Replacing Architrave... well maybe.

alexlyne

Just about to embark on a project to decorate the lounge... the issue I have is that the previous owners put in natural wood floor, and natural wood skirting boards and natural wood doors. But the left the door frames gloss white!!

The missus likes the natural effect, and so I was hoping to sort out the door frames.

My initial idea was to rip out the door frames and put new ones in before my dad reminded me that the frame could be 'pi-shaped' - that the top beam could be interlocked with the uprights and go beyond the uprights into the wall (like the greek pi).

So plan B is to remove the architrave bit which should be just nailed into the frame, and use decent electric sander to clear the frame of gloss, and just buy new architrave and the small bit that's put in the centre of the frame that the door closes into (if you get my meaning).

Now, could my dad be right? the house was built around 1988 so fairly new. Will I be able to tell after removing the architrave if I can remove the frame too? I'd rather do this than sand down the original for obvious reason of the doorframe getting bigger than the door.

Cheers
al

phill99

If you sand it down, it will onlt be the thickness of the paint that you take off. This is hardly going to massively enlargen the opening for the door. Sanding is the devils own job. You may want to try a chemical stripper.

The other issue with replacing the frame is that unless it is a perfect replacement in terms of thickness, etc, you may have to start planing bits off the door etc.

alexlyne

The doors are cheap... if the worst happened I'd get new doors (and be happier, at the expense of the expense of course).
Chemical stripper... good point - even if I sanded down, it would still get rid of the last pesky bits (inside small crevices).

We have a cupboard under the stairs, and was going to start with that as will be less noticeable if i mess up, and also the walls are very lightweight, so replacing a frame may be easier.

andrew-b

Whilst doors themselves can be bought cheapily if your replacing yourself and never done it before it can take upto a day each door..a chippy will do them in no time but at a cost obviously.

I don't think it would look that odd if you just replaced the architrave and just stripped the 5mm or so leading edge of the door frame alongside the architrave leaving the rest of the frame white. Or if you choose a suitable profile of architrave you could attach flush with the frame. My parents have got oak architraves in their kitchen with the rest of the door frame being white with white door..think it's flush with the frame.

keystone

You have to remember that the guy that fits the door jambs (what you are calling the frame) does it long before someone else hangs the doors. Yes they will be jointed but not necessarily as a PI shape sometimes its morte like an H. The doors will be fitted to the shape of the jambs which is not always square by the guy that hangs them which may include trimming the door appropriately. Its not just a case of throwing 2/3 hinges on and whacking it up. No leave the door jambs be and just replace the architrave.

8 years old only? Paint will be thin then. Chemical stripper a total waste of time and effort by the time you've cleaned all the mess up. Electric sander makes too much mess. Just rub it back by hand. It really won't take long at all.

Cheers

Oh and by the way the "the small bit that's put in the centre of the frame that the door closes into" is called a stop.

alexlyne

Thanks for the technical terms
I'll start with my plan B, and see how things go from there - got a lot of wallpaper stripping to do before that though. yawn.