METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REPAIRING AND SEALING DOOR AND WINDOW JAMBS, FRAMES, THRESHOLDS, AND EXTERIOR TRIM
A protective cover for the repair of exterior surfaces of a building and more specifically to protective covers of a water and environmentally resistant material that are pre-dimensioned to be used in the repair of standard sized door or window jambs, frames, thresholds or exterior trim and that may have pre-formed grooves to provide for the repair of non-standard sized door or window jambs, frames, thresholds or exterior trim. The protective covers may further be included in a kit that provides for a homeowner to easily size the covers to the appropriate dimension and perform a repair.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/219,264 filed Mar. 19, 2014 and claims the benefit of pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/910,336 filed Nov. 30, 2013 entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REPAIRING AND SEALING WOODEN DOOR AND WINDOW JAMBS both of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention is related to protective covers for the repair of exterior surfaces of a building that are susceptible to environmental elements or pests. The present invention more specifically relates to protective covers and jamb shield guards made from water and environmentally resistant materials that are pre-dimensioned or that provide preformed grooves aligned along the length and or width of the cover to provide for a user to cut along the groove and snap off an excess portion of the cover to properly fit over and seal all or a portion of standard or non-standard sized door or window jambs, frames, thresholds, or exterior trim. The protective covers may further be included in a kit that provides for a homeowner to easily size the covers to the appropriate dimensions and perform the repair.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIn most homes wood is commonly used in the construction of door and window jambs, frames, thresholds and exterior trim. The door or window jamb surrounds a door or window and affixes the frame of the door or window to a building. A threshold is at the base of the entryway of a door. Stain or paint is used to seal the wood and over time the sealant may chip causing cracking and degradation of the wood. The degradation is unsightly and causes air gaps that allow cold air and rain from outside a building to enter, causing drafts and increasing heating costs. The degradation also may cause rot and deterioration of the wood and structural elements of the building. While environmentally resistant thermoplastic materials are now more often used for door and window jambs, frames, trim, thresholds, and other exterior surfaces on newly built homes and other buildings, what is not known is a method to easily repair and seal degraded jambs, frames, thresholds, or other exterior trim surfaces. Currently, a common method to repair a door jamb is to replace the entire door, jamb and casing at a high cost. A repair that may be even more costly is the repair of degradation around a garage door. To repair the frame of a garage door, the track railings or roller brackets that guide the garage door must be removed from the frame, the frame must then be replaced and then the track railings must be reinstalled, a process that requires a number of hours of a skilled installer's time for proper repair. The present invention allows a building owner to keep older doors or windows in order to maintain the history and integrity of the architectural aesthetic of older structures without significant expense. The present invention also provides a way to repair the frame around a garage door without removing the railings. Additionally, the present invention provides a barrier from outside elements by creating a seal around any gaps or openings in the degraded wooden jamb, frame, threshold, or trim.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONDoor and window jambs that surround and support the door or window frames, the frames around doors, windows or garage doors, thresholds, and exterior trim surfaces are commonly painted or stained wood that degrades over time as paint and sealants chip away exposing the untreated wood to environmental elements and pests. The current method to repair deteriorating wooden door and window jambs, frames, or other exterior trim surfaces is to remove and replace the entire door or window along with the wooden jamb or the entire frame or exterior trim. This process costs a considerable amount of money and takes a fairly significant amount of time to complete. Generally, this process is left to professionals in order to execute the construction and installation properly, particularly in the replacement of doors, garage doors or windows. Alternatively, a portion of the degraded wooden jamb of a door, or a portion of a frame, threshold or trim may be removed and be replaced with another piece of wood that is cut and inserted into the chiseled out portion of the jamb, frame, threshold possibly causing gaps or an unsightly mismatch of finish where the two pieces do not fit perfectly together. The removal of a portion of the wooden jamb, frame, threshold or trim may take a considerable amount of time and labor as the wood is chipped out piece by piece using a chisel. The present invention saves significant time and money and allows a homeowner or others having limited technical knowledge to easily repair and seal door or window jambs, frames, thresholds, or other exterior surfaces that have deteriorated over time.
The present invention is related to pre-fit protective covers that provide for a user to easily size and install the protective cover over a doorjamb, garage door frame, window jamb or frame, threshold or other exterior surface and seal the protective cover over the degraded surfaces. The protective covers are dimensioned to a standard size in width and length that is adequate for a large number of standard size door jambs, door frames, and garage door frames. In some embodiments, the protective covers may provide a series of partially cut grooves that are aligned at standard dimensions to provide for a user to cut along a selected groove and snap off an excess portion of the cover in order to have the cover be the proper dimension in either width or length to match the surface being covered. In preferred embodiments, the grooves are formed by routing and removing only a portion along the cover preferably without cutting all of the way through or forming holes or slots in the cover that may diminish the structural integrity of the cover. The grooves may be formed in various shapes such as in a V-shaped, rabbet, ogee shaped or more preferably in a round over shape that forms a decorative curved bead along each side and removes any sharp edges along the groove. The round over routing shape as well leaves substantial material in forming the bead to prevent fractures or unevenness along the material when cutting. The round over shape also forms a narrow channel for the user to easily insert the knife in and cut along to slice through the groove. Once cut, the user applies pressure to the unwanted portion that breaks off cleanly and evenly to remove the excess and properly dimension the cover for the jamb, frame, threshold, or trim that is smaller than the standard dimensioned cover. The protective covers of the present invention may also be used with weather stripping and trim pieces for jambs, frames and exterior trim sections that are larger than the protective cover. The present invention also provides pre-fit door jamb shield guards that may be installed to cover and seal only a portion of the door jamb that has deteriorated for example at the base of a door jamb which is a common area where the door jamb degrades over time.
The protective covers of the present invention may also in some embodiments be used to cover window jambs, frames, thresholds, and exterior trim. However, unlike the standard dimension of door jambs, window jambs and frames, thresholds, and exterior trim are frequently of varying lengths and widths instead of standard sizes. To address non-standard sizes, the protective covers which may also be referred to as protective restoration covers or RE-JAMB® protective covers are pre-dimensioned to available standard sizes in width and in length of windows, thresholds or trim and a number of partially cut grooves are aligned along the length of the protective cover and/or the width of the cover to provide for a portion of the cover that is closest to the nearest appropriate dimension to be removed to properly size the protective cover in length and width to an adequate dimension for a particular window jamb or frame to cover and seal the surface from the environment or to properly size the protective cover to seal a degraded threshold or piece of exterior trim. Any number of grooves may be provided along the exterior surface of the cover with any remaining grooves providing a decorative element to the exterior surfaces sealed by the protective cover. When the appropriate dimension is chosen, a utility knife is run along the groove and because the depth of the groove extends almost through the thickness of the protective cover, the excess piece is easily snapped off and removed from the cover exactly along the groove leaving a smooth uniform edge and a properly dimensioned cover. In other embodiments, the grooves may be provided along the interior surface of the cover that is affixed to the jamb, frame or trim surface.
The RE-JAMB® protective covers are secured in place using an adhesive sealant, nails and/or other fasteners. The adhesive that is used is a sealant of a high quality formulation that creates a water resistant secure seal for a variety of surfaces and applications. The adhesive sealant may resist yellowing, cracking, chalking, and UV degradation. In applying the adhesive sealant, the adhesive sealant is extruded onto the rear surface of the cover and may also be applied along the edges to prevent water and other environmental elements from seeping under the cover and destroying the wood or other material beneath. The covers may be wiped clean and be painted or stained to match the coloring of the jamb, frame or exterior trim.
The RE-JAMB® protective covers are made from a free foam cellular polyvinyl chloride (PVC) trim board or other simulated wood or composite that is of a water and environmentally resistant plastic material that is free of voids, holes, cracks, foreign inclusions and other defects. The grooves may be formed by routing along the length of the protective cover at the standard dimensions most commonly used for the width of door jambs, or by routing a number of grooves for example at every ¼ of an inch or every ½ inch to provide for the proper amount of cover to be removed to fit jambs, frames, thresholds, and trims of non-standard dimensions. Additional grooves may be formed at the top or bottom of the cover to provide for the cover to be dimensioned to the proper length for a particular door jamb or frame, window jamb or frame, threshold or trim piece.
The RE-JAMB® protective covers are formed in some embodiments with a 90° right angle extension along the length of the cover to align the cover and provide a perpendicular surface that abuts and seals along the face of the jamb, frame or exterior trim. In other embodiments, the cover may be formed with an angle extension that is greater than 90° and more particularly between 90° and 100° to accommodate a slope such as the slope of a threshold that extends down from the base of the door to provide drainage. Protective covers with extension pieces at different angles of more than or less than 90° to accommodate particular angles of door or window jambs, frames or trim are contemplated within the scope of the present invention. The restoration covers may be manufactured through an extrusion or molding process to form the covers with the grooves at appropriate dimensions to properly fit over standard and non-standard jambs, frames and exterior trim of a building. Other manufacturing processes to form the covers are within the scope of the present invention.
The present invention relates to protective cover comprising a rear edge, a flat surface extending from the rear edge and an extension extending from the flat surface; at least one groove within the flat surface; and wherein the protective cover is properly sized by cutting along the groove and removing material from the protective cover. The protective cover may be installed over and affixed to an exterior surface of a building. The protective cover may be dimensioned to a standard dimension of a jamb, frame, or trim. In some embodiments, the at least one groove extends along the entire length of the protective cover. In some embodiments, the at least one groove extends along the entire width of the protective cover. In some embodiments, the at least one groove has a round over shape. The round over shape forms a narrow channel and leaves substantial material along the groove to prevent fractures or unevenness along the material when cutting. The extension of the protective cover may extend at an angle of 90 degrees, at an angle greater than 90 degrees, or at an angle less than 90 degrees. The extension of the protective cover may extend at an angle of between 90 degrees and 100 degrees to cover a threshold. The extension of the protective cover may extend to the left from the flat surface to form a left vertical protective cover or to the right to form a right vertical protective cover. In some embodiments, the left vertical protective cover and the right vertical protective cover each have one end cut at an angle of between 5 and 10 degrees. In some embodiments, the left vertical protective cover and the right vertical protective cover have an upper edge formed at an angle of 45 degrees and an upper horizontal protective cover may be formed having both ends formed at an angle of 45 degrees; and the upper edge of the left and right vertical protective covers may mate with one of each end of the horizontal protective cover. The protective cover may be in a range of 6 inches to 30 inches in length to cover the lower surface of a degraded door jamb.
The present invention is related to a method of repairing a jamb of a door or window comprising cleaning a jamb; forming a protective cover having a rear edge, a flat surface extending from the rear edge, an extension extending from the flat surface and at least one groove; sizing the protective cover to a dimension matching the dimension of the jamb by cutting along the groove; snapping off excess material of the protective cover along the groove; and aligning the extension over a face of the jamb; and installing the protective cover over the jamb.
The present invention is related to a method of repairing a garage door frame comprising cleaning a garage door frame; applying adhesive to a protective cover; and installing the protective cover over the garage door frame. The method of repairing a garage door frame may comprise applying adhesive to a trim piece; installing the trim piece over the garage door frame adjacent the protective cover. The method of repairing a garage door frame may comprise applying adhesive to a piece of weather stripping; installing the piece of weather stripping over the garage door frame adjacent the protective cover.
These and other features, advantages and improvements according to this invention will be better understood by reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. While references may be made to upper, lower, vertical and horizontal, these terms are used merely to describe the relationship of covers to the surfaces being covered and not to limit the present invention to any one orientation.
Several embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Over time, paint 2 or sealant on the exterior surface of a door jamb 4 may chip and peel, as shown in
In a preferred embodiment the protective cover used on the sides of a door jamb 4 is pre-cut at one end at an angle ØC of between 5° and 10° and more preferably at 6° to match the minimal angle ØT of the slant of the threshold and to mate and maintain contact with the slanted surface of the threshold. This is an important feature that prevents gaps between the protective cover and the threshold 3 at a point prone to degradation. The angle ØC of the cover assists in the application of an adhesive sealant 17 along the base of the cover 10 and threshold 3 to seal and prevent water from seeping behind the cover and damaging the wood underneath. This unique feature addresses and repairs a very common problem of leaking at the bottom of the door jamb and threshold that if left untreated can result in rot and mold effecting the structural integrity of a building.
For a door, the protective covers, as shown in
As shown in
As shown in
In some embodiments, the protective cover has a straight uniform rear edge 28 substantially perpendicular to the axis X, as shown in
The protective covers have a flat exterior surface 25 that extends from the rear edge 28 to the rounded edge 33 that forms the 90° right angle extension 27 along the length of the cover. The right angle extension 27 provides a perpendicular interior surface 29 as shown in
A further embodiment of the present invention allows the user to custom fit the present invention to non-standard or smaller standard sized door or window jamb widths or other exterior trim surfaces. In this embodiment, one or more grooves 35 are formed or routed along the width of the protective covers 20 and 22 at distances that correspond to one or more additional standard sizes for a door jamb 4, as shown in
As shown in
As shown in
In a further embodiment, the present invention allows for a user to use the protective restoration cover to cover a smaller portion of a door jamb 4 rather than the entire door jamb. The restoration cover sections or jamb shield guards 30 and 32 are in a range of 6 inches to 30 inches long and more preferably 12 inches in length as shown in
In a further embodiment as shown in
The present invention further provides for protective covers to be used to cover window jambs, frames, and exterior trim. As shown in
As shown in
The door restoration covers may be made from a free foam cellular polyvinyl chloride (PVC) trim board or other simulated wood or composite that is of a water and environmentally resistant material that is free of voids, holes, cracks, foreign inclusions and other defects. The restoration covers may be cut and routed from the PVC trim board that is cut to a standard length for a door or window jamb. The PVC trim board may be of a thickness from ¼ inch to 1 inch of a width from 4 to 6 inches or of any dimension that is larger than standard door or window jamb sizes. The corners of the PVC trim board are square, and the top and bottom surfaces are flat with no convex or concave deviation. In manufacturing the restoration cover, the PVC trim board width is cut or ripped down to the largest of a standard door or window jamb size. The edges of the trim board are rounded and the grooves are routed along one surface of the cover. Alternatively, the protective covers may be manufactured through a molding process to form the covers with the grooves and rounded edges, or through an extrusion process to form the grooves and cut the covers to the proper length and width. The grooves are preferably formed using a round over shape and without completely cutting through the material in order to maintain the structural integrity of the cover, provide a narrow channel 34 that may be easily cut along and prevent fractures and uneven edges along the cut. In alternative embodiments within the scope of the present invention, the grooves may be formed in various other shapes and be formed as a series of holes or slots along the length or width of the cover.
The protective restoration covers may further be included in a kit that includes an adhesive 17 and provides for a homeowner to easily size the covers to the appropriate dimension using a utility knife and perform the repair. The present invention, however is not recommended for use where due to age and neglect a door jamb 4 or window jamb 54 is rotted underneath and extensive structural damage has occurred to the house or building. The present invention should only be used before any severe wood rot issues have affected the structural integrity. The restoration covers of the present invention will seal wood trim from any further degradation; however, the installation over rotted frames and trim may cause serious damage to the house or structure behind the trim that may worsen overtime. A careful check for rot such as by taking a screwdriver and pushing on the wood is required prior to installation of the protective restoration covers. If the screwdriver goes through the wood, that is an indication that the wood is rotted and replacement of the structural components of the building and frame must be completed with and/or in place of installing the protective restoration covers of the present invention.
In installing the protective restoration covers of the present invention, it is advisable that any surface debris such as dirt and paint chips remaining on the jamb, frame or trim be removed and cleaned. Any gaps in the wood should be caulked to prevent further degradation before installation of the restoration covers. The weather stripping 11 traditionally used between the jamb 4 and the door 5 or window 58, may be replaced prior to installation of the restoration covers or shield guards to assist with sealing the outdoor elements out and keeping heating or cooling within the building or structure. The protective restoration cover is then sized and positioned to be properly fitted over each section of the jamb, frame, or trim. The pre-fit pieces of the protective restoration covers are sized to fit most standard door or window jambs and for doors most are sized in one of the three standard dimensions. For larger standard door jambs, the cover pieces should fit without any modification to the pre-cut dimensions. For smaller or non-standard jambs, frames or trim, the restoration cover may be sized by cutting along the pre-formed grooves with a utility knife and breaking off the excess material. In this manner, a single cover may be used to seal and protect jambs, frames and trims of various sizes. Once installed, final caulking along the seams and corners of the cover seals and protects the jamb, frame, or trim underneath. The protective covers may then be painted or stained to match the exterior trim of the building.
The RE-JAMB® protective cover 70 of the present invention may also be installed on the threshold 3 of a door 5 to repair a degraded threshold 3, as shown in
The RE-JAMB® protective cover 70 of the present invention may also be installed to the frame 80 of a garage door 82 that supports the garage door 82 on a building 84. As shown in
The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A protective cover comprising:
- a rear edge, a flat surface extending from the rear edge and an extension extending from the flat surface;
- at least one groove within the flat surface; and
- wherein the protective cover is properly sized by cutting along the groove and removing material from the protective cover.
2. The protective cover of claim 1 wherein the protective cover is installed over and affixed to an exterior surface of a building.
3. The protective cover of claim 1 wherein the protective cover is dimensioned to a standard dimension of a jamb, frame, or trim.
4. The protective cover of claim 1 wherein the at least one groove extends along the entire length of the protective cover.
5. The protective cover of claim 1 wherein the at least one groove extends along the entire width of the protective cover.
6. The protective cover of claim 1 wherein the at least one groove having a round over shape.
7. The protective cover of claim 6 wherein the round over shape forms a narrow channel.
8. The protective cover of claim 6 wherein the round over shape leaves substantial material along the groove to prevent fractures or unevenness along the material when cutting.
9. The protective cover of claim 1 wherein the extension extends at an angle of 90 degrees.
10. The protective cover of claim 1 wherein the extension extends at an angle greater than 90 degrees.
11. The protective cover of claim 1 wherein the extension extends at an angle less than 90 degrees.
12. The protective cover of claim 1 wherein the extension extends at an angle of between 90 degrees and 100 degrees to cover a threshold.
13. The protective cover of claim 1 wherein the extension extends to the left from the flat surface to form a left vertical protective cover or to the right to form a right vertical protective cover.
14. The protective cover of claim 13 wherein the left vertical protective cover and the right vertical protective cover each having one end cut at an angle of between 5 and 10 degrees.
15. The protective cover of claim 13 wherein the left vertical protective cover and the right vertical protective cover having an upper edge formed at an angle of 45 degrees and an upper horizontal protective cover is formed having both ends formed at an angle of 45 degrees; and
- wherein the upper edge of the left and right vertical protective covers mate with one of each end of the horizontal protective cover.
16. The protective cover of claim 1 wherein the protective cover is in a range of 6 inches to 30 inches in length to cover the lower surface of a degraded door jamb.
17. A method of repairing a jamb of a door or window comprising:
- cleaning a jamb;
- forming a protective cover having a rear edge, a flat surface extending from the rear edge, an extension extending from the flat surface and at least one groove;
- sizing the protective cover to a dimension matching the dimension of the jamb by cutting along the groove;
- snapping off excess material of the protective cover along the groove; and
- aligning the extension over a face of the jamb; and.
- installing the protective cover over the jamb.
18. A method of repairing a garage door frame comprising:
- cleaning a garage door frame;
- applying adhesive to a protective cover; and
- installing the protective cover over the garage door frame.
19. The method of repairing a garage door frame of claim 18 comprising applying adhesive to a trim piece;
- installing the trim piece over the garage door frame adjacent the protective cover.
20. The method of repairing a garage door frame of claim 18 comprising:
- applying adhesive to a piece of weather stripping;
- installing the piece of weather stripping over the garage door frame adjacent the protective cover.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 19, 2016
Publication Date: May 12, 2016
Inventor: Michel R. Larochelle (Bedford, NH)
Application Number: 15/000,855