How to Fill Holes Left When a Door Strike Was Moved

Don't be embarrassed by your front entry.

These instructions apply to any door jamb in your house. The last thing you want is to make a bad first impression.

Repairing Holes Left In A Door Jamb

1. Lay a drop cloth under your work area at all times to make cleanup easier and avoid spills. Prepare the surface by removing any splinters, chipped paint or other debris found in or around the hole. Sand the surface with a fine-grit sandpaper to smooth it.

2. Pack the hole (or holes) with wood filler using the putty knife. Pack it tight, but leave the surface as smooth as you can. If you are filling a large hole, use a little extra filler, since it will shrink as it dries. Read the label to determine the recommended drying time. Depending on the product you purchase, and the size of the holes being filled, this could take from one to 24 hours.

3. Sand the filler with an electric palm sander or a sanding block to create a flush surface. You can buy an inexpensive sanding block at any home improvement store, or you can simply wrap a small two-by-four inch block of wood with sandpaper. Start with the medium grade to remove the excess. Switch to fine grade to get a smooth, even surface.

4. Apply a second layer if the wood filler has shrunk substantially, which can happen in a large hole.

5. Paint the affected area, as needed. Tape off the area and put the drop cloth in place to ensure you don't paint more than you've intended. Touch up the area immediately around the hole if you have left-over original paint. Paint the entire jamb if you don't have touch-up paint.

Tip

If you use left-over paint, be aware that the age of the paint and the amount of fading the door jamb may have incurred can effect how good a match you get. You can test the paint on a small area that isn't readily visible if you are uncertain.