The hinge mortise is a shallow recess the hinge fits.
Repairing split door frame hinge.
You don t want to damage the structure of the house.
At this point you may need to decide if you will be happy with the patched up door frame when you are done.
Drill out the old holes.
Be careful not to cut too deep into the frame.
Use wood putty to fill the crack and paint or varnish the door as needed.
Carefully remove broken split pieces of wood from bottom of the side jamb.
Apply screws just above and below the marked measurements to help hold the frame tight and help guide the cutting.
The dowel i bought was 48 long so i cut off three pieces that were around 1 5 long.
Here s how to repair just the split or broken frame area to look as good as new.
Once the wood is the right size glue the inward facing side and then press it into place.
Carefully cut the damaged frame away at the marked measurements.
If the wood there is not sound then you are likely looking forward to some more serious repair such as replacement of the jamb side board or the whole jamb.
Clean the dried glue out of the hinge mortise using a chisel.
Use a clamp with rubber edges for a sturdier grip and also to prevent damaging the door frame.
A broken door frame doesn t require removal and replacement of the whole thing.
Scrape the dried glue from the side of the door using the side of the putty knife.
Serious splits in door frames.
Using your 3 8 drill bit drill out the old screw holes.
For a more serious split you may be able to glue and clamp the door.
Take the trim off the door on both sides using a flat pry bar.
Hold until the glue starts to dry.
This may include covering over any wood stains left by the hinge.
How to repair stripped screw holes for a door hinge.
Since you say that the wood under the hinge and around the hinge screw holes has split and gone soft it pays to check the wood of the door jamb adjacent to the hinge mount location as well.
Apply carpenter s glue to broken wood pieces and glue them back onto the jamb.
Dry fit your dowels to make.