Fixing Sagging or Sticking Doors

Sticking or sagging doors are no fun. They make the simple act of opening a door much harder than it needs to be. Handyman Connection® of Golden shares some great tips for fixing one.

The usual way to fix a sticking door is to plane the rubbing edge so that it swings without any hindrance. You usually have to remove the door and lug it out to some work area for planing. After planing, you have to refinish the planed edge and then reinstall. Before you go to all this effort, try our shortcut methods described here. We are sure one of them will help you fix your sticking door.

Tighten the Hinge Screws

Tighten the hinge screws on both the door and the jamb sides with a screwdriver. Don’t use a drill to avoid stripping the screw holes.

If you find a screw hole that’s already stripped, drive a three inch screw in it. This long screw will run through the jamb and into the framing behind it. If the stripped screw hole is in a solid door, drill it with a one-eighth inch bit. Then drive in a screw that’s an inch longer than the original.

Replace the Screw Closest to the Doorstop

In reality, door hinges aren’t adjustable. But you can draw the hinge and jamb closer to the framing and reposition the door. Drive a long screw through the hinge and jamb into the wall framing.

It’s important to determine exactly where the door rubs against the jamb. If it rubs near the top of the side jamb, draw the upper hinge in. If it rubs at the lower side jamb, draw the bottom hinge in. If the door rubs at the whole side jamb, draw in all the hinges. With this method, you can move the door up to one eighth of an inch away from the rubbing edges.

To use this technique, remove the middle screw(s) of the hinge you want to adjust. In its place, drive in the three inch screw with a drill until it is snug against the hinge, then give it another quarter turn. Close the door and check the fit. Repeat tightening and checking until the door no longer sticks wherever it used to. If you can no longer draw in a hinge at all, it means the jamb is already tight against the framing or shims. In such a case, you will have no choice but to remove the door for planing.

Get Professional Help

Need local carpentry services you can trust to fix a troublesome door? Handyman Connection of Golden can do it right. We specialize in framing, trim and finish carpentry services including fixing sticking doors. Call us at (303) 848-2752 and let’s get started.