

Sometimes a door hinge needs to be shimmed to adjust the door in the frame. If it’s still not fixed, you’ll need to try shimming the door hinge. If this doesn’t work, try tightening the screws into the hinges at the bottom. To fix this, first, look at the door and determine where the gaps are bigger.įor the door above, try simply loosening the screws from the top hinge 1/4 turn or more. You can see below the door shuts and the spacing is even between the french doors.ĭoor still rubbing? Occasionally a door will get out of alignment. Cut off the excess toothpick with a utility knife (or use a chisel if you don’t have your knife with you.)īetter yet, replace the screws with longer ones that will grip into the framing behind the door jamb. Squeeze some wood glue onto several toothpicks. Remove the screws from one hinge at a time. Remove the hinge screws and use longer screws that drive through the door jamb and into the framing. You can either add longer screws or fill in the holes with toothpicks. If they just spin, the wood has been stripped. Do any of them need to be tightened? Well look at that! This door is missing a screw. The door rubs at the top when trying to close it. To fix a door that sticks or rubs in the frame, you can try one of these fixes: Is there a gap at the top or bottom? Normally, the door will stick at the top corner opposite of the hinges because over time the weight of the door will pull away from top hinges. Remove the strike plate and reposition it closer to the stop. Non-adjustable strike plates don’t have an adjustable tab, but your fix is still easy. If You Have a Non-Adjustable Strike Plate: Continue to adjust the tab until your door shuts properly and stays closed.

Tighten the screw and try closing your door again. Loosen this screw and adjust the tab closer to the door stop. Look closely, does your door strike plate have a small screw holding a sliding tab to the strike plate? If this looks like your strike plate, the solution is simple. (Is your strike plate adjustable or non-adjustable?) But, there are two solutions depending on your type of strike plate. Luckily, fixing a door that doesn’t close tightly is a simple one to remedy.

With this in mind, it’s important to fix this problem immediately! Important: If this problem happens on a door between the garage and the house, it could be a potential safety issue! The door between the garage and the house must protect the residents from carbon monoxide gases potentially leaking in from a car’s exhaust. If your door rattles loose in the frame and doesn’t close properly against the stop, it can be as simple as moving the strike plate closer to the stop. (Like the knob above? It’s a Schlage Plymouth in Bright Brass, but comes in a variety of finishes.) Door Not Closing Tight Against Stop: You can see in the photo below the latch is now centered with the strike plate and the latch can now slide into the strike plate properly. Reattach the strike plate and test the door. Mark the new location of the strike plate. Remove the strike plate and move it to center on the latch. If not, that’s why your door doesn’t latch. Is the latch centered on the strike plate? Look at the gap between the door and the door frame. Lean down until you are at eye-level with your doorknob. ) Door Not Latching:Ī door that doesn’t latch properly is usually a simple fix. You can read more about affiliate links here. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. (I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience.
#Screen door strike plate shims how to#
Without being able to control many of these factors, it’s important to know how to fix your door problems – as your door is often a main focal point of the room and/or entryway. Many factors can contribute to them: house movement, humidity, dry air, improper installation, slamming doors, or kids swinging on them (true story). If you have common door problems, you are not alone. Regardless of the problem, I’m going to show you how to fix your most common door problems! But first, a big thank you to Schlage, the 100-year-old leading door hardware company, for sponsoring this article. Let’s learn how fixing common door problems can be easy.ĭo you have a door that sticks or doesn’t close properly? Or maybe your door rubs, squeaks, or is drafty. Many factors can contribute to this problem.

Do you have a door that sticks or doesn’t close properly? You are not alone.
