How To Fix Door Trim Chewed Up By A Dog
April 4, 2021
By: The Finished Space
No one wants to come home to find that their beloved dog has chewed up and destroyed something of value. When it’s a shoe, the answer is simple: toss it out, and get a new one.
However, what do you do if your sweet furball chews up something a little more valuable? For instance, what do you do if your dog chewed your door frame or trim? Is it fixable, or do you have to replace it?
When it comes to chewed up door frames, it depends on the damage. If it’s just a little bit of damage, you can probably repair it yourself. If it’s really destroyed, then you will probably have to replace it.
How do you know when to repair and when to replace? What are the steps to fix a chewed door frame? Let’s dive into those questions:
Repair or Replace?
Source: https://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/20470/how-can-i-repair-scratches-on-door-molding
Before you panic, it’s best to assess the damage and consider your dog’s age. If your dog’s just a puppy, you might want to wait to fix the damage because they might be going through a chewing phase. As a result, you could repair it only to have to do it again.
However, if your dog is full-grown, it’s best to give them a bone, address the chewing, and fix the trim as quickly as possible to keep them from chewing it further.
If the chewed-up pieces are along the door jamb (the vertical part of the door frame that the door attaches to), you’ll probably be able to fix it! We’ll talk about how to do that in a minute.
If your pooch chewed the casing around the door, it might be best to replace it. It’ll take less time than trying to repair it. Plus, it will look better in the end. However, if it’s not within the budget, you can try the same methods for fixing the door trim that you would on the door jamb.
Let’s get into how to repair chewed up trim.
Step-by-Step: How to Fix Trim Chewed by Dog
Here’s a general step-by-step for fixing trim that your dog chewed on:
Step One: Assess the damage and decide if it’s worth trying to repair.
Step Two: Start by trying to smooth the chewed-up bits with sandpaper. Pay careful attention to leave the trim smooth and level. (If this fixes the issue, skip steps three and four).
Step Three: If you’re dealing with deeper gouges and the sandpaper didn’t help, then use some wood filler and a spackle knife. Fill the damaged parts with wood filler and even them out with the spackle knife.
Step Four: Let the filler dry, and then use sandpaper to smooth it all out.
Step Five: Once you’ve repaired the damage, prime and paint the damaged spot to match the rest of the trim. If you can’t get an exact match, it’s best to repaint the entire frame, so that it blends nicely.
Now, what do you do if the damage is too extensive? If that’s the case, you’ll need to replace the trim. Let’s talk about how to do that.
How to Replace the Trim (If the Damage is Too Severe)
If the above steps aren’t enough to repair your door frame, you’re going to have to replace it. Thankfully, replacing the trim isn’t too tricky. Here are the steps for replacing your door frame:
Step One: Purchase the same casing as you did originally or take it to a hardware store to have it professionally matched.
Step Two: Use a razor blade and score the line where the wall meets the casing and where the casing meets the door frame. This will keep you from accidentally ripping the paint off the walls.
Step Three: Use a crowbar to gently pry off the damaged trim. Start at the bottom and slowly work your way up, taking time to pull out any nails.
Step Four: Measure and cut your new piece using a miter saw or hand saw.
Step Five: Nail the casing into place. You want to place a nail every two feet or so and spackle up any nail holes.
Step Six: Caulk along the joint and door frame and use a wet finger to wipe away the excess caulk.
Step Seven: Let the caulk dry and paint the trim.
As you can see, repairing your door trim after your dog chews on it, even if you have to replace it, is possible. There’s no need to panic!
Preparing and Repairing Door Trim
If your dog chewed up the casing around your door, it’s a relatively simple fix. While it can be frustrating, it’s not the worst-case scenario. Take a few breaths, remember all the reasons you love your dog, and calmly repair the damage. Before too long, you’ll forget about the whole incident altogether.
If you need some help choosing a new door casing for your room, try Option {M} today. There’s a quick quiz that helps homeowners find the perfect finishing touches for decorating their home.
