Are you having a problem with your hinged door? Is it not closing properly? Perhaps it is rubbing against the floor or not locking right. If so the problem may be easy to fix and not require the purchase of a new door.
Common Causes of Hinged Door Problems
The impetuses behind most hinged door maladies are; poorly aligned or loose hinges, a poorly aligned or loose striking plate, or a warped door.
Begin by giving the problematic door a good once over to see if you can visually determine the origin of the problem.
Addressing Door Hinge Issues
If the bottom of the door is sagging it could be a loose hinge screw that is to blame.
In the event of a loose hinge open the door wide and insert a wedge under the latch edge so that the door is at the level it should be.
Next remove the loose screws and then fold back the hinge. Plug the hinge holes with wooden dowels, glue coated scrap wood or wood filler.
Note if you are using wood filler or glue coated scrap you will want to allow the glue or filler to dry first before proceeding.
Proceed by putting the hinge back and re-driving the hinge screws into the patched area.
If the door is sticking at either the top or bottom the cause could be that the hinge needs to be shimmed. Try shimming the offending hinge with a piece of heavy cardboard.
If the door does not want to close properly but the problem does not appear to be compounded by binding, try shimming each hinge with a piece of heavy cardboard.
Sometimes when the above methods do not work, a hinged door will need to be removed and have its edges planed down.
In this case it is imperative that before you remove the door and start sanding that you measure and mark all the door’s high spots with a pencil. These marks will serve as a guide so that you do not over plane the edges.
With your high marks established remove the door by taking out the bottom pin first. Remove the top pin next.
Now that the door is free, brace it and begin to plane the edges working from the hinge side only. In order to reduce splintering of the door, be sure to plane towards the door’s middle.
Addressing Strike Plate Issues
On occasion door problems are related to the strike plate. To determine where the strike plate problem is occurring, you will want to engage in a little sleuthing.
Examine the strike plate for tell-tale scratches. The placement of the scratches will give you a good estimate of how far out of align the strike plate really is.
Depending on the alignment problem you may need to either enlarge the strike plate opening with a file, extend or cut the mortises or shim it with either a piece of thin wood or heavy cardboard.
Addressing Warping Issues
Where the door is warping will determine how you should approach the repair.
If the door is warping on the hinged edge simply force the door into alignment and then add another hinge in the center of the door to hold the door securely into place.
If however, the door is warping on the latch side you will need to remove and reposition the door stop.
To perfectly reposition the stop you should close the door and draw a line along the inside edge of the door. Doing so will give you a guideline as to where you need to re-attach the door stop.
Additional Information
As you are repairing your hinged door it is also a good idea to examine the hinges and hinge pins for rust and dirt. Clean off any dirt and sand off any rust spots.
You may also want to take a moment to lightly oil the hinges and then insert powdered graphite into the door latch as well as the lock body, knob shafts and collars.
Remember it is imperative that you do not use oil on the locks or latches as this can damage them.
Homeowners that have questions or need additional assistance with repairing a hinged door should contact their local home improvement specialist or the door’s manufacturer.
