How to Fix a Door that Sticks

The annoyance of a consistent sticking door can drive you crazy. The crew at Handyman Connection of Lexington wants you to know that there are ways to solve the issue, in some instances, without having to completely replace the door. Check out some of these steps and tips to help solve your sticking door problem.

The sure fire way to fix the issue is to plane the door. This means removing the door and adjusting the edge of the door so that the size is consistent and level. This is a fairly extensive process, so try a couple of these steps before going straight to this project.

First and foremost, check for any loose hinges. If any of the screws are loosened on a hinge, which is likely to happen over time, make sure you take the time to tighten each one up. Use a screwdriver rather than a drill. A drill can tighten the screws too tightly which could result in the wood splitting, and that is something that you do not want. This is what you would hope would fix your problem, because the solution is really simple and not time consuming.

The crew at Handyman Connection of Lexington would also recommend adjusting the hinge if tightening the screws on the hinge didn’t fix your problem. Remove a screw near the middle of the hinge, and drive a long screw, likely a 3-inch screw, through the doorpost into the wall framing. By doing this, you can bring the hinge and jamb closer towards the framing resulting in a slight reposition of the door. Draw in the upper hinge if the door rubs near the top, and draw in the bottom hinge if the door rubs near the top. Watch the frame and trim closely so that you don’t create gaps or adjust too tightly.

After each of these attempts, make sure to test the door by opening and closing the door many times. If none of these options fix your problem, you’ll need to plane the door. As we mentioned before, this project is a little more time intensive than the other attempts to fix your sticking door. Try to identify the general area where the door is sticking. Remove the door and grab a belt sander or a plane. The planes and belts remove wood very consistently and very quickly. Make sure to work in a fluid motion so that you don’t create a big hole in one area of the door. After you’ve done this, sand down the area to make sure it’s as straight as possible. Replace the door and see if this has solved your problem. In most cases, you will have to remove and re-plane the door more than once, as it’s difficult to make that call from the area that you are working in. Additionally, you’d much rather sand too little than sand too much, and have to end up purchasing a new door after all of your hard work.

Fixing a sticking door is possible by following these steps. If you have questions or would rather an expert come take a look, be sure to give Handyman Connection of Lexington a call. We’re here to help with any and all of your home maintenance needs.