Internal doors often start to stick because hinge screws have worked loose, the frame has moved slightly or new flooring has raised the floor level. Planing should be the last resort, not the first. This guide helps you find the real cause and fix it properly.
Step by step
Find where it rubs
Close the door slowly and watch the gap around the edges. Rub chalk or a pencil on the frame edge; when you close the door, the marks transfer to where it catches. Note whether it catches at the top, the bottom or on the latch side.
Tighten the hinge screws
Open the door and check every hinge screw. A dropped door often just has loose screws in the top hinge. If a screw turns without tightening, the hole is worn out.
Repair worn screw holes
Remove the loose screw, fill the hole with glued wooden slivers or a matchstick-style plug, let it dry and trim it flush, then refit the screw. Alternatively, use a longer screw that reaches solid timber, taking care not to hit anything behind the frame.
Adjust the latch or keep
If the door closes but will not latch, the latch and the keep on the frame may no longer line up. Move the keep slightly or file the opening, rather than taking wood off the door.
Plane only if needed
If the door still rubs, take it off its hinges with a helper, mark the area to remove and plane a little at a time, working towards the corners. For a door catching on new flooring, trim the bottom with a suitable saw and guide.
Seal the bare edge
Paint or seal any bare wood you have exposed, including the top and bottom edges, so the door does not absorb moisture and swell again.
Ready-to-use checklist
- Screwdrivers of the right size
- Chalk or soft pencil
- Wood glue and small timber slivers
- Longer screws if needed
- Hand plane or power planer
- Helper to lift the door
- Paint or sealant for bare edges
Practical tips
- Seasonal sticking in damp weather often settles in drier months, so plane sparingly.
- Put a sheet or blanket under the door when it is off its hinges to avoid scratches.
- Use screwdrivers that fit the screw heads well to avoid chewing them up.
Common problems
The door swings open or shut on its own. Can I fix it?
The frame or hinges may be out of vertical. Small adjustments to the hinge recesses can help, but a significantly out-of-level frame may need a joiner.
The gap at the top of the door is uneven. What does that mean?
The door has probably dropped on its hinges. Tighten or repair the top hinge screws first, which often lifts the latch side back into line.
Several doors in the house have started sticking at once. Should I worry?
It may be seasonal moisture, but new cracks in walls or ceilings alongside sticking doors can suggest movement. Ask a surveyor or structural engineer to take a look.