U.S. General Services Administration
Technical Procedures Disclaimer
Prior to inclusion in GSA’s library of procedures, documents are reviewed by one or more qualified preservation specialists for general consistency with the Secretary of Interior Standards for rehabilitating historic buildings as understood at the time the procedure is added to the library. All specifications require project-specific editing and professional judgement regarding the applicability of a procedure to a particular building, project or location. References to products and suppliers are to serve as a general guideline and do not constitute a federal endorsement or determination that a product or method is the best or most current alternative, remains available, or is compliant with current environmental regulations and safety standards. The library of procedures is intended to serve as a resource, not a substitute, for specification development by a qualified preservation professional.
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We’ve reviewed these procedures for general consistency with federal standards for rehabilitating historic buildings and provide them only as a reference. Specifications should only be applied under the guidance of a qualified preservation professional who can assess the applicability of a procedure to a particular building, project or location. References to products and suppliers serve as general guidelines and do not constitute a federal endorsement nor a determination that a product or method is the best alternative or compliant with current environmental regulations and safety standards.
PART 1–GENERAL
1.01 SUMMARY
A. This procedure includes guidance on realigning a bowed wood door frame.
B. A wood door frame that bows or undulates may result from warping in the frame, building settlement, or pressure in the wall behind the frame.
C. See 01100-07-S for “General Project Guidelines” to be reviewed along with this procedure. These guidelines cover the following sections:
- Safety Precautions
- Historic Structures Precautions
- Submittals
- Quality Assurance
- Delivery, Storage and Handling
- Project/Site Conditions
- Sequencing and Scheduling
- General Protection (Surface and Surrounding)
These guidelines should be reviewed prior to performing this procedure and should be followed, when applicable, along with recommendations from the Regional Historic Preservation Officer (RHPO).
PART 2–PRODUCTS
2.01 MATERIAL
A. Wooden shims and blocking
B. 6d and 8d finish nails
2.02 EQUIPMENT
A. Wide blade putty knife and prybar
B. Hack saw
C. Hammer and chisel
PART 3–EXECUTION
3.01 EXAMINATION
A. To discern door problem, observe the door open and close a few times. Note the location of any binding or rubbing. Note also if door binds inconsistently from top to bottom or hinge side to latch side.
3.02 ERECTION, INSTALLATION, APPLICATION
A. Check if jamb is secured to framing by carefully twisting and pushing it.
B. Push back high spots where jamb is loose and secure by nailing. Use 8d finish nails for securing the jamb into the frame and 6d finish nails for securing the trim into the jamb.
C. If jamb cannot be forced back into position, it must be freed from casing and realigned.
- Carefully loosen casing on less conspicuous side, with a wide blade putty knife and pry bar; insert putty knife blade first and then insert pry bar on top of knife blade, allowing the knife blade to protect the casing.
- Loosen casing on more noticeable side just enough to insert hack saw and cut nails which hold the casing to the jamb.
- Shim out low spots with solid wood wedges or blocking nailed into place through jamb. If necessary nails can be hidden by first removing door stops, nailing blocking into place and renailing stops.
- Cut down high spots by removing any existing shims and/or chiseling away at any blocking.
- When jamb is plumb and straight, resecure casing, filling nail holes as necessary.