Brick Mold for Exterior Doors: What It Is & How to Replace It

Push a screwdriver into the trim around your front door and it sinks in like a sponge. That soft spot is usually rotted brick mold, the thick exterior casing that frames the door and covers the gap between the jamb and the siding. Replacing brick mold for exterior door openings is one of the more approachable exterior repairs, and swapping wood for PVC can keep the problem from coming back.

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Brick mold does two jobs. It trims the door visually, and it closes the joint where water, air and insects would otherwise get into the wall. When it rots or splits, rain can reach the framing and sheathing behind it, which turns a small trim job into a rotted rough opening.

We explain what brick mold is, how to judge whether it can be repaired, the wood vs PVC decision, and a step-by-step replacement with proper flashing and sealing.

What Brick Mold for Exterior Door Frames Actually Does

The name comes from masonry houses, where the thick molding butted against brick veneer to hide the gap. Today it is used on every type of siding. Standard profiles are roughly 1-1/4 in thick and about 2 in wide, with a curved face and a flat back that sits against the jamb edge and the sheathing.

• Weather barrier: covers the joint between the door frame and the wall.
• Stop for siding: siding, stucco or brick terminates against its outer edge.
• Structural trim: on many prehung doors, the brick mold is nailed through to help hold the unit in the opening.

Because it sits in the splash zone with exposed end grain near the threshold, the lower 12 in of each side leg is where rot almost always starts.

Repair or Replace?

Probe the trim with an awl or screwdriver at the bottom of each leg, along the miters at the head, and where the trim meets the threshold. Small, shallow soft spots can be dug out and filled with a two-part exterior epoxy filler. Replace the piece if:

• Rot runs more than a few inches up the leg or through the full thickness.
• The miter joints have opened and the wood is split.
• Paint keeps peeling in the same place every year.
• The door jamb behind the trim is also soft, which means water has been getting in for a while.

If the jamb itself is rotted, you may need a jamb repair kit or a full door replacement, which is a bigger job.

PVC vs Wood Brick Mold

PVC brick mould is the usual choice for replacements because it cannot rot. It cuts and nails like wood, comes primed white or in plain white, and holds paint when you use a product rated for vinyl and PVC. It expands and contracts with heat, so miters should be glued with PVC trim cement and fastened tightly. Avoid dark paint colors on PVC unless the paint is specifically rated for it, since dark surfaces get hot and move more. Primed finger-jointed wood is cheaper but needs every face and cut end sealed.

Lead Paint Check Before You Start

If your home was built before 1978, the existing trim may have lead-based paint under newer coats. Prying, cutting or sanding it creates lead dust that is hazardous, especially for children and pregnant people. Test the paint with a recognized lead test kit or hire a certified inspector before removal. If it tests positive, follow lead-safe work practices: plastic sheeting on the ground, misting to keep dust down, no dry sanding or heat guns, a respirator rated for lead, careful bagging of debris and HEPA vacuum cleanup. Many homeowners hire a lead-safe certified contractor for this part.

Tools and Materials

• PVC or primed wood brick mold (enough for two legs and the head, plus extra)
• Flat pry bar, oscillating multi-tool and utility knife
• Miter saw and a fine-tooth blade
• Pneumatic finish nailer or hammer with stainless or galvanized trim nails
• PVC trim cement for miters (or exterior wood glue for wood)
• Self-adhered flashing tape and a drip cap for the head
• High-quality exterior sealant compatible with PVC and your siding
• Exterior primer and paint as needed
• Gloves, safety glasses and a dust mask or respirator

Step-by-Step: Replacing Brick Mold With PVC

1. Score the paint and caulk lines where the trim meets the siding and the jamb, so the paint film does not tear off the surrounding surfaces.
2. Remove the old trim. Work the pry bar gently behind the legs, starting at the bottom. Cut stubborn nails with the oscillating tool rather than forcing the jamb. Remove the head piece last.
3. Inspect the opening. Check the jamb edges, sheathing and sill area for rot. Fix soft wood now; new trim over rotted framing will fail.
4. Flash the opening. Make sure the weather barrier laps correctly, then apply flashing tape over the sheathing at the sides, shingle style so upper layers overlap lower ones. Install a drip cap above the head trim location and tuck it under the weather barrier above.
5. Measure and cut the head. The head piece usually sits with a small reveal (about 3/16 in) back from the inside edge of the jamb. Cut 45 degree miters at each end.
6. Cut the legs. Measure from the threshold to the top of the head miter. Leave about 1/8 in of clearance above the sill or threshold so the leg does not wick water.
7. Dry fit everything, then glue the miters with PVC trim cement.
8. Fasten the trim. Nail through the trim into the jamb edge and the framing every 12 to 16 in, keeping nails about 3/4 in from the ends to avoid splitting.
9. Seal the joints. Run sealant where the trim meets the siding and where it meets the jamb. Leave the bottom end and the drip cap’s weep path open so water can escape.
10. Fill and paint. Fill nail holes, then paint if desired with a PVC-compatible exterior paint.

Troubleshooting

• Miters open in winter: PVC shrinks in cold weather. Glue the joints and pin them through the miter with a brad.
• Water behind the trim: usually a missing drip cap or reversed flashing laps. Redo the head flashing.
• Siding gap too wide: fill with backer rod and sealant, or add a thin trim strip.
• Door sticks after trim install: the nails may have pushed the jamb inward. Back out or reset fasteners and check the door gaps.
• Paint peeling on PVC: the paint may not be rated for vinyl. Clean, scuff lightly and recoat with a compatible product.

General Cost Ranges

Materials for new brick mold for exterior door trim on a single opening are modest: a few lengths of PVC or wood trim, sealant and flashing. PVC costs more per foot than finger-jointed wood but saves on future repainting and replacement. A handyman or carpenter usually charges a few hours of labor for a straightforward swap. Costs climb if the jamb, sill or sheathing need repair, or if lead-safe practices are required on an older home.

When to Call a Professional

Bring in a carpenter or door installer when rot extends into the jamb, sill or framing, when the door is out of square, or when the trim abuts brick or stucco that needs masonry patching. Pre-1978 homes with positive lead tests are a good case for a lead-safe certified contractor. If the door is hung with a fully rotted frame, replacing the whole prehung unit is often the better long-term fix.