A storm door adds an extra measure of protection, especially when the main door of a home is open, but not if the catch does not properly hold the latch in place. In some cases the catch attached to the doorframe is too far from the handle latch to work, and as a result the storm door will not lock. Instead of buying plastic striker shims to adjust the catch on a storm door, try this fast and easy fix. It is possible to adjust the catch on a storm door in a matter of minutes, and without making a trip to the hardware store.
When I lived in an apartment, I noticed the storm door catch was mounted on multiple plastic shims. This worked to adjust the catch to properly hold the latch and keep the door securely locked, but it was a ridiculous setup. The stacked plastic shims were not necessary, and they made the hardware appear cheap and poorly rigged. Although plastic striker shims are cheap, they are not free. Why make a trip to the store for unnecessary hardware made of plastic?
I recently had to adjust the catch on the storm door of my home, and I had to find a way to adjust it without using plastic shims. I wanted the storm door to lock, but I did not have plastic striker shims to bring the latch out far enough from the frame. I did not want to make a trip to the hardware store for cheap pieces of plastic. I came up with an idea that worked very well. Not only did I save myself an unnecessary trip to the store, but I also saved a little money and a considerable amount of time.
Necessary Supplies
To adjust the catch on a storm door without using multiple plastic striker shims you will need a single plastic striker shim, the catch that attaches to the doorframe, two wood screws of the appropriate length and diameter, two washers, and two metal bolts that fit the diameter of the wood screws. You will also need a screwdriver. Select washers thick enough to bring the catch out far enough to securely hold the latch and allow the storm door to lock as it should. If they match the color of the metal they will blend in and not look like they do not belong.
Procedure
Begin by removing the existing catch and the rest of the hardware with it. Put the assembly together with the washers against the storm door catch and the bolts between the washer and the single plastic striker shim. Thread the wood screws through the holes, and securely screw them into the wood frame. If the existing holes are stripped, use longer wood screws than the originals.
This should solve the problem of the storm door not latching and locking. After adding the washers, bolts, and a single plastic striker shim, my storm door securely locks. Plastic striker shims are not necessary, and the bolts and washers look better than multiple layers of ugly gray plastic.
