Door Trix - To get them fixed!
Preface to the Electronic Edition
Door Sticks at Top of Latch Side
Door Sticks at Bottom of Latch Side
Door Pokes Out at the Top or Bottom
Door Lets in the Wind & the Rain
1. Stuck Doors
1.1 Top Rubbing Doors-Rub Above the Latch
1.1.1.2.3 Try a Longer Screw with Longer Pilot Hole
1.1.1.3 Stripped Phillips Head Screws
1.1.2 Screw Heads That Are Too Big for Hinge Holes
1.1.3.1.2 Bend the Hinge Knuckles with the Wrench
1.1.3.1.3 Reinsert the Hinge Pin
1.1.3.2.4 Set Hinges in Opposite Positions
1.1.3.3.3 Follow First Three sections 1.1.3.2
1.1.3.3.4 Proper Hinge Positions
1.1.3.3.5 Shimming Thin Hinges
1.1.3.3.7 Misalignment Means New Screw Holes
1.1.3.4.1 Block the Door from Below
1.1.3.4.2 Loosen the Bottom Hinge
1.1.3.4.3 Cut and Install the Shim
1.1.3.4.4 Resecure the Bottom Hinge
1.1.3.5 Special Hinges? Deepen the Mortise of the Top Hinge
1.1.3.5.1 Secure Three-Hinge Door
1.1.3.5.2 Get Help/Drop Two-Hinge Door
1.1.3.5.3 Free Up & Remove Hinge Leaf
1.1.3.5.4 Score Edges of Mortise Pocket
1.1.3.5.5 Chisel Away 1/16"-1/8" Layer
1.1.3.5.7 If Necessary, Return Door to Jamb
1.1.4 Persistent/New Problems? Reinspect the Door
1.1.5.0.9 Block or Hold the Door
1.1.5.0.10 Plane Some, then Check, then Plane More
1.1.5.0.11 No Block Plane, Sand it
1.2 Bottom Rubbers-Rub Below the Latch
1.2.2.2 Bend the Knuckles with the Wrench
1.2.2.3 Reinsert the Pin into the Hinge
1.2.3.1 Secure the Door in Place, or Drop It
1.2.3.3 Cut and Insert the Shim
1.2.3.4 Reinstall the Hinge Over the Shim
1.2.3.5 Return the Door to the Jamb
1.2.4 Special Hinges? Deepen Mortise of the Bottom Hinge
1.2.5 What the Heck, Plane it!
1.2.5.2 Plane Partway, then Chisel the Rest
1.2.5.3 Drop the Door to Plane Freely
1.2.5.4 Easiest Method for Door in Place-Sand the Edge
1.2.6 Loose Jamb? Secure with a Drywall Screw
1.3 Jammed Doors-Rub on the Jamb Top to Bottom
1.3.3 Bevel the Latch Side with Block Plane
1.3.3.1 Determine Whether Door Already Beveled
1.3.3.4 Plane to Create Bevel on Pull Side of Door
1.3.3.5 Rehang Door to Check Progress
1.3.3.6 Replace the Lock Set for Final Check
1.3.3.7 Deepen Latch Plate Mortise if Necessary
1.3.4 Cut Down the Door on the Hinge Side
1.4.2.1 Summary of How to Shim a Bottom Hinge
1.4.2.1.1 Secure the Bottom of the Door
1.4.2.1.3 Cut and Insert the Shim
1.4.2.1.4 Reinstall the Hinge Over the Shim
1.4.2.2 Thinner Shim or Forget it
1.4.3.1 With Door Still Hanging
1.4.3.2 Drop the Door to Sand with Ease
1.4.4.1 Draw Threshold Line on Door
1.4.4.3 Cut More on Interior Door
1.4.4.4 Adjust Line on Exterior Doors
1.4.5 Exterior Doors Pose Special Problems
1.4.5.1.2 Adjustment Doesn't Help, Cut Down Door
1.4.5.3.1 Adjust Bottom Upward
1.4.5.3.2 Adjustment Insufficient or Impossible, Cut Door
1.4.5.3.3 Replace Worn Vinyl Strips or Get New Bottom
1.4.5.4.2 Sand or Cut Minimal Amount
1.4.5.4.3 Replace with Modern Door Bottom and Threshold
1.4.5.5 Vinyl Thresholds/Angled Bottom
1.4.5.5.1 Replace Threshold Before Cutting Door
1.4.5.5.2 Angle Cut Your Door Bottom
1.4.5.6 Auto Bottoms - Devices Hidden Underneath
1.5 Hung-Up Doors - Stick at the Top
1.5.1.2 Dress, Exchange, Replace Bottom Hinge
1.5.3 Sand the Heck Out of the Top
1.5.3.1 Draw a Guide Line Before You Sand
1.5.3.2 Don't Use Power Sander
2. Sprung or Binding Doors-Won't Stay Closed
2.1 Move Hinge-Side Stop Molding on Interior Doors
2.1.1.1 Door Won't Open Far Enough, Drop It
2.1.1.2 Cut First to Loosen the Molding
2.1.1.3 Pound it Away from the Door
2.1.1.4 Doesn't Budge, Use a Putty Knife
2.1.2 Pull and Renail Stop Molding
2.1.2.1 Score Molding Edges with Utility Knife
2.1.2.2 Pop Molding Free with Putty Knife
2.1.2.3 Work Molding Away from the Jamb
2.1.2.3.1 Free Up Straight or Butt Cut Corner
2.1.2.3.2 Free Up Mitered Corner
2.1.2.4 Remove Nails from Molding and Jamb
2.1.2.4.1 Use Diagonal Cutters to Clean Molding
2.1.2.4.2 Use Both Hammer and Cutters to Clean Jamb
2.1.2.4.3 Use Nail Set on Any Irremovable Nubs
2.1.2.5 Repeat the Process with the Header Piece
2.1.2.6 Renail Stop Molding in Correct Position
2.1.2.6.1 Tape up Cardboard Spacer
2.1.2.6.2 Tack Long Piece of Molding 1/16" from the Door
2.1.2.6.3 Tack Header Piece from Tight to 1/16" Away
2.1.2.6.4 Door Still Binding? Move Molding Further
2.1.2.6.5 Complete Driving the Nails and Set Them
2.2 Relieve Gasket on Exterior Doors
2.3.1 Remove Paint from the Hinges
2.3.1.1 Chip Don't Chisel the Accumulation
2.3.2 Sand Paint Off the Door Corners
2.3.3 Sand Paint Off the Door's Edge
2.3.4 Sand Paint Excess Inside Molding or Rabbet
2.3.4.1 On Interior Door Jamb, Pull Stop Molding
2.3.4.2 On Exterior Door Jamb, Start with Sanding
2.3.4.2.1 Try Slicing and Chiseling
2.3.4.2.2 Resort to Paint Stripper
2.4.1 Shimming a Two-Hinge Door
2.4.2 Shimming a Three-Hinge Door
2.5 Blouse or Dress the problem hinge(s)
2.6 Move Jamb-Side of Hinges Outward on Exterior Doors
2.7 Move Door Side of Hinges Further Back if Necessary
2.7.2 Warning: Proceed with Caution
2.7.5 Chisel Out Pocket Extension
3. Warped Doors - Poke Out from the Jamb
3.1 Move Latch-Side Stop Mold (Interior Only)
3.1.1 Pull (or Loosen) Header and Side Pieces
3.1.2 Mark New Molding Position
3.1.3.1 Reinstall Long Side Piece First
3.1.3.2 Reinstall Header Piece
3.1.4.1 Measure Distance from Old Position
3.1.4.3 Lay Out New Strike Position
3.1.4.4 Chisel Pocket Extension
3.1.4.5 Broaden Hole if Necessary
3.1.4.5.1 Mark Hole with Plate in Place
3.1.4.5.2 Chisel Hole to New Width
3.1.4.6 Reinstall Strike Plate
3.2 Shim Hinges Halfway (Primarily Ext. Doors)
3.2.1 Wedge Door & Loosen Screws
3.2.3 Insert Strips with Putty Knife
3.3 Shift the Hinge Position Outward (Mostly Ext. Doors)
3.4 Hinge-Side Warp, Shift Hinge Inward (Int. Doors)
3.4.3 Remove Hinge Leaves from Jamb
3.4.4 Pull Header and Hinge-Side Stop Molding
3.4.5.4 Score the Pocket Bottom
3.4.5.5 Chisel the Pocket Extension
3.4.8 Reinstall the Stop Molding
3.5 Consider Gaskets on Exterior Doors
3.6 Cutting into Rabbeted Stop (Ext. Only)
4. Door Won't Latch
4.1 Check for Loose Strike Plate
4.1.1 Tighten the Screws with Glue
4.1.2 Secure Loose Screws with Sticks and Glue
4.3 Check/Move Hinge-Side Stop Molding (Int. Door)
4.4 Further Reduce the Spring in the Door (Both Int. & Ext.)
4.4.1 Scrape or Sand Away Paint
4.4.2 Shim or Blouse the Hinges
4.4.3 Move Hinges on Exterior Door
4.5 Move Latch-Side Stop Molding on Interior Doors
4.5.1 Pull the Stop Molding and Test the Door
4.5.2 If Door Latches, Reinstall Stop Molding
4.5.3 If Door Doesn't Latch, Move Strike
4.5.4 Then Reinstall Stop Molding
4.6.1.1 Outward for a Warped Door
4.6.1.1.1 Measure Distance Out
4.6.1.1.2 Pull the Strike, Test the Door
4.6.1.1.4 Install the Strike Plate in New Position
4.6.1.2 Downward for a Drooping Door
4.6.1.2.1 Layout Distance Down
4.6.1.2.2 Layout the New Strike Plate Position
4.6.1.2.3 Pull the Strike, Test the Door
4.6.1.2.4 Lower the Strike Hole
4.6.1.2.5 Install the Strike Plate in New Position
4.6.1.2.6 Long Screw at Top if Necessary
4.6.1.3 Move Wherever You Must
4.6.2 After Strike is Moved, Fill and Paint
4.7 If Only a Smidgen, File the Strike Plate
4.7.1 Problems with Tab Strike Plates
4.7.2 File in Place if Possible
4.7.3 Or Remove Strike Plate and File
4.7.5 Reinstall Strike Plate and Test Door
5. Rattling Doors
5.1 Adjust Adjustable Strike Plate
5.1.1 Remove Strike to Bend Tab
5.1.2 If Tab Hollow, Bend It in Place
5.2 Move the Strike Plate Toward Stop Molding
5.3 Move the Latch-Side Stop Molding
5.3.2 Pull Stop Molding and Reinstall
5.4 Gaskets for Exterior Doors
6. Weatherproofing
6.2 Materials Applied Inside the Door Space
6.2.2 Vinyl Beads and "V" seals
6.3.1.1 Remove Old Sweep to Work on Door Bottom
6.3.1.2 Instructions for Sweep Replacement
6.3.3.1 Replace Hidden Door Bottom
6.3.3.1.2 Remove Old Door Bottom
6.3.3.1.3 Cut New Hidden Door Bottom
6.3.3.1.4 Install New Bottom/Rehang Door
6.3.3.1.5 Shim Door Bottom if Necessary
6.3.3.2 Replace Drip-Cap Door Bottom
6.3.3.2.1 Free Up and Remove Old Door Bottom
6.3.3.2.2 Cut New Door Bottom to Size
6.3.3.2.4 Install/Adjust New Door Bottom
6.4.1 Sizing your New Threshold
6.4.2.2 Free from Caulk & Paint
6.4.3 Don't Use Old Threshold as Template
6.4.4.2 32-Inch or Less Openings
6.4.5 Notch Ends for Jamb "Stop"
6.4.5.1 Concept - Center Threshold Under Door
6.4.5.2 Notch Layout on Vinyl Strip Threshold
6.4.5.3 Notch Layout on Smooth Threshold
6.4.6 Install the New Threshold
6.4.6.1 Installing Threshold into Wooden Flooring
6.4.6.2 Installing your Threshold into Concrete
6.4.6.3 Threshold Installation Between Wood & Concrete
6.4.6.4 Finishing Touches to Threshold
6.4.7 Shimming an Existing Threshold Upward
7. Ghost Doors
7.2 Quick Fix - Distort Hinge Pin
7.2.5 Door Still Ghosting? Repeat the Process
7.3.1 Kick or Flip-Down Door Holders
7.3.1.1 Install Flip-Down Holder on Closing or "Pull" Side
7.3.1.2 Install Holder 1" in from Latch Edge
7.3.1.3 Ensure Rubber Foot is Flat to the Floor
7.3.1.4 Final Installation Instructions for Flip-Down Holder
7.3.2.1 Put Push-Down Holders on "Pull" Side, Too
7.3.2.2 Pilot & Install Screws
7.3.3.1 Screw Post into Base Molding
7.3.3.2 Screw Metal Plate into Door
7.3.3.3 Magnetic Door Holders Hard to Find
7.4 Wall Out of Plumb - Move Hinges (Interior Only)
7.4.1 Estimate Distance to Move Hinge
7.4.4 Adjust Other Hinge Pocket If Necessary
7.5 Jamb Out of Plumb - To Reset Is a Big Job
7.6 Change the Swing for Opposite Effect
7.6.1 Remove Door, Hinges and Strike Plate
7.6.2.1 Chisel Away Edge Slivers
7.6.2.2 Install Jamb Leaves in New Position On Door
7.6.3 Mortise Top Hinge in Opposite Position on Jamb
7.6.3.1 Lay Out Top Hinge Opposite from Original
7.6.3.2 Chisel New Mortise Pocket
7.6.3.3 Install Hinge Leaf in Jamb
7.6.4 Hang Door Temporarily to Mark Bottom HInge
7.6.4.1 Measure Approximate Hinge Position
7.6.4.2 Determine Mortise Pocket Back Line
7.6.4.2.1 Scribe Line with Combo Square
7.6.4.3 Hang Door by Top Hinge to Lay Out Bottom HInge
7.6.4.3.1 Get Help or a Pair of Wedges
7.6.4.3.2 "Marry" Bottom HInge with Loose Leaf
7.6.4.3.3 Hang Door from Top Hinge
7.6.4.3.4 Rest Bottom Hinge Against Nails
7.6.4.3.5 Trace Bottom Hinge on Jamb
7.6.5 Install Bottom Hinge on Opposite Jamb Side
7.6.5.1 Drop Door & Remove Nails
7.6.5.2 Chisel Bottom Mortise Pocket
7.6.5.3 Install Bottom Hinge Leaf
7.6.6 Hang Door on Both Hinges
7.6.6.2 Loosen Screws on the Bottom Jamb Leaf to Adjust
7.6.7 Deal with the Stop Molding if Necessary
7.6.7.1 Remove Stop Molding Near Hinges After All
7.6.7.2 Maybe Remove Opposite Stop Molding, Too
7.6.8 Install Strike Plate in New Position
7.6.8.1 Define Center of the Latch
7.6.8.3 Mortise/Install Strike Plate
7.6.9 Reinstall or Adjust Stop Molding
7.6.10 Dutchman All Blank Spaces
9. Appendix
9.1.3 Long Slotted screw driver (Slotted Screws Only)
9.2.1 Hinges with Non-Removable Pins
9.2.2 Pull the Pins on Standard Butt Hinges
9.2.2.1 For Heavy Doors, Block or Wedge Them from Below
9.2.2.2 Diagonal Cutter Method
9.2.2.4 Slotted Screw Driver Method
9.3.3.3 Both Methods Often Used
9.4.2.1 Plastic Milk Crate or Wooden Box
9.5.1 Chip Out Overflowed Paint
9.5.4 Free Up Hinges on a Door Still Hanging
9.5.4.1 Free Hinges on Jamb Side to Drop Door
9.5.4.1.1 Block Door in Open Position
9.5.4.1.2 Free Bottom Hinge First
9.5.4.1.3 Free Top Hinge Part Way
9.5.4.1.4 Get Help Before Freeing Top Hinge
9.5.4.2 Free Hinges on Door Side to Allow for Shims
9.6 Grip Wedges and Other Forms of Blocking
9.7.2 Piece of Molding or Milled Lumber
9.7.4 Need Clamps & Pads with Straightedge
9.8 Cutting Down a Door Already Installed
9.8.1 Cutting the Height, Not Such a Problem
9.8.1.1 Determine Amount to be Cut
9.8.1.3 Situate it for Cutting
9.8.1.4 Remove Any Door Bottoms or Tops
9.8.1.5 Draw/Straighten Cut Line
9.8.1.6 Measure for and Place Straightedge
9.8.1.6.3 Measure Straightedge Distance
9.8.1.6.4 Clamp Straightedge in Place
9.8.1.9 Prime Bottom of Exterior Door
9.8.1.10 Special Instructions for Angled Bottoms
9.8.1.10.1 Match the Saw to the Angle
9.8.1.10.2 Mark Along Shoe for Straightedge
9.8.1.10.3 Move the Straightedge the Required Amount
9.8.1.10.4 Clamp the Straightedge & Make Your Cut
9.8.2 Cutting the Width, A Bit of a Problem
9.8.2.1 Determine Amount to be Cut
9.8.2.5 Possibly Remove Lock Set
9.8.2.6 Situate Door for Cutting
9.8.2.7 Measure For and Place Straightedge
9.8.2.7.3 Measure Over from Each Mark
9.8.2.7.4 Secure the Ends with "C" Clamps
9.8.2.7.5 Need Extra Clamp & Keeper Stick
9.8.2.10 Re-mortise & Reinstall Hinges
9.8.2.10.1 Locate the Hinge Pocket
9.8.2.10.2 Redraw Pocket Outline
9.8.2.10.3 Score the Pocket Edges
9.8.2.10.4 Chisel the Pocket to the Hinge Depth
9.9 Returning the Door to the Jamb
9.9.1 Use Wedges to Set the Height
9.9.2 Only One Set of Blocks/Wedges, Use Lever Method
9.9.3 First Pin in the Bottom Hinge
9.9.4 Open Side of "Dikes" Cups Pin Head
9.9.5 Loosen Screws if Necessary
9.9.6 Non-removable Pin Hinges? Screw in Gradually
9.9.7 Check Door Before Tapping Pins Home
9.9.8 Reinstall Lock Set if Necessary
9.10.1 Purchase New and Low End
9.10.3.1 Hollow Grinding the Chisel Edge
9.10.3.1.1 Position the Chisel
9.10.3.1.2 Tilt Blade into Wheel
9.10.3.3 Check Local Hardware/Lumber Stores for Service
9.11.1 Parts of the Block Plane
9.11.2 Drop the Adjusting Nut to the Bottom
9.11.3 Set the Blade to a Starting Depth
9.11.5 Usually Leave Modest Mouth Opening