How to Fix A Sticking Door

Have you had trouble opening and closing your doors? A door that is sticking can indicate any number of problems. Common causes can be humidity in your house or an issue with the door. In these cases, you should be able to fix the problem on your own pretty quickly. Here is how to fix a sticking door DIY-style:

Tighten The Hinges

The more you use a door, the more its hinges will work themselves loose. When that happens, the door will begin to sag and catch on the jamb or the floor. Try tightening the screws on the hinges and check to see if this solves your problem. This is the easiest fix for a sticking door, so try this first. If it does not fix the issue, it may be the humidity. 

Check Humidity Levels

A humid house makes the wood in doors swell, making them harder to open and close. Humidity can be caused by moisture outside in the hot summer months, but it can also come from a wet basement or excess houseplants. 

Hygrometer

You can check your humidity levels using a hygrometer, a small device used to measure indoor temperature and monitor humidity. If you do not have a hygrometer, you can do a simple test using ice cubes and a glass of water. Place two to three ice cubes in a glass of water, and put it in a room of your house (not the kitchen – cooking vapors can alter results). After four minutes, check the glass. If the glass has a lot of condensation on the outside, your humidity levels may be too high. If the glass has no condensation, your house may be too dry. 

A dehumidifier is a good investment if your humidity levels are high. But if they seem to be normal, you may have to try trimming the door.

Trim The Door

The space between the door and the jamb should be about the thickness of a nickel. If you feel the door is too wide for the frame, you can resort to sanding it down. Open the door and find the spot where it is dragging, and make a line with a pencil. Use a belt sander or hand plane to carefully shave off the excess wood. Make sure only to shave off the minimal amount – you don’t want to end up with a bowed door! This may take some trial and error, but once you are satisfied, you can refinish the shaved end and reattach the door. 

Call a Foundation Repair Professional

If the humidity in your house is average, and the door itself is fine, you may have a foundation issue on your hands. This, unfortunately, is not something you can fix yourself. If this is the case, you will need to call a professional to come out and inspect your foundation. Give us a call for a free inspection, and we will help you find the best solution for your faulty foundation and your sticking doors!  Rapid Foundation Repair has experts ready to help you with your foundation issues.