DOORS & JOINERY

Replace damaged architrave

Remove damaged architrave, check what's behind the wall, then fit and finish new lengths so they fit neatly and stay put.

AR-01Clear the area and set upMove furniture and rugs away from the door so you can work freely. Lay a dust sheet along the skirting and floor to catch nails and dust. If the door gets in the way, lift it off its hinges and lean it safely against a wall.
1 each · Dust sheet
AR-02Match and buy new architraveCompare the old architrave's profile and width against stock at a DIY shed or timber merchant — common profiles are ogee, chamfered or pencil-round. Buy the closest match, or replace both sides of the door if you can't match it exactly. Get about 300mm more per length than you measure, to allow for mitre cuts and mistakes.
3 each · Softwood architrave, 2.4m length, 45mm x 18mm
AR-03Remove the old architraveScore along the joint between the architrave and the wall with a sharp knife to break the paint seal. Starting at the bottom, lever it away from the wall with a pry bar, protecting the wall with a scrap of wood. Pull old nails out with pincers rather than punching them through, working up to the top corner.
1 each · Pry bar
1 each · Pincers
AR-04Strip old fixings and prep the openingRemove any nails left in the door lining or wall with pliers or a nail punch. Fill deep gouges in the plaster or plasterboard edge with a little filler and let it dry fully. Vacuum dust from the frame and wall edge so the new architrave sits flush.
1 330g tub · Multi-purpose filler
1 each · Filling knife
AR-05Check what's behind the wall before you fix anythingThe outer edge of the architrave sits against the wall, so you need to know what's behind it: solid brick or block, plasterboard on timber studs, plasterboard on metal studs, dot-and-dab plasterboard, or lath and plaster. Tap along the wall near the frame — a dull thud usually means a stud or solid wall, a hollow sound means a plasterboard void between studs. Run a stud detector or a magnet along the surface tracking screw heads to find a stud line, then drill a small 2mm pilot hole in an inconspicuous spot: timber dust means a timber stud, fine grey swarf means a metal stud, and a hollow give followed by a hard tap 30-50mm further in usually means dot-and-dab over masonry.
1 each · Stud detector
1 each · Masonry drill bit, 2mm
AR-06Mind cables and pipes, and know your isolation pointsBefore you drill or nail into the wall, remember cables and pipes can run almost anywhere near a door frame, not just in the usual safe zones. A detector can still miss cables that are deep, in metal conduit, or behind metal-backed board, so treat every wall as if something is there until you prove otherwise. Find your stopcock (usually under the kitchen sink) and check it turns freely before you start, so you can shut the water off fast if you hit a pipe. If you're at all unsure what's behind the wall near a socket or switch, isolate that circuit at the consumer unit before drilling, and turn off the water at the stopcock before cutting into anything that could carry water.
AR-07Measure and cut the new lengthsMeasure the door lining and mark a small setback of about 5mm from the inner edge of the frame — this margin looks neater than lining the architrave up flush. Mitre the top corners at 45° using the technique from cutting mitres for skirting, architrave and coving, and cut the two upright legs square at the bottom, about 3-5mm above the floor or floor covering.
1 each · Combination square
AR-08Fix the architrave — method depends on the wall behind itNail into the timber door lining first with 40mm lost-head or oval nails every 300-400mm, about 15-20mm from the edge. Run a bead of instant-grab adhesive along the back of the wall-side edge, then add the right fixing for what's behind it: into solid brick or block, drill a 5mm hole through the architrave and wall, fit a red or brown wall plug, and drive a 40mm countersunk screw or masonry pin. Into plasterboard on a timber stud, drive a 40mm oval nail or panel pin straight into the marked stud centre; the adhesive holds the rest of the run. Into plasterboard on a metal stud, don't nail it — the pin bends and the steel just dents. Use the grab adhesive plus a self-drilling metal-stud screw only where you've marked a stud, and never a plastic wall plug or wood screw, which strips straight through 0.5mm steel. Over dot-and-dab plasterboard, nails between the dabs won't hold, so rely on the grab adhesive along the whole length; if you need a mechanical fixing, use one long enough to pass through the plasterboard and dab into the solid masonry behind, typically 60-75mm. Onto lath and plaster, avoid hammering pins as they can crack the old plaster keys — use grab adhesive and hold the architrave with masking tape or props until it cures, pinning lightly only into the door lining side.
1 box · Lost-head nails, 40mm (box)
1 box · Panel pins, 30mm (box)
1 cartridge · Instant grab adhesive
1 pack · Wall plugs, red/brown (pack)
1 box · Countersunk screws, 40mm (box)
1 pack · Self-drilling metal-stud screws (pack)
1 roll · Masking tape
AR-09Punch nails and fill holesUse a nail punch to sink each nail head about 2mm below the surface. Fill the holes with flexible decorator's filler or wood filler, then wipe away the excess with a damp cloth and leave it to dry.
1 each · Nail punch
1 tube · Decorator's filler
AR-10Caulk the joins and sand smoothRun a bead of flexible decorator's caulk along the join between the architrave and the wall, and along the mitred corners, then smooth it with a wet finger. Once the filler and caulk are fully dry, sand the whole length lightly with fine sandpaper.
1 tube · Decorator's caulk
1 pack · Fine sandpaper, 120-180 grit (pack)
AR-11Prime and paintApply a coat of primer or undercoat if the timber is bare, then two coats of your finish paint or varnish, sanding lightly between coats. Keep a wet edge as you go to avoid visible brush marks.
1 250ml tin · Wood primer/undercoat
1 250ml tin · Satinwood paint
1 each · Paintbrush
AR-12Refit the door and tidy upRehang the door if you took it off, and check it still opens and closes freely against the new architrave. Sweep up dust and offcuts, and dispose of the old architrave and nails safely.
1 each · Bin bags

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