What You'll Need
- Phillips head screwdriver (#2 size handles most door hardware)
- Flat head screwdriver
- 3-inch wood screws (for hinge reinforcement)
- Cardboard or thin wood shims
- Lipstick or carpenter's crayon (for marking rub points)
- Level (4-foot level preferred)
- Tape measure
- Utility knife
- Hammer
- Wood chisel (for strike plate adjustments)
Total cost for tools and materials if you don't have them: $30-50. Most of these are one-time purchases that will serve you for decades.
Step 1: Identify the Symptom
Door problems fall into specific categories. The symptom tells you where to look for the cause.
Door Rubs at Top
The door drags against the top of the frame when opening or closing. This usually means the top hinge is loose or the frame has shifted.
Door Rubs at Bottom
The door scrapes the floor or threshold. Often caused by a loose bottom hinge, but can also indicate floor settling or a sagging header.
Door Rubs on Latch Side
The door contacts the frame on the latch side (opposite the hinges). Usually means hinges are set too deep or the door has swelled from humidity.
Door Won't Latch
The door swings freely but the latch doesn't catch the strike plate. This is almost always a strike plate alignment issue.
Large Gap at Top or Bottom
The door doesn't close evenly against the stop. One corner touches before the other. Indicates a racked frame or twisted door.
Step 2: Check the Hinges First
Start here because loose hinges cause 70% of door problems and cost nothing to fix.
Open the door and grab it by the latch edge. Push it up and down, in and out. Any movement at all means the hinges need attention. A solid door should feel completely rigid in the frame.
Tightening Loose Screws
Remove each hinge screw one at a time and re-drive it firmly. If a screw spins without tightening, the hole is stripped. Move to step 3.
Fixing Stripped Screw Holes
For stripped holes, remove the screw completely. Break off a toothpick or two, dip them in wood glue, and insert them into the hole. Let the glue dry for an hour, then re-drive the screw. The wood filler gives the threads something to grip.
For a more permanent fix, drill out the hole slightly and glue in a wood dowel. Once dry, drill a pilot hole and drive the screw into fresh wood.
Using Longer Screws
Replace one screw in each hinge with a 3-inch screw that reaches through the jamb into the framing stud behind it. This anchors the hinge to the structure, not just the thin door jamb. It's one of the best upgrades you can make to any door.
Step 3: Find the Exact Rub Point
If the door still rubs after tightening hinges, locate exactly where.
Apply lipstick or carpenter's crayon to the door edge where you think it's rubbing. Close the door slowly. The color transfers to the frame at the contact point. This shows you exactly where material needs to be removed or the door needs to move.
Shim the Hinges
Shimming moves the door within the frame without removing material. Add shims behind the hinge to push the door away from the hinge side. Add shims behind only part of the hinge to change the door angle.
For a door rubbing at the top latch corner: add a thin cardboard shim behind the bottom hinge. This pushes the bottom of the door toward the hinge side and drops the top corner away from the frame.
For a door rubbing at the bottom latch corner: shim behind the top hinge.
Start with thin shims (cereal box cardboard works) and add more as needed. Each shim moves the door slightly.
Deepen the Hinge Mortise
If the hinge stands proud of the jamb, the door can't close fully against the stop. Use a chisel to deepen the mortise (the recess the hinge sits in) until the hinge sits flush with the jamb surface.
Step 4: Fix Strike Plate Problems
When the door swings freely but won't latch, the strike plate is the culprit. The latch bolt isn't finding the hole.
Diagnosing Strike Misalignment
Close the door slowly and watch where the latch contacts the strike plate. If it hits above or below the hole, you need to move the strike plate. If it hits the edge of the plate without entering the hole, the door isn't closing far enough into the frame.
Moving the Strike Plate
Minor adjustments (1/8 inch or less) can be made by filing the strike plate hole larger. For bigger moves, remove the strike plate and chisel a new mortise in the correct location. Fill the old screw holes with wood filler or dowels so the new position holds firmly.
Enlarging the Strike Hole
If the latch just barely misses the hole, use a file or Dremel tool to enlarge the hole in the direction needed. This takes 5 minutes and avoids relocating the entire plate.
Step 5: Address Seasonal Sticking
Doors that stick in summer but work fine in winter (or vice versa) are responding to humidity changes. Wood absorbs moisture and swells, then releases it and shrinks.
Short-Term Solution
Sand or plane the high spot where the door rubs. This removes the minimum material needed for clearance. Be conservative. You can always remove more, but you can't put it back.
A belt sander or hand plane works for small adjustments. For significant trimming, remove the door, mark the high spots, and plane to the line.
Long-Term Solution
Seal all six sides of the door (top, bottom, two edges, both faces) to slow moisture movement. Most doors have painted or finished faces but unfinished top and bottom edges. Those raw edges absorb moisture freely.
Remove the door, seal the edges with paint or polyurethane, and reinstall. This reduces seasonal movement significantly.
Step 6: Know When to Call a Pro
Some door problems indicate issues beyond the door itself.
Multiple Doors Sticking Simultaneously
If doors throughout the house start sticking at the same time, especially if they worked fine before, suspect foundation movement. This is not a DIY door fix. Have the foundation evaluated before adjusting individual doors.
Cracks Above Door Frames
Diagonal cracks radiating from the corners of door frames suggest the wall is moving. This could be settling, structural issues, or foundation problems. Get a professional assessment.
Doors That Won't Stay in Position
A door that swings open or closed on its own indicates the frame is out of plumb (not perfectly vertical). Minor cases can be lived with. Severe cases suggest structural issues.
Exterior Doors With Security Concerns
Entry doors that don't latch properly are security risks. If simple adjustments don't fix the problem, consider having a door specialist assess the situation. A properly functioning entry door is worth professional attention.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Planing Before Checking Hinges
Removing material from the door is permanent. Always check and tighten hinges first. Many doors have been unnecessarily trimmed when simple hinge adjustments would have solved the problem.
Ignoring One Door Because Others Work
A single sticking door is usually that door's problem. But if you fix it and another starts sticking, or if the same door keeps getting worse, there may be something else going on.
Over-Shimming
Too many shims behind a hinge can crack the jamb or prevent the door from closing fully. Use the minimum shimming needed to correct the problem.
Forcing a Door Closed
Repeatedly slamming a sticking door damages the hinges, frame, and door. Fix the problem instead of forcing past it.
What to Expect
Most door alignment problems can be diagnosed and fixed in under an hour. The repair usually costs nothing beyond materials you might already have.
Simple hinge tightening: 10 minutes per door.
Replacing stripped screw holes: 15-20 minutes per hinge, plus drying time for glue.
Shimming hinges: 30 minutes to get it right, including trial and error.
Moving a strike plate: 20-30 minutes.
Seasonal trimming: 1-2 hours including door removal and refinishing the cut edge.
If you've never done this work before, double the time estimates. By the third door, you'll be faster. These are skills you use for the life of the house.