Feasible to remove door frame with no wall damage?

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Hello

The doorframe is nailed in, and is on a partition wall, so not load bearing or anything. I would like to replace the door frame as I'm varnishing the bare wood and after stripping the white gloss I find it to be in a bit of s state. However, I'd like to do it without destroying the plaster around it.
I would plan to carefully chisel around the nails and use a claw to pull them out, rather than jimmying the frame out from behind.
Is there a good chance of doing this successsfully, or is breaking the plaster usually inevitable?

Thanks
Alex
 
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I think there's sure to be some plaster damage - even when removing the architrave - but if you're careful you may be able to make this good yourself.
Drilling down the side of the nails may help you to pull them more easily.
John :)
 
I think there's sure to be some plaster damage - even when removing the architrave - but if you're careful you may be able to make this good yourself.
Drilling down the side of the nails may help you to pull them more easily.
John :)


The architrave and stop came off without any problem (I was replacing this with fresh anyway). I'm tempted now to give the frame removal a shot...
Thanks for the advice :)


Just had another idea. The old frame will be useless if I try to remove it whatever I do, so why not saw it into sections, above and below each pair of nails (only 4 pairs each side) - almost guaranteed no fuss then!


Another query: The dimension of the current doorframe is 28mmx96mm. This is smaller than the highstreet depot frames (smallest is 32x106). Is the size in my house non-standard, am I expected to sand/saw down a few mm?
Alternatively, could I get a 44x96mm planed softwood from B&Q and get their cutting service to cut the 44mm down to 28? I get the impression they're into cutting long lenhgths shorter or cutting sheetwood, but might give them a call tomorrow and ask.
 
I very much doubt that they could cut it to size, usually all they have is a wall saw and you cannot rip timber with those. Find a timber merchant.
 
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Been in touch with my local-ish timber people. I was very impressed with the price, so I have ordered enough timber to do the 5 doorways that I would like to get done. All for £65!

I decided to go just for plain timber, and not have it made up into lining sets, as it is my amateur opinion that as the surrounding walls are square, I can simply cut the sides and top to the right length and screw them in.
 
Lap joints laddie, lap joints. Otherwise they will cause binding problems later.
 
Lap joints laddie, lap joints. Otherwise they will cause binding problems later.

I totally get you on this point...however as I'm replacing like for like, and keeping the doors, I thought that by getting them made with lapped joints I'm stuck if If I'm a couple of mm out. Or, at the least have to put spacers in if there is a gap.
My over-opinionated colleague at work (who has built extensions for his house in teh distant past) has done door linings with and without proper joints without much fuss. He said just be careful about bowing which will be negated by a lap joint.
 
Your over-opinionated colleague is correct, check my first post, if you get those dims right you will have no problems...pinenot :)
 

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