Guides
Common Door Problems and How to Fix Them
Updated 3 min read
The short answer
The five most common door problems are sticking (wood swelling against the frame), sagging (hinges loosening under weight), rattling (the latch not engaging the strike plate), latch misalignment (the bolt missing the strike), and seasonal movement (the door works in summer but sticks in winter). All five are fixable — most in under an hour with basic tools.
The five problems and their fixes
- Sticking at the top or latch side
- The door rubs against the frame. Cause: seasonal humidity change causing the door or frame to move, or the hinges loosening over time. Fix: check hinge screws first — tighten or replace. If the door still binds, identify the contact point (close the door slowly and look for the rub mark) and remove material from the door edge with a hand plane or sandpaper. Remove only enough to clear — 1mm is often sufficient.
- Sagging (top corner drags on the floor)
- The door hangs crookedly and the bottom corner catches. Cause: gravity pulling the door down on the hinge side over years, loosening the top hinge. Fix: replace the top hinge screws with 75mm (3-inch) screws that reach the wall stud behind the jamb. This pulls the hinge back into alignment. If the hinge is damaged, replace it.
- Rattling when closed
- The door is closed but moves in the frame, creating a rattle. Cause: the latch bolt does not hold the door firmly against the stop. Fix: add a door stop or adjust the strike plate. The simplest fix is adhesive-backed foam weatherstrip applied to the door stop — it compresses when the door closes and eliminates the rattle.
- Latch does not line up with strike plate
- The door closes but the latch does not click into the strike, or you have to push/pull to get it to latch. Cause: the door or frame has shifted. Fix: bend the strike plate slightly with pliers to guide the latch in, or move the strike plate. If the misalignment is more than 3mm, check hinge alignment first.
- Door sticks in winter but is fine in summer
- The door works most of the year but binds in cold, dry months. Cause: the door (especially solid wood) shrinks as it loses moisture in winter, but the frame can shift differently. Paradoxically, the door often sticks in winter because the frame shifts while the door stays the same. Fix: the same plane-and-sand approach as sticking, but set the clearance slightly larger — about 2mm all around — to accommodate seasonal movement.
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Tools needed for basic door repair
- Screwdriver (Phillips and flat)
- Cordless drill with long driver bit
- 75mm (3-inch) wood screws
- Hand plane or sanding block (120-grit)
- Shims (cedar or composite)
- Small level
- Pencil
- Adhesive-backed foam weatherstrip
Answers
Frequently asked questions
- Why does my door not close properly?
- The most common causes are loose hinge screws (fix: longer screws), seasonal wood movement (fix: plane or sand the rubbing area), or a misaligned strike plate (fix: adjust the plate). Start with the hinges — tighten every screw. If the top hinge screws pull out easily, replace them with 75mm screws that reach the stud.
- Can a sagging door be fixed without replacing it?
- Yes, in most cases. Replacing the top hinge screws with 75mm screws that reach the wall stud is the first step. If the hinge mortise has become enlarged, you can shim behind the hinge leaf. Only replace the door if it is warped beyond adjustment.
- How much clearance should a door have around the edges?
- A standard interior door should have a 2–3mm gap on the hinge side and top, a 3mm gap on the latch side, and a 5–8mm gap at the bottom (more for carpet clearance). These gaps accommodate seasonal movement while keeping the door looking properly fitted.
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