How to Fix a Sticking Door Without Removing It

A sticking door is usually more of a nuisance than a serious problem - as long as you take care of it before the door gets too warped. If you think the problem is from the building settling and it is really sticking, you might try the easy fixes first. If the problem continues or reoccurs you might want to have a professional check it out.

To fix the problem yourself; start by checking the condition of your door hinges. I had a door that would not swing back and forth freely and was leaving a mark on the floor. It turned out the hinge screws had come loose and the hinge was not properly seated in the door jamb. I replaced the old screws with slightly larger screws and then the door worked perfectly.

Tools and supplies needed to fix hinge screws:

• Screwdriver
• Screws

Steps to change hinge screws:

1. Remove one of the old screws.
2. Put in the new screw.
3. I found it easier to do one at a time instead of removing all of them. The door flopped around and was awkward to handle when I removed all of them from the hinge at once.

The other door I was having problems with was a little bit harder to fix - but still an easy fix. It had swollen and warped on the edges and removed the varnish from the door's edge - leading to even more swelling. I was working on the project alone so I wanted to avoid removing the door if at all possible. It turned out my repair task was pretty simple and I was able to take care of the problem with a hand planer and sandpaper - without removing the door.

Tools and Supplies needed:

• Chalk (according to Lowes.com carbon paper also works)
• Hand planer
• Sandpaper or Dremel-type tool
• Varnish or paint to restore the finish after sanding

Steps to sand sticking areas off of door:

1. Visually check to see where the door is sticking.
2. Mark the area that is sticking with chalk or (according to lowes.com) put the carbon paper in the door jamb positioned so the ink will rub off on the door. It is going to be sanded or planed off anyway.
3. Check to see which way the grain in the wood goes. It will normally go up and down on a door. It will be rare to see it go from side to side because it's just not how doors are made.
4. You can plane with the grain of the wood and sand anywhere you have to go across it. What this means for you as you try to fix your door - if the door is sticking on the sides you can gently plane away the excess using a fairly long, smooth motion. If it is sticking on the top or bottom you should sand it. (If it is on the bottom you will have to remove the door.)
5. If you have room to move your hands and the tools you can get away without removing the door. At least I managed to complete the job without removing the door and it both works and looks great.
6. Put a couple of coats of varnish or paint to seal and protect the newly sanded or planed edge. This will help to reduce the need for future sanding and planing work on the door.

Sources

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=howTo&p=Improve/StkyDr.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_346_repair-sticking-doors.html

http://www.rd.com/17572/article17572.html