Fix A Sticky Door In 5 Minutes

Do you live in an older home? Do you have anthe natural expanding and contracting of the header
interior door that gets harder to open and close ascan throw the door completely out of alignment.
the seasons pass? You are not alone if you do.There are other installation errors as well, but the
Home that are exposed to extreme temperatureend result is always the same. Someday the door
and humidity changes tend to expand and contract.isn't going to open and close properly. It isn't always
This is not normally a problem. Homes are supposedthe contractors fault. Homes, just like people, tend to
to move a little. The problem arises when homesget a little out of alignment with age.
move too much.The solution is simple and will take less time to fix
It isn't necessary to call in a general contractor to fixthan it did for you to read this article. Doors stick
a sticky door. With just a few minutes of your ownbecause the door casing has moved out of being
time, a hammer, 16d finish nail or two, a nail set, andsquare. Over time the opening becomes more
your own skills, you can repair it. Doing it yourself willtrapezoidal. To fix the problem, you don't try to
save you the hassle of having to find a contractor. Itmake the door square again. This takes too long and
will also save you money. Most house calls, frominvolves removing the door and trim to get to the
reputable building professionals, will average overroot problem. Just look at the door and casing. Find
$50.00 just to have them walk through your door.the surfaces that are touching. (They will be easy to
The fix for this problem is so easy. Let me tell youfind.) They will be the ones where the paint or stain
how to do it.has been rubbed off.
It is important to know how a door is installed. WhenOnce you have found the rubbing surfaces, take a
your home was originally built the, first the framing16d nail and gently drive it through the casing where
went up. Then the electrical, plumbing, and insulationthe rubbing occurs. Try to place the nail as close to
were put in place. Once these utilities were finished,the center of the door frame as possible to keep
the framing of the interior walls were covered withthe wood from splitting. Drive the nail until it is almost
lath and plaster or drywall. Last, the interior doorsseated. Then use the nail set to set the nail. You will
were installed.want to use light blows. As you drive the nail into the
When the door was installed, or hung, the hinge sideframing, it will apply force to the door casing and
of the door casing was placed directly against thecause it to move away from the door. Strike the nail
framing or stud. With the hinge side of the casingwith the hammer and nail set then check the door. It
against a stud, nails were driven through it to securemay take a few strikes, but eventually, the casing
it in place. Once in place, the latch side of the casingwill be pulled far enough away from the door to stop
was made level and plumb and secured to thethe two from rubbing together.
framing as well. Shims would have been used toWhen you are done, all you will have is a single hole
make up any gaps and keep the door casing into fill with wood putty!
proper place. The door could now be attached to theIn summary, to fix a squeaky door you must first
casing using the hinges provided. If all was donelocate where the door and the door casing are
correctly, the door would be plumb (perpendicular torubbing together. Using a finish nail, drive the casing
the plane of the earth) and an even gap, or reveal,away from the door until the two stop rubbing
could be seen all the way around the door.together. When finished, depending on how good you
Problems arise when contractors hurry the installationare with your hammer, you will only have a single nail
of a door or do it improperly. Problems can starthole to patch. This is a very simple solution to a very
when the door casing is not secured to the framingcommon problem.
solidly. If the door casing was nailed to the header,