Is your internal door jammed?
We’ve all been there:
A door that used to open and close as smoothly as James Bond ordering a medium-dry vodka martini now sticks hopelessly.
But how do you fix a door that keeps jamming?
It’s easy!
Instead of pushing, pulling and cursing, simply follow our guide to stop your door jamming.
Table of contents
Why does my door jam?
Internal doors can stick and jam for a couple of reasons. The most likely of which depends on how old the door is and who fitted it.
Here’s the deal:
If the door is not properly aligned with the door frame or hinges, it can lead to jamming. Over time, the hinges may become loose or sag, causing the door to rub against the frame or floor when opening or closing.
In addition, changes in temperature and humidity can cause the door to expand or contract. This can lead to swelling or warping of the door, making it difficult to open or close smoothly.
What’s more, damaged or worn-out door hardware, such as hinges, doorknobs or latches can contribute to jamming. If the hinges are loose or rusty, they may prevent the door from moving freely.
Luckily, there are some quick, DIY-friendly, free fixes that you can attempt before calling in a professional or taking on the last resort yourself and sanding down the door.
Let’s have a closer look.
How do you fix a door that keeps jamming?
Tighten all hinge screws
If your door is old, or new and not installed by a professional, have a go at tightening all the screws in each of the hinges using a screwdriver. Don’t use a drill for this as it’s harder to control and will wear down the screw heads.
Gently use the screwdriver to see if any of the hinge screws are loose, as this can cause the door to ‘lean’ outwards and make it jam. Screws do just become looser over the years so this is nothing to worry about.
Adjust the relevant hinge
Establish where the door is jamming, top or bottom, and run a screw through the corresponding hinge. The top hinge is for jamming at the top, and the bottom hinge is for jamming at the bottom.
Often, this small adjustment can unstick the door by pulling the door in just enough to make the frame and door realign. Run a screw through the hinge and into the door jamb, secured tightly. A 3-inch screw should do the trick here.
Be mindful that this may be visible though from some angles when the door is open so assess if this is best for you.
Fix the stick by sanding the door
In the worst-case scenario where the methods above haven’t worked, or they haven’t released the stick enough, use the video tutorial below to sand down the edges of the door that are jamming. This should mean that regardless of the issue, the door sits better in the frame.
Now:
Sanding down the door, under best practice advice, involves taking the door off the frame, sanding down the piece that’s jamming or sticking, re-finishing that edge so it matches the rest of the door in colour or wood finish, and then re-hanging the door.
Of course, if the door isn’t sanded down enough the first time, you’ll have to keep repeating until it is!
Patience is a virtue here – take your time sanding properly, and you can say goodbye to your door jamming!
If you still need help or advice with sticking or jamming doors, call us on 01752 422 501 for more information.
Was this guide useful?
Mentioned in this project guide:
