How to Figure Jamb Width for Interior Doors

A door jamb is the vertical portion of a door frame. For the door to fit properly in a wall section, the jamb must be the same width as the wood used to frame the wall. The jambs on prehung interior door frames are factory cut, so getting the correct width is usually not a problem. However, when ripping your own jambs, getting the width right requires a few simple measurements.

Tape measure

Instructions

- 1
  Determine the width of the lumber used in your wall section. Two-by-fours are the most common in wall framing, but 2-by-6 inch lumber is also used.
- 2
  Measure the width of the left trimmer in your rough opening. Trimmers are the two studs, to the left and right, onto which the door jambs are attached. A two-by-four should measure 4 9/16 inches, while a two-by-six should measure 6 9/16 inches. A rough opening is the space in a wall section into which a door is placed. It is 2 inches wider than the door width to accommodate the door frame.
- 3
  Measure the with of the right trimmer.
- 4
  Compare the measurements taken from the left and right trimmers. If the measurements are the same, this is your jamb width. If you get different measurements, your framing is off and your must change one or both trimmers before your can install your interior door.

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