is punched through, the door gets replaced along with the jamb as a prehung unit. If the slab is fine and only the jamb split, we keep the door and rehang it on the repaired or new jamb. On a unit entry door that has to be rated, the replacement is a rated prehung unit with the closer put back.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough. You hear back within one business day. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
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Read morePage reviewed September 24, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All property managers pages
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