Skip to content A door jamb is the timber piece that surrounds a door when it’s installed. It has three parts: the two upright sides and the top horizontal piece connecting the sides. On a single or double hung door, the hinges are attached to the jamb. Once hung, the door stop is attached directly to the jamb.
(the door stop here does not refer to what is commonly called a door stop to prevent the door hitting the wall, this door stop is the bit of timber in the middle of the jamb that the door will close against.)
There are two main types of door jambs: flat jambs and grooved jambs.
A flat jamb is a flat piece of timber, usually the width of the wall (total thickness of the timber framing and gib/lining). When in place, the architrave is placed over the facing edge and the gib, hiding the gap between the jamb and wall lining.
The flat jamb system is highly flexible, allowing for a wide range of sizes. Door stop can be adjusted once the door is installed to ensure your door closes flush to the doorstop.
A grooved jamb is designed to reduce the need for architraves. It’s wider than a flat jamb and has grooves to allow the gib board to slide in, eliminating the need for architraves. Some prefer the look of a grooved jamb, but it’s often thought to be cheaper because it doesn’t need architraves. However, this can be misleading. It costs more to order grooved jamb and can result in increased labour costs for installation, gibbing, and painting. It’s also inflexible, as it’s made in specific sizes only. So is not suitable to use for unusual lining or wall thicknesses.
Grooved door jamb is usually installed before Gib and is normally only recommended for experienced builders due to the more complex installation requirements.
We usually recommend flat jambs for their flexibility. especially for DIY Projects as it is much easier to install flat jamb and use architrave to hide any gaps.
Custom jambs are available on request. These can be made from other types of timber, or made extra wide on one or both sides to match specific site details. We can also supply doors with 2 piece jamb which is a popular choice for many builders.
If you have an unusual size requirement, or want to place an order for 2 piece jamb, please contact us.
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