Grand Opening: Up to 20% Off. Valid for the grand opening period through December 31, 2026. One offer per job. Offers cannot be combined. No discount on emergency, lockout, or after-hours service, car keys / automotive, or service calls.
A split jamb repaired so the latch has a straight path
Jamb repair finds the split before a new lock is screwed into the same soft spot. A dutchman, a reinforcer, an anchor, or a real strike box may be the fix. Structure is repaired first. The strike is set after. Paint or a cap covers the repair. A latch that lands in foam, a split stop, an overcut mortise, and a new lock on a soft jamb are the reasons a fresh deadbolt still kicks in.
Call it after a break-in attempt or when the strike moves under your thumb. A whole frame replacement is the commercial-frame service if the metal jamb is twisted end to end. Wood jambs on houses are the usual call for this page.
Dutchmans, strike boxes, and a lock that was biting foam
The repair rebuilds the bite for the latch, then sets the strike. It does not include a new door slab unless the edge is also destroyed. Solid backing and, on labeled openings, NFPA 80 clearances are the limits. A decorative plate over rotten wood is not the repair.
Rowhouse jambs in DC are often paint and filler over a split that started at the strike. We open that until we find sound wood. Maryland and Virginia garage personnel doors show the same soft jamb after a kick. The screws have to reach structure or the next kick repeats the visit.
Frequent questions
Why not just use longer screws in the old strike?
Longer screws help when the wood behind them is sound. If the jamb is split, the screw opens the split. The dutchman or reinforcer comes first.
What is a dutchman in this repair?
A wood insert that replaces the wrecked fiber so the strike has something to bite. Filler compound is not a dutchman. The latch is not reset until the insert holds.
When has the mortise been overcut?
When the strike pocket is so large the strike moves even after the screws are tight. The pocket is rebuilt or plated. A bigger strike plate on a floppy pocket still moves.
Do you cap the repair so the jamb looks finished?
Yes, at the prep. We do not repaint the hallway. The cap or paint is there so the repair is not a raw scar, and the strike remains removable.