The frame is the part of a door opening that nobody thinks about until it fails, and it is where most forced entries actually succeed. A thousand-dollar lock in a softwood jamb held by half-inch screws is defeated by a single kick, and what breaks is never the lock.
Typical range: $325–$3200 CAD. Ranges are typical for the GTA and depend on the door, the hardware and the time of day. We confirm the price before dispatching.
Why frames fail under attack
On a standard wood frame, the strike plate is typically held by two short screws that bite only into the jamb — a thin piece of softwood nailed to the stud behind it. A kick applies several hundred pounds of force to that small area, and the jamb splits along the grain. The deadbolt is still locked, still intact, still in the strike; the wood around it has simply given way.
The fix is to transfer that load into the structure. A full-length reinforcing strike with three-inch screws driven through the jamb into the stud behind changes the failure threshold dramatically, and it costs very little. It is the highest-value security upgrade available on a residential or light commercial door, and it is routinely skipped.
Steel frame corrosion
Hollow metal frames in GTA buildings face salt, slush and meltwater every winter, and the bottom six to twelve inches is where it collects. Corrosion works from the inside of the frame outward, so by the time it is visible the section is usually well gone.
Once the frame loses integrity at the base, the hinge anchorage and the strike lose their fixing and the door stops hanging correctly. Repair options are a welded replacement section, a subframe wrap over the damaged area, or full frame replacement. A wrap is markedly less disruptive than cutting out a frame grouted into masonry, and on many buildings it is the right engineering answer as well as the cheaper one.
Repairs we carry out
- Split jamb repair with structural reinforcement rather than filler
- Full-length security strikes and reinforcing plates anchored into the stud
- Frame straightening where a frame has been racked by forced entry
- Welded section replacement on corroded hollow metal frames
- Subframe wraps over damaged steel frames
- Hinge-side reinforcement and continuous geared hinges where hinges keep tearing out
- Frame anchoring where the original anchors have loosened in masonry
- Complete frame replacement where repair is not viable
Reinforcement as a preventative measure
Almost all our frame work is reactive — we are called after a break-in. The same work done beforehand costs a fraction of the repair plus the loss plus the insurance excess plus the closed day of trading.
On a commercial rear door, a reinforced strike, a latch guard and a hinge-side pin set together cost less than an evening's lost revenue and they change the time and noise required to defeat the door, which is what actually deters forced entry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a kicked-in door frame be repaired or does it need replacing?
Repair is usually possible and usually the right call. A split jamb can be structurally repaired and reinforced so it ends up considerably stronger than it was before — glued and clamped, backed with a reinforcing plate, and re-anchored into the stud. Full replacement is needed when the frame is racked out of square or the damage runs the full height.
What is the strongest way to reinforce a door frame?
A full-length steel reinforcing strike fastened with three-inch screws into the framing stud, combined with a latch guard on the outside and reinforcement on the hinge side. The principle is to stop relying on the jamb and to transfer force into the structure. It is inexpensive relative to almost any other security measure and it addresses the way doors actually get defeated.
Why does my steel frame have rust at the bottom?
Winter salt and meltwater collect at the base of the frame and corrode it from the inside out, so visible rust generally means the section behind it is worse. It matters because the hinge and strike anchorage depend on that steel. It is repairable with a welded section or a subframe wrap without replacing the whole frame in most cases.
How much does door frame repair cost?
A split jamb repair with reinforcement is at the lower end; a welded section on a corroded steel frame sits in the middle; a full frame replacement in a masonry opening is at the top. We quote after seeing the frame, because the difference between a repair and a replacement is often not visible until the trim comes off. We will tell you which it is before starting work, not after.
Door Frame Repair across the GTA
We provide door frame repair & reinforcement throughout the Greater Toronto Area. Pick your city for local detail, or call and we will tell you straight away whether you are in range.
Related services
Break-In Repair
Same-day repair and re-securing after a forced entry — doors, frames, locks and hardware, with documentation for your insurance claim.
Commercial Door Repair
Doors that bind, drag, sag, will not latch or will not close — diagnosed at the door and frame rather than blamed on the lock.
Kicked-In Doors
The most common forced entry in the GTA — repaired and reinforced so the same kick does not work twice.
High-Security Locks
Pick-, drill- and bump-resistant cylinders on patented restricted keyways, for doors where a standard cylinder is not adequate.