AFTER SHEETROCK FRAME AND METHOD FOR INSTALLING THE SAME
A doorframe kit includes a head jamb for installation over a top portion of a doorway and a vertical jamb adapted to be joined to the head jamb and extend along a surface of a wall adjacent the doorway. The doorframe kit may include an adjustable spacer having a shaft adjustably engaged with a retaining member. The retaining member may be fixedly mounted to the vertical jamb at an adjustment location spaced below the head jamb. The shaft may be selectively movable relative to the retaining member to project outwardly from the vertical jamb and bear against the surface of the wall, when in use, to thereby define a standoff distance between the vertical jamb and the wall at the adjustment location. Inserting a tool into an access opening formed in the vertical jamb allows the tool to drive the adjustable spacer outwardly thereby increasing the standoff distance.
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This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/743,926, filed Mar. 29, 2006, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUNDThis application relates to a field-installable doorframe including an adjustable spacer and to a method for installing a door frame in a rough opening of a wall.
Doors used in residential, commercial, and industrial settings, among other things, help prevent the spread of fire, reduce noise, increase privacy, and provide an aesthetically appealing closure. To accomplish these and other objectives, a doorframe must be square and plumb. Squaring a doorframe typically involves ensuring the front faces of the vertical jambs and head jamb are in the same plane, ensuring the vertical jambs are orthogonal to the head jamb, and ensuring that the vertical jambs are parallel, for example. If the doorframe is not square, the door will probably not fit or hang properly and unsightly gaps may appear between the door and doorframe. Plumbing a doorframe essentially involves ensuring that the vertical jambs are parallel to the force of gravity, which aids a properly weighted door to open and close with ease.
Depending on their purpose, doors and doorframes may take many different forms and can be installed in a number of ways. For example, a door may be hinged to a doorframe to allow it to pivot away from the doorway in one direction, but not the other.
Metal studs are common in commercial and some residential applications. While metal framing offers advantages, such as low cost, dimensional consistency, and resistance to environmental conditions, it is more difficult to position and realign doorframes once they have been secured to a metal stud. A throated frame system 40 manufactured by Washington Hardwoods, LLC of Seattle, Wash., USA is shown in
With reference to the above-listed drawings, this section describes particular embodiments and their detailed construction and operation. The embodiments described herein are set forth by way of illustration only. Those skilled in the art will recognize in light of the teachings herein that variations can be made to the embodiments described herein and that other embodiments are possible. No attempt is made to exhaustively catalog all possible embodiments and all possible variations of the described embodiments.
For the sake of clarity and conciseness, certain aspects of components or steps of certain embodiments are presented without undue detail where such detail would be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the teachings herein and/or where such detail would obfuscate an understanding of more pertinent aspects of the embodiments.
As one skilled in the art will appreciate in view of the teachings herein, certain embodiments may be capable of achieving certain advantages, including by way of example and not limitation one or more of the following: (1) providing doorframes that are relatively easy to install in the field; (2) providing doorframes that can be installed after sheetrock has been secured to studs, textured, and painted; (3) providing doorframes that do not need to be removed from the stud while squaring and plumbing; (4) providing doorframes that can be easily relocated and reused; (5) providing doorframes that can be assembled in the field; (6) providing an aesthetically pleasing and durable doorframe; (7) providing prefabricated jamb members that may be assembled into a doorframe in the field; (8) reducing or eliminating the need to use shims while squaring and plumbing the doorframe; (9) simplifying installation of doorframes by eliminating the need to separately install casings; (10) reducing installation time required to install doorframes; (11) reducing the required skill level of the installer; (12) eliminating the need to form miter joints on casings in the field; (13) lowering installation costs; (14) increasing installation efficiency; (15) reducing manufacturing resources needed to pre-assemble doorframes; and (16) reducing the possibility of damaging the doorframes and the walls by installing the doorframes after the walls have been completed. These and other advantages of various embodiments will be apparent upon reading the following.
Hinge jamb 62 may have one or more hinge recesses 64 sized to fit a hinge (not shown), such as a Butt/Mortise style hinge. After the hinge is attached to hinge jamb 62, a door (not shown) can be hung from the hinges. In one embodiment, one or more sag holes 72 are formed in hinge recess 64 so that a sag hole screw may be installed to add rigidity and help prevent the door from sagging over time.
As described in more detail with respect to
When the door is closed, one side will abut strike jamb 60 and a latching mechanism (not shown) could secure the door in place. Head jamb 54 is sized to fit the door and helps maintain the relative position of the top portion 66 of doorframe 50. According to one embodiment, head jamb 54 has a length of thirty-six inches and a height of one and a half inches, and strike and hinge jambs 60 and 62 have a height of eighty-six inches and a width of one and a half inches. However, doorframe 50 can be sized to fit any size opening. For example, doorframe 50 could be sized to fit a single door or double hung door of various dimensions.
Referring now to
With reference to
Solid wood casings 80 and 80′ can be made from most wood material, such as hardwood, but can also be made from other materials such as metal or plastic. Cores 82 and 82′ can be made from most types of materials, such as Timberstrand Laminated Strand Lumber (LSL) or a fire resistant medium density fiberboard (MFMDF) having a Class 1 Underwriters Laboratories classification. Solid wood casings 80 and 80′ and cores 82 and 82′ may be surfaced, such as by sanding, so that face veneers 84 and 84′ will lay flat. After surfacing, face veneers 84 and 84′ may be glued to solid wood casings 80 and 80′ and cores 82 and 82′.
These parts may then be milled in a molder and profiled to the finished dimensions. For example, recesses 83 and 83′ may be formed to run along surfaces of vertical jamb 52 and head jamb 54 that face wall 90. By way of another example, dovetail slots 86 and 86′ can be machined into both the strike and hinge jambs 60 and 62 and head jamb 54 and be sized to accept dovetail key 58. In one embodiment, dovetail slots 86 and 86′ are formed in a top edge of solid wood casings 80 and 80′. In addition, relief 88 can be formed in the top portion of each the strike and hinge jambs 60 and 62 to facilitate wrapping doorframe 50 around wall 90 proximate head jamb 54. The parts can then be finish sanded, such as with 150 grit sandpaper, cut to length, prepared for hardware, assembled and possibly finished with a stain.
With reference to
Referring now to
Adjustable spacer 56 may also include a one-way adjustment between shaft 78 and retaining member 74. According to another embodiment, retaining member 74 may include a ratcheting device. For example, shaft 78 may include a radially deformable pin that engages a toothed interior surface of retaining member 74. As shaft 78 is pushed toward wall 90 (
Referring now to
Referring now to
Manufacturing doorframe 50 may include forming a joining structure in head jamb 54 to facilitate joining vertical jamb 52 to an end of head jamb 54. For example, dovetail slots 86′ (
As previously described, adjustable spacer 56 may include shaft 78 adjustably engaged with retaining member 74. Attaching adjustable spacer 56 to vertical jamb 52 may include mounting retaining member 74 to vertical jamb 52 at adjustment location 69 (
While there are many ways to install doorframe 50, the following is a method according to one embodiment. Initially, strike jamb 60, hinge jamb 62, and head jamb 54 are moved into position. Strike jamb 60 and hinge jamb 62 are stood up and placed over the wall. For example, recesses 83 and 83′ may accept a portion of wall 90. A screw can then be temporarily inserted into one of the securement holes 70 (
In one embodiment, strike jamb 60, hinge jamb 62, and head jamb 54 are joined by inserting dovetail keys 58 into corresponding dovetail slots 86 and 86′ on each side of the framing joints as shown in
In another embodiment, strike jamb 60, hinge jamb 62, and head jamb 54 are joined by inserting a pocket hole screw 98 (
Once strike jamb 60, hinge jamb 62, and head jamb 54 are moved into position and joined together, doorframe 50 can be squared, plumbed and secured to wall 90. Many different methods may be used to square and plumb doorframe 50. For example, head jamb 54 can first be checked to ensure it is level. If head jamb 54 needs adjustment, strike jamb 60 or hinge jamb 62 can be vertically adjusted, such as by placing shims under the bottom of each, as needed. Next, one or more sides of hinge jamb 62 can be checked to ensure it is plumb using a level or a plumb bob and string. If hinge jamb 62 needs adjustment, adjustable spacers 56 can be fine-tuned. In one embodiment, driving feature 77 of adjustable spacer 56 is accessible by inserting a tool, such as a flat head screwdriver, into access opening 68. By rotating adjustable spacer 56, shaft 78 pushes flange 76 against wooden stud 28, metal stud 42, or wood buck 92 causing hinge jamb 62 to move away from the stud. By rotating adjustable spacer 56 in the opposite direction, shaft 78 will loosen, allowing hinge jamb 62 to be pushed toward the stud. Adjustable spacers 56 essentially allow hinge jamb 62 to be adjusted from behind. In one embodiment, vertical jamb 52 pivots about the structure that joins head jamb 64 to vertical jamb 52, such as dovetail keys 58 or pocket hole screw 98, while adjustable spacer 56 is adjusted. After hinge jamb 62 has been plumbed, it can be secured by placing screws in securement holes 70, which may be above and below each access opening 68. These screws can also be loosened at a later time for additional adjustments. After hinge jamb 62 has been plumbed, strike jamb 60 can be plumbed in a similar manner. Likewise, the same process could be used for head jamb 54.
For additional rigidity and to help keep the door in place and eliminate door sag over time, the installer can drill sag holes 72 in each hinge recess 64. A screw, such as a three inch drywall screw, could be inserted into sag holes 72 and secured to wall 90. Stop 100 can then be secured to doorframe 50, such as by using finishing nails. By placing the nails (not shown) about every 16 inches on center, stop 100 should remain stationary upon impact, such as when a door slams into it. Stop 100 can be made from any type of wood, such as hardwood. Finally, the door may be hung to complete the opening.
Doorframe 50 may be removed from doorway 59 by removing dovetail keys 58 from corresponding dovetail slots 86 and 86 and/or pocket hole screw 98 from pocket hole 96. Additional components may need to be removed, such as screws inserted into securement holes 70 and sag holes 72. Once removed from doorway 59, doorframe 50 may be relocated to another doorway and be reused.
While various embodiments of doorframe 50 have been herein described, strike jamb 60, hinge jamb 62, and head jamb 54 may be combined to create any type of architectural doorframe opening. For example, doorframe 50 could be used for openings including, a single door, pairs of doors and doors with various sidelight configurations. Although these different configurations would contain different framing profiles, the connections and custom spacers that have been described may still be used.
It will be obvious to those having skill in the art that many changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments without departing from the underlying principles of the invention. The scope of the present invention should, therefore, be determined only by the following claims.
Claims
1. A doorframe kit, comprising:
- a head jamb for installation over a top portion of a doorway, the head jamb having an internal surface for facing a first surface of a wall bordering the doorway and an external surface that is accessible after the head jamb is placed adjacent the first surface;
- a vertical jamb adapted to abut the head jamb and extend downwardly from the head jamb along a second surface of the wall bordering the doorway;
- an adjustable spacer including: a retaining member fixedly mounted to the vertical jamb at an adjustment location on the vertical jamb, the adjustment location spaced below the head jamb; and a shaft adjustably engaged with the retaining member so that the shaft is selectively movable relative to the retaining member to project outwardly from the vertical jamb and bear against the surface of the wall, when in use, to thereby define a standoff distance between the vertical jamb and the wall at the adjustment location; and
- a joining structure formed in the external surface of the head jamb proximal of where the vertical jamb abuts the head jamb and adapted to receive a fastener for joining the head jamb and the vertical jamb together after the head jamb and the vertical jamb are positioned in the doorway.
2. The doorframe kit of claim 1 wherein the shaft includes a drive feature at an end of the shaft and further comprising:
- an access opening formed in the vertical jamb in alignment with the shaft and sized to admit a tool from a side of the vertical jamb opposite the wall for engaging the drive feature and adjusting a position of the vertical jamb at the adjustment location relative to the surface of the wall.
3. The doorframe kit of claim 1 wherein the shaft includes external threads and the retaining member includes a nut having internal threads that mesh with the external threads of the shaft.
4. The doorframe kit of claim 1 wherein the shaft includes a flange at a distal end of the shaft outside of the vertical jamb, the flange interposed between the wall and the vertical jamb when in use.
5. The doorframe kit of claim 1 further comprising:
- a recess running along the internal surface of the head jamb, the recess sized to receive a portion of the wall.
6. The doorframe kit of claim 1 wherein the fastener includes a double dovetail key and the joining structure includes a first dovetail slot formed in a top edge of a casing of the head jamb that abuts the vertical jamb when installed and further comprising:
- a second dovetail slot formed in a portion of the vertical jamb that abuts the head jamb when installed, the first and second dovetail slots adapted to receive the double dovetail key such that the vertical jamb and the head jamb are aligned and pulled together as the double dovetail key is inserted into the dovetail slots.
7. The doorframe kit of claim 1 wherein the fastener includes a pocket hole screw and the joining structure includes a pocket hole formed in the head jamb proximate abutting portions of the head jamb and the vertical jamb, the pocket hole adapted to receive the pocket hole screw.
8. The doorframe kit of claim 1 wherein the retaining member includes a T-nut having a barb, the barb embedded in the vertical jamb.
9. The doorframe kit of claim 1 further comprising:
- a second vertical jamb with an adjustable spacer.
10. The doorframe kit of claim 1 further comprising:
- a second adjustable spacer adjustably engaged with the vertical jamb below the adjustment location.
11. The doorframe kit of claim 1 further comprising:
- a securement hole formed in the vertical jamb proximate to and offset from the adjustment location and sized to receive a securement screw.
12. A method of constructing a doorframe having a head jamb adapted to be installed over a top portion of a doorway and a vertical jamb adapted to abut the head jamb and extend downwardly from the head jamb along a first surface of a wall bordering the doorway, the head jamb having an internal surface for facing a second surface of the wall bordering the doorway and an external surface that is accessible after the head jamb is placed adjacent the second surface, the method comprising:
- forming a joining structure in the external surface of the head jamb proximal of where the vertical jamb abuts the head jamb, the joining structure adapted to receive a fastener for joining the head jamb and the vertical jamb together after the head jamb and the vertical jamb are positioned in the doorway; and
- attaching to the vertical jamb an adjustable spacer having a retaining member and a shaft adjustably engaged with the retaining member so that the shaft is selectively movable relative to the retaining member to project outwardly from the vertical jamb and bear against the surface of the wall, when in use, to thereby define a standoff distance between the vertical jamb and the wall at an adjustment location, including: mounting the retaining member to the vertical jamb at an adjustment location, the adjustment location spaced below the head jamb.
13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:
- forming an access opening in the vertical jamb in alignment with the shaft, the access opening sized to admit a tool for driving the shaft relative to the retaining member so that a position of the vertical jamb relative to the surface of the wall is adjustable.
14. The method of claim 12 wherein the fastener includes a double dovetail key and forming the joining structure in the head jamb includes forming a first dovetail slot in a portion of the head jamb adapted to abut the vertical jamb and further comprising:
- forming a second dovetail slot in a portion of the vertical jamb adapted to abut the head jamb, the first and second slots being aligned and sized to receive the double dovetail key so that the vertical jamb and head jamb are aligned and pulled together by the key.
15. The method of claim 12 wherein the fastener includes a pocket hole screw and forming the joining structure includes forming a pocket hole in the head jamb proximate a portion of the head jamb adapted to abut the vertical jamb such that the pocket hole screw inserted into the pocket hole locks the head jamb to the vertical jamb.
16. The method of claim 12 further comprising:
- attaching a second adjustable spacer to the vertical jamb below the adjustment location.
17. The method of claim 12 further comprising:
- forming a securement hole proximate to and offset from the adjustment location, the securement hole sized to receive a securement screw.
18. A method of installing a doorframe in a rough opening of a wall, comprising:
- placing a strike jamb and a hinge jamb in the opening along opposite sides thereof, the hinge jamb having an adjustable spacer mounted to a side of the hinge jamb facing the wall at an adjustment location and an access opening extending therethrough in alignment with the adjustable spacer;
- placing a head jamb in the opening so that the head jamb abuts the strike jamb and the hinge jamb, the head jamb having an internal surface facing a first surface of the wall, an external surface that is accessible after the head jamb is placed adjacent the first surface, a first joining structure formed in the external surface of the head jamb proximal of where the head jamb abuts the strike jamb, and a second joining structure formed in the external surface of the head jamb proximal of where the head jamb abuts the hinge jamb;
- joining the head jamb to the strike jamb, including inserting a first fastener in the first joining structure after the head jamb and the strike jamb are placed in the opening;
- joining the head jamb to the hinge jamb, including inserting a second fastener in the second joining structure after the head jamb and the hinge jamb are placed in the opening; and
- adjusting a standoff distance of the hinge jamb relative to the wall at the adjustment location, including: inserting a tool into the access opening; and driving the adjustable spacer outwardly to increase the standoff distance of the hinge jamb relative to the wall at the adjustment location.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein the strike jamb, the hinge jamb, and head jamb are placed in the opening so that a recess formed in each of the strike jamb, the hinge jamb, and the head jamb receives a portion of the wall.
20. The method of claim 18 wherein
- the first fastener includes a first double dovetail key, the first joining structure includes a first dovetail slot formed in a portion of the head jamb abutting the strike jamb, the strike jamb includes a second dovetail slot formed in a portion of the strike jamb abutting the head jamb, and the head jamb is joined to the strike jamb by inserting the first double dovetail key into the first and second dovetail slots such that the head jamb and the strike jamb are aligned and pulled together by the first key, and
- the second fastener includes a second double dovetail key, the second joining structure includes a third dovetail slot formed in a portion of the head jamb abutting the hinge jamb, the hinge jamb includes a fourth dovetail slot formed in a portion of the hinge jamb abutting the head jamb, and the head jamb is joined to the hinge jamb by inserting the second double dovetail key into the third and fourth dovetail slots such that the head jamb and the hinge jamb are aligned and pulled together by the second key.
21. The method of claim 18 wherein
- the first fastener includes a first pocket hole screw, the first joining structure includes a first pocket hole formed in the head jamb proximate abutting portions of the head jamb and the strike jamb, and the head jamb is joined to the strike jamb by inserting the first pocket hole screw in the first pocket hole such that the head jamb is locked to the strike jamb, and
- the second fastener includes a second pocket hole screw, the second joining structure includes a second pocket hole formed in the head jamb proximate abutting portions of the head jamb and the hinge jamb, and the head jamb is joined to the hinge jamb by inserting the second pocket hole screw in the second pocket hole such that the head jamb is locked to the hinge jamb.
22. The method of claim 18 wherein the head jamb has a second adjustable spacer mounted to a side of the head jamb facing the wall at a second adjustment location and a second access opening extending therethrough in alignment with the second adjustable spacer and further comprising:
- leveling the head jamb by inserting a tool into the second access opening and driving the second adjustable spacer outwardly to increase a standoff distance of the head jamb relative to the wall at the second adjustment location.
23. The method of claim 18 wherein the strike jamb has a second adjustable spacer mounted to a side of the strike jamb facing the wall at a second adjustment location and a second access opening extending therethrough in alignment with the second adjustable spacer and further comprising:
- plumbing the strike jamb by inserting a tool into the second access opening and driving the second adjustable spacer outwardly to increase a standoff distance of the strike jamb relative to the wall at the second adjustment location.
24. The method of claim 18 further comprising:
- inserting a securement screw into a securement hole formed proximate to and offset from the adjustment location such that the standoff distance between the corresponding jamb and the wall is fixed.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 29, 2007
Publication Date: Oct 25, 2007
Applicant: Washington Hardwoods Co., LLC (Seattle, WA)
Inventor: John Gaydos (Kent, WA)
Application Number: 11/693,461
International Classification: E04C 2/54 (20060101);