A door frame, also called a jamb, is the structural support for a door. It can be made of a variety of materials, including wood and drywall. The type of material and strength of the frame can determine how strong a door is. While building an interior wall with doors is not as complicated as constructing a wall without doors, it does require a little more planning.
First, measure the width of your rough opening. The resulting measurement should be roughly one to one and a half inches larger than the door itself. This allows for the addition of a header, which is a pair of studs fitted into a piece of plywood sandwiched between them.
Next, measure the height of your door. For a typical residential door, this is typically 34 or 80 inches. You will need to add at least five inches to this to allow room for a top plate. Once you have the height figured out, cut the two by fours to this length.
Now, make sure that the jack studs are the right size and length. Jack studs are shorter than king studs, and are used to support the door’s header. They are 1 and a half inches thick. Make sure that the jack studs fit snugly into the header. Use a power nailer to secure them.
Next, mark the distance between the top plate and the sole plate. The distance should be the same as the rough opening, and is the logical next step after you have nailed the jack studs to the header. If you are building a partition wall, this step is essential.
Depending on the size of your project, there are several other steps that need to be taken. There are some non-standard methods that can help you finish the job faster. However, it is important to consult a professional before beginning any large-scale construction project. Some of the more common door frame depths are 4-9/16 inch or 6-9/16 inch.
Another option is to install a pre-hung door in your opening. A pre-hung door will make the installation process easier. To do this, the opening should be as wide as the jack studs and the header. Generally, the smallest door you can hang is 80 inches, so you’ll want to make sure that you have enough room to accommodate the door. Similarly, a smaller door will need to be shimmed, or cut down, to fit.
One of the easiest ways to frame in a door is by using a plywood backing. By adding this to the bottom of your rough opening, you can raise the front of the door. As a result, you can avoid having your new door rub on your floor when you close it.
Another good way to frame in a door is to build a “hinge.” This is a stud that runs horizontally across the bottom of the door opening. It should be about the same width as the jack studs, but a little longer. It is nailed into the bottom of the header, and should sit flush with the jack studs.
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