How To Fix A Sagging Door

As seasons change and homes age, there is settling that occurs. This is typical, and doesn’t often cause major problems. Creaking joints, slight shifting in floorboards, or cracks in the drywall. During the course of your home settling, door jamb can shift, creating a sagging door. This can cause improper latch alignment, or parts of the door to snag on the frame. When settling occurs, opening and closing your door becomes difficult or even impossible.

I’ve experienced this numerous times and fixing the problem can prove to be challenging; but, here are a few things you can try yourself before calling a professional.Tighten loose screws.

Tighten Loose Screws

It may sound silly, but this can definitely impact how your door sits in the jamb. If you have a few screws that aren’t completely tight, the door hinge could easily sag, causing the door to catch on the door frame. Ensuring all your door hinge screws are tight will eliminate this possibility and allow you to try the next step if your door still won’t function correctly.

Replace Shorter Screws

If the screws of your door hinges seem loose or like they’re not getting enough bite into the door frame, you replace the stand 1” screws with something a bit more substantial. Using a 2” or even 3” screw could help secure your door to a stud behind the door jam and fix the issue.

Fill In Loose Screw Holes

If changing out your screws isn’t an option, you can try filling in the loose screw holes. If your screw has partially stripped out the hole, or isn’t getting enough bite, you can try filling the hole to make a tighter fit. Use wood glue and toothpicks to fill the screw hole, allowing you to get more friction with the door screw.

Use A Hinge Shim

If your door is uneven adjusting door hinges might make a difference. When a hinge needs to be extended from the wall instead of drawn in, using a hinge shim could be an option. Trace your door hinge over a piece of thin cardboard and cut out the shape to use as a shim in your door jamb. Be careful because too much of a shim can make the problem worse.

Plane The Door

If you’ve tried all the previous options, planing the door could be something to consider. Planing the end of your door will make fitting inside the jamb easier. However, this can cause problems with modern, manufactured doors because they are hollow and often flimsy. Planing these doors could mean doing more damage than intended.

If these options didn’t work, or aren’t possible, it may be time to contact a professional. I’ve spent years repairing problems just like this, and would love the opportunity to help you out. With my experience and expertise, fixing your door won’t be a problem. Contact me to find out how I can serve you today.