Door Won't Close or Latch?
Here's How to Fix It

A door that sticks, drags against the floor, or won't latch properly is one of the most common home repair calls a handyman gets — and most cases have simple, inexpensive fixes. Before you replace the door (or live with the frustration), work through this diagnostic process.

Step 1: Identify Exactly What's Wrong

The diagnosis determines the fix. Ask yourself:

• Where does it stick? Top edge? Bottom? Latch side? Hinge side?
• Does it drag against the floor?
• Does it latch but not stay closed?
• Did this happen suddenly or gradually?
• Is it seasonal? Worse in summer/winter or after rain?

Run a thin piece of paper around the door perimeter while it's closed to find where there's friction (paper won't pull through) and where there's a gap (paper slides too easily). Mark the problem areas with a pencil on the door frame.

Cause 1: Loose Hinge Screws

This is the single most common cause of sticking doors and is almost always DIY-fixable in 15 minutes.

When hinge screws loosen over time, the door sags — pulling down at the hinge side and up at the latch side, creating a diagonal gap. The door sticks at the top latch corner and bottom hinge corner.

Fix:

1. Open the door and check every screw on every hinge — tighten them all firmly
2. If the screws spin freely and won't tighten (the screw holes are stripped), use the wooden toothpick trick: remove the screw, dip 2–3 wooden toothpicks in wood glue, insert them into the hole, let dry 1 hour, then break off flush and drive the screw back in. The wood fills the hole and gives the screw something to grip.
3. For badly stripped holes, use a longer screw (3" screws reach the door frame stud, providing much stronger hold than the standard short hinge screws).

Cause 2: Wood Swelling from Humidity

Seasonal sticking that's worse in summer and better in winter (or worse after a rainy stretch) is usually caused by wood absorbing moisture and swelling. This is especially common in:

• Older wood doors (not hollow-core)
• Exterior doors exposed to humidity or rain
• Doors near poorly ventilated bathrooms or kitchens

Temporary fix: Use a belt sander or hand plane to remove material from the sticking area. Work conservatively — remove a little at a time. In summer, leave slightly more clearance than seems necessary, because the door will shrink in dry winter air.

Permanent fix: Seal the top and bottom edges of the door with paint or polyurethane — these are often left unpainted and allow moisture absorption. Sealing all six sides of a wood door significantly reduces seasonal movement.

Cause 3: Hinge Binding (Door Swings Open or Closed by Itself)

If the door swings open or shut on its own, the door isn't plumb — it's hanging at an angle that gravity wants to correct. This is often due to hinge misalignment.

Check if the hinges are mortised (recessed into the door frame). If one hinge is mortised too deep, it causes the door to bind and self-close. The fix: add a thin cardboard shim behind the over-mortised hinge to push it forward slightly. Cut a piece of cardboard or heavy paper to the hinge plate size, remove the screws, place the shim behind the hinge, and reinstall.

Cause 4: Latch Not Catching the Strike Plate

If the door closes but the latch won't catch — or you have to lift or push the door slightly for it to latch — the latch bolt and strike plate are misaligned.

Diagnose: Apply lipstick or chalk to the latch bolt, close the door fully, and look at the strike plate — the mark shows exactly where the latch is hitting.

Fix options:

• If the latch is slightly high/low (under ¼ inch off): File the strike plate hole larger in the direction needed. Takes 10 minutes with a metal file.
• If off by more: Relocate the strike plate. Remove the old plate, fill the old screw holes, chisel a new mortise as needed, install the plate in the corrected position.
• If the door sags significantly: The root cause is sagging, not the strike plate — address the hinges first.

Cause 5: Foundation Settlement or Frame Racking

If multiple doors in your home started sticking at the same time, especially if combined with cracks in drywall at door and window corners, you may have foundation settlement or structural movement. This is beyond handyman territory — consult a structural engineer or foundation specialist. Do not ignore multiple simultaneous sticking doors.

When It's Time to Call a Handyman

Call a handyman when:

• The door needs planing and you don't have the tools or confidence to do it without taking off too much
• Hinges need to be remortised (recessed deeper)
• The door frame itself is damaged or needs repair
• You've tried the DIY fixes and the door still doesn't operate correctly
• It's an exterior door — energy efficiency and security matter, and a properly adjusted exterior door is worth getting right

A handyman can typically diagnose and fix a sticking interior door in 30–90 minutes. Cost: $75–$150 in most markets. Exterior door adjustments may take longer depending on the issue.