There’s nothing more annoying than trying to close a door that’s sagging and won’t shut properly. If you reached the end of your rope and want to learn how to fix a sagging door, you’re in the right place. This guide explains what causes doors to act like this, how to fix them, and how to prevent this from happening to your other doors.
How to Fix a Sagging Door 11 Ways
An upright door hinges on these methods
Photo: Catherine Falls Commercial / Moment / Getty Images
Photo: Catherine Falls Commercial / Moment / Getty Images
Written by Samantha Hawrylack
Contributing Writer
Updated October 15, 2024
Difficulty
Intermediate
Perfect for handy homeowners.
Time to complete
5 hours
Tightening the hardware takes 10 minutes or less, but larger repairs could take a few hours.
Cost
$15–$65
Put your money toward future projects.
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What you'll need:
TOOLS
- Screwdriver
- Drill
- Putty knife
- Heat gun
- Wire brush
- Door planer
SUPPLIES
- Wood glue
- Dowels
- 3-inch wood screws
- Door shims
- Sandpaper
Tighten Hinge Screws
Photo: Valeriy_G / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty ImagesYour door’s fate sometimes hinges on a few screws. These screws, while seemingly insignificant, are what help your hinges keep your door in place. So if they’re loose, your hinges can’t function properly. To remedy this, use a screwdriver or drill to tighten all the screws on the door and jamb.
Replace Hinge Screws
If your screws are tightened, and there are no changes to your door’s condition, another problem could be with the size of your hinge screws. Some doors are installed with 1-inch screws, which don’t dig into the frame and stud enough to provide your door with the support it needs. You’ll need to replace them with 3-inch screws. Remove all the screws in your hinges and replace the center screw with a 3-inch screw, and place 2-inch screws in the top and bottom screw holes.
Fill Stripped Hinge Holes
When there’s too much weight on your door, it can strain your hinges, which can loosen and strip the screw holes. New longer screws won’t fix this problem—you’ll need to fill them in. First, see if the screw holes are stripped on the jamb or door. If they are, remove the hinge screws from the door jamb using a cordless drill or screwdriver.
Use a dowel and conduct a dry fit test, pushing it slightly in to ensure it’s the right size. Then take it out and apply carpenter’s glue on the dowel and inside the screw hole. Place the dowel back into the hole flush against your jamb or door. Allow the glue to dry for the recommended time. Once dry, drill pilot holes into the dowel and put the hinges and screws back in place.
Add Shims Behind Hinges
Another method to deal with a misaligned door is adding shims behind your hinges. Look at your door to see what hinge is causing it to sag, and remove its screws using a screwdriver or drill. Cut a thin piece of cardboard or plastic, like a playing card, to fit the area (typically the vertical space closest to or furthest from the hinge’s barrel where the hinge pins are). Then, add shims, as many as needed, and place them between your hinge and door jamb. Replace your screws and tighten them on the opposite side you put your shims first.
Remove Spacers
While placing something behind your shims might fix your problem, that’s not always the case. Sometimes, spacers can be what’s causing your door to sag. If you have spacers behind your hinges, remove them and see if that helps realign your door.
Clean Paint From Hinges
Paint behind your hinges can prevent them from being flush in their mortise. To remove this paint and help realign your door, take the screws out of your hinges. Clean any paint on the hinges using a heat gun and putty knife, or use a wood chisel for paint on the mortise. You can also remove your hinges, soak or boil them in water to loosen up stubborn paint, and then use a wire brush to scrape away any lingering paint.
Replace Hinges
Hinges at the end of their life span are likely damaged and won’t work as efficiently, in which case, it’s time to replace your door hinges. If you can’t find the same ones you currently have, you’ll need to replace all of them to ensure that the weight of your door is evenly distributed between them.
Tighten the Jamb
If replacing the hinge screws doesn’t work, another option is to pull the jamb on the latch side to the framing. You’ll do this using a countersink drill bit to drill a pilot hole in the area that’s causing your door to sag. Make sure you’re using the right bit for your 3-inch screw. Then drill your screw into the hole and cover it with wood filler.
Plane Your Door
If you’ve tried all the other methods and your door is still sagging, you might need to plane your door. Mark the area where your door is sagging and causing an improper fit. Use a door planer to shave down your door in the areas you marked until you can close it easily. After you’ve sanded it, use paint or varnish to cover the exposed wood grain. However, it’s worth noting that you can only plane a solid wood door. Hollow-core doors are mostly hollow with honeycomb cardboard inside, so you can do more harm than good to plane it.
Sand the Door Jamb
Besides planing your door, you can also sand your door jamb. While sanding won’t stop your door from sagging, this method will make opening and closing it easier. Use a sander to sand the part of your door jamb where your door is sagging. Then paint or varnish it when you’re finished.
Check the Strike Plate
The door’s strike plate could be the cause of a sagging door. If it’s not aligned with the door latch, the door doesn’t properly close, which could cause it to sag. It’s a simple check—just close the door and see if the latch and strike plate align.
If you need to realign the strike plate, loosen the screws slightly and adjust it so it lines up with the latch. When you’re sure it’s in the right position, retighten the screws and try closing the door again to see if it fixes the problem.
What Causes a Sagging Door?
While doors can seem simple, they’re fairly complex systems, which means an array of issues can cause sagging doors. Hinges help keep your door in place. So when your door starts sagging, a common reason is that something’s wrong with it due to its age or its screws. Besides hinges, other door problems that can cause sagging are:
A door that’s too heavy for its hardware to support it properly
Moisture damage to your door’s frame
Foundation settlement
Tips to Prevent Your Door From Sagging
Once you know how to fix a sagging door, you’ll have the skills to keep all your doors in their rightful places. But fixing a sagging door isn’t the same thing as preventing one. Of course, you can’t entirely stop a door from sagging, but you can lower the chances of it happening. Here are a few ways to do that:
Inspect your foundation for signs of settlement.
Occasionally check your door’s frame for visible signs of damage.
Limit the amount of weight you place on your door.
Purchase heavy-duty hinges that can support heavier doors.
Apply varnish to your solid wood doors to protect them from warping.
Periodically lubricate hinges to extend their life span and stop the door from squeaking.
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro
Once you know how to fix a sagging door, it’s a straightforward project you can complete in less than an hour. However, if you’ve tried most (or all) of the methods above and your door is still stubbornly hanging low or has severe damage to the frame, contact a door repair professional near you. A pro can assess the damages and fix the underlying issue causing your door to sag.
How Much Does It Cost to Fix a Sagging Door?
The cost to repair a door ranges from $130 to $370, depending on the type of door and the severity of the problem causing your door to sag. If all that’s needed is hardware replacement to keep the door from pulling away from the jamb, you can expect to pay between $50 and $250 for parts and labor, while replacing the whole door frame can cost between $350 and $850.
You might also try tightening up the door jamb with some longer screws or replacing the screws for your hinges with longer ones to pull the frame back into place. The necessary 3-inch screws cost around $10.
Frequently Asked Questions
On average, you should change your hinges every 10 to 15 years. You can extend your door’s life span by lubricating it, limiting the weight you place on it, and evenly distributing the door’s weight across all hinges. If you prefer to wait until you have to change your hinges, at the very least, be on the lookout for noticeable signs of wear and tear.
If your door is sticking at the bottom because it’s making contact with the floor, there are a few fixes you can try. Start by tightening the hinge screws. Next, check for a floor sweep or insulation on the bottom edge of the door that is getting caught on the floor. If these solutions don’t work, try sanding the bottom edge of the door.
To keep a door level on an uneven surface, use shims or scraps of underlayment to hold the door level while you attach the hinges. Keep in mind that on an uneven surface, the slope of the floor when open may not be the same as when it’s shut. Use a level to keep from shimming your door too much or too little while attaching the hinges.
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