Door Jamb cut too much. Good way to fix it?

mommiemara

I pulled up all the carpet in my sons room and am installing Armstrong vinyl planks from Lowes. I have a 3/4 ply sub floor that was very level so I just used the leveler patch kit stuff in the joints and sanded it to avoid telegraphing through and that is going well. Problem is the the base boards and door jambs are up much higher than my new flooring because of the thick carpet and padding. I plan to get that shoe molding or that rounded molding to solve the base board gap I have seen people suggest. My base boards are solid oak and the thought or removing them to change the height scares me to death that I would mess them up not to mention the lack of pain under them making me need to repaint the room. Problem is now that the door jambs for the closet and room entry were under cut for the carpet and now that's also about resulting in a decent gap between it and my floor. Put in the rounded molding and I worry it will look funny over by the doors because I can't put it there due to it not being straight. Any creative ways to mask this gap? Thanks

Bud Cline

Nope !

oh'mike

Shoe molding and new casing on the doors---that's the usual method--

Or replace the base molding with a taller profile--

I wish I had a secret method for you---But I don't know one---Mike---

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Bud Cline

How many doors are involved? You could just lower the doors but that would be a huge PITA and then you would have to paint the walls at the tops of the door casings. Certainly do-able but not very practical. Door jambs don't usually get cut off to tuck carpet.

mommiemara

Its my 5 year old sons room so I basically want to eliminate a place for legos and dirt and stuff to get stuck. Do you think a caulk in the same shade would be good to fill in the gap? Its about 1/2 - to 3/4 of an inch gap to the floor I would say. Not sure why they cut them and ran tucked the carpet under the doors that way. Solid oak door frames in the whole house too so I really prefer not to mess with those too much I have seen what it would cost to replace them if I screw it up :X Went with the vinyl plank because were talking 5 year old boy and it was an inexpensive option that he should have a tough time ruining for the time being lol. Thanks

oh'mike

Shoe molding is 1/2 x3/4 and will cover that gap nicely---also very inexpensive---can be cut with hand tools--Maybe you don't like the look---but a gap that big filled with caulk will have a look that you will like even less.

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joecaption

Your only other choise is to find casing to match and stain and seal to match and just cut some short pieces and tap them in place with some glue top and bottom.

Ironlight

I think there are multiple interpretations of what you are stating your issue is in the responses thus far. Let's be clear about what your stated problem is: There is a gap between the bottom of the door jamb (ie the left and right inside faces of the door frame) and the floor. Correct? If not, then you're not talking about the jamb, you're talking about a different part of the doorway.

If that is your problem, I would cut a piece of 1x4" to fit, or whatever the correct dimensional lumber is, slip it in, glue, fill, sand and paint. Or just fill entirely with decent wood putty although in that spot it solid wood would be more durable.

mommiemara

Your correct inside the door face of the door frame and on the sides of the door frame where it butts up against the molding they cut it away on the bottom and tucked the carpet under it and I know the shoe molding should fix the gap along the wall between the floor and the molding but I wasn't sure about that gap in the door jamb because it seemed like an ideal place for a little boy to get all kinds of stuff stuck. Sliding a stained piece of wood in there might work I'll experiment with that.

Thanks Everyone

loneframer

Beat me over the head if I'm stating the obvious, but for one room, I'd invest in a few sheets of AC plywood for underlayment.

Maybe I'm missing something, but for about 100 bucks, the floor can be brought up to the proper height and you will walk away with a professional looking installation.

The floor outside the room should be at the desired height already. Bring the plank floor up to match.

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Ironlight

If I'm not mistaken the problem is that someone made hash of the carpet installation, doing stupid stuff like cutting the jambs. I don't think he needs to raise the floor because it's already at the right height relative to the rest of the house, but rather repair the trim around the perimeter which was butchered when the carpet was installed.

Then again these things often come down to a judgement call of effort relative to cost and result. You may be right that additional subflooring will give the best result, finish wise, relative to cost and effort. It's either raise the floor or lower/repair the trim.

rusty baker

Been laying carpet almost 40 years and have seen some dumb things, but can;t imagine why anyone would cut the door jambs for carpet.

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mommiemara

Rusty I will take you a picture in the morning lol. I'm now wonding if all the doorways are going to be like this as I replace flooring

fixrite

only reason for cutting the jambs is for hardwood or for laminate. Basically speaking for a solid type flooring. As Rusty stated there is no other reason to cut the jambs. And no real easy solution to it either.