How to Fix Problems with Internal Doors

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How to Fix Problems with Internal Doors is not necessarily only a question for a skilled and expensive joiner. Many simple repairs can be  done by you, the home-owner. Every home needs doors - both internal and exterior, and it’s important to make sure that your internal doors are kept in good condition. Doors are essential for security, privacy and a room’s aesthetics, so it’s essential that they remain in tip top condition.  These problems can arise from a wide range of issues such as heavy wear and tear, age, damp, shrinkage, warping or a build-up of paint layers.  Is your door not closing properly? Is the door’s hinge pulling away from the frame? Does the door swing open by itself? This article discusses all these potential problems with internal doors so you can fix them easily at home. 

How to fix a dropped door

Does your interior door have hinge problems? If a door’s hinges are loose this can cause a door to drop. Dropped doors can be easily fixed, even at home.  The first thing you should do is check if the hinge screws are still tight. If the screw won’t tighten properly - it can be easily fixed. You can either replace the existing screw with a larger size or you could plug the existing hole with matches.  To achieve this follow these simple steps:

Step 1 

Take the screw out. Place wood glue on the end of 2-3 matchsticks and tap them into the hole left by the screw. 

Step 2 

Leave the glue to dry. Once set, cut off the matchsticks so they’re the same level of the hinge flap. We recommend using a chisel and mallet. Afterwards, you can just replace the screw.

How do I fix a sticking door?

If your door or door frame have been repeatedly painted over, the door can stick at the top, bottom or side.  If the paint isn’t too thick and the door isn’t sticking too badly, you can simply use some sandpaper to smooth down the door and the doorframe.  However, if the door has been sticking really badly, you might need to plane off the excess material.

Step 1 

You can often tell where your door is sticking if there are marks on the paintwork. If the door is sticking on the top or upper-side edge, you can often easily complete this fix without needing to take the door off its hinges.  However, if the door is sticking on the floor, you will need to take the door down and put on a workbench so it can be correctly planed. 

Step 2 

Remove the lock first if you need to plane near the lock. Plane the edge, giving yourself enough clearance to repaint it.

Step 3 

If your door only requires sanding, jump to this step.  After the doors have been planed, use a sanding block to sand the rough edges. Prime the wood and repaint it, and your door should no longer stick. 

How do I fix a squeaky or stiff door?

Squeaky hinges and locks that are hard to turn are an easy fix. Simply squirt some aerosol lubricant - like WD40 - into the latch mechanism or the hinge pins.  Open the door a few times to ensure that the hinges are well lubricated. Make sure to wipe any excess before it drips onto the floor. 

How do I fix a door that springs open? 

If one of your doors is springing open all the time, this could indicate that there is something wrong with how your door has been installed. This usually means that the hinges are set in too deeply into the door frame and the door is straining too much. Alternatively, it could mean that the door can’t properly shut along the doorstop, which is the thin bit of wood nailed along the frame. To find out what the problem is you will need to look at the paintwork around the door.

Is your door jamming at the bottom?

If your door is jamming at the bottom of the door frame, position your door where it is sticking the most.  Rest a ruler or stiff card against the door and make a mark at that line.  Remove the door from its hinges, and saw or plane off the excess material.  Sand down the rough edges with sandpaper and refit your door. 

Step 1 

If you notice that there isn’t any clearance on the hinge side of the door, remove the screws from the hinge one at a time. Then remove the hinge out of the recess. It’s a helpful tip to have someone holding the door while you do this.  Cut a strip of cardboard to fit into the recess and pack it in. 

Step 2 

Screw the hinge back on with the recesses underneath. Repeat the first step again with the other hinge.  This fix could cause sticking on the lock-side of the door.  If that’s the case, the door will need to be removed off the hinges and the edge will need to be planed down. 

Step 3 

If the door is sticking against the doorstop, simply remove the doorstop by tapping a wood chisel in between the doorstop and the door frame, allowing you to lever the door stop off. Step 4 The door must have enough room to close without catching. Close the door and reposition the doorstop.  Then, secure it into place with 30mm nails roughly 300mm apart. 

How do I fix a badly aligned door lock?

Your door latch will not slot in properly if the door latch is out of line with the striker plate. This can be a very quick fix if the door is only slightly out of alignment because you won’t even have to remove the plate.  You can simply enlarge the cut out area in the striker plate with a metal file, however if the lock is really out of place, you will have to take the plate off and reposition it. 

Step 1

Unscrew and remove the striker plate. Rub a pencil on the tip of the latch - enough so that the latch will now make a mark when shut. Close the door and try the handle a few times. Open the door again and you will see the marks on the frame indicating the latch’s position.  Mark these properly with a pencil to show the new position for the striker plate.

Step 2

Using a wood chisel, enlarge the cut-out area in the frame up to the pencil marks. Step 3  Replace the striker plate, making sure the striker plate’s cut-out area fits over the cut-out area on the frame.  If the striker plate has only moved a fraction, plug the old screw holes with wooden pegs before drilling new holes for the screws. 

Further advice on your internal doors

If you'd like to know more about How to Fix Problems with Internal Doors, how to fit them, how to choose them or anything else about doors and how you can get the best from them for your interior space... Just give us a call on 01132 23898 or email in or fill out our handy contact form.
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Great experience from order to delivery. Door was competitively priced and delivered promptly, considering I only ordered 1 door.
Door arrived well protected and on examination found no damage.Excellent company, would definitely use again

Michael

I have been really happy overall. I have gone back to purchase all the ironmongery I needed and another door.

Lesley Hasson

I have been really happy overall. I have gone back to purchase all the ironmongery I needed and another door.

Lesley Hasson

I have been really happy overall. I have gone back to purchase all the ironmongery I needed and another door.

Lesley Hasson

Top services! Great company! Very knowledgeable staff that know what they're talking about! Would highly recommend!

Mr Lewis Renton

Doors are high quality, exactly what we wanted. We have now placed another order with Online Door Store. Very happy

Vicky