Door Re-Hang Procedure

Why this matters

A misaligned interior door (rubs the frame, won't latch, won't close, swings open by itself) is one of the most common handyman service calls. The fix is rarely "replace the door"; it's usually adjusting the hinges, shimming the strike plate, or addressing a sagging frame. A handyman who can diagnose the cause and fix it in 30 to 60 minutes turns a customer's daily annoyance into a happy referral. The skill is observational: looking at the gap pattern around the door reveals the root cause.

Common symptoms

• Door rubs the top of the frame
• Door rubs the bottom of the frame
• Door rubs the side of the frame
• Door won't latch (latch and strike misaligned)
• Door won't close (latch hits the strike plate edge)
• Door swings open by itself
• Door swings closed by itself
• Door makes squeaking noise
• Door drops down when opened

Diagnostic: reading the gap

With the door closed, look at the gap between the door and the frame:

Common causes ranked

Tools

• Screwdriver (Phillips and flathead)
• Hammer
• Pry bar (small)
• Level (2 ft minimum)
• Pencil
• Wood shims
• Replacement hinge screws (longer)
• Sandpaper or plane (if door needs to be slimmed)
• Drill (with bits for predrilling)

Procedure for common scenarios

Scenario 1: Door sags; rubs the top of the latch side

Most common cause: loose top hinge screws.

1. Open the door wide
2. Tighten the top hinge screws (the most-loaded)
3. If screws keep turning without tightening, replace with longer screws (2.5 to 3 inch)
4. Re-test the door

If the door still rubs after tightening:

1. Remove the top hinge from the door
2. Remove the hinge screws from the frame
3. Pre-drill new pilot holes
4. Re-install longer screws (3 inch typical) that grip into the framing behind the trim
5. Re-test

Scenario 2: Door rubs the bottom

Could be:

• Bottom hinge needs adjustment (less common)
• Door has swollen (seasonal)
• Floor has risen (rare)

For seasonal swelling: sand or plane the bottom of the door slightly.

For floor rise: investigate why (settling, flooring change). Plane the door's bottom edge after addressing the floor.

Scenario 3: Door won't latch

The latch and strike plate are misaligned. Verify the gap pattern; if the door is hanging properly, only the strike plate needs adjustment.

To adjust strike plate:

1. Close the door slowly until you can identify where the latch hits
2. Mark the strike plate where the latch contacts
3. Remove the strike plate
4. Bend or file the strike plate to allow the latch to engage
5. If the misalignment is more than 1/8 inch, move the strike plate:
   • Remove existing screws
   • Move the plate up/down/left/right per the misalignment
   • Drill new pilot holes
   • Install plate in new position
6. Test the door

Scenario 4: Door swings open or closed by itself

Cause: door is out of plumb on its vertical axis. The hinges are tilted; gravity makes the door swing.

Fix: shim the hinges to redirect the door's swing direction.

1. Remove a hinge from the frame
2. Shim behind the hinge with cardboard or thin shim
3. Re-install the hinge
4. Test the door swing
5. Adjust the shim as needed (more shim if the door still swings; less shim if it now closes against the latch side)

Some doors require shimming both top and bottom hinges in opposite directions to true up.

Scenario 5: Door is painted shut

1. Cut the paint around the door edge with a utility knife
2. Cut along all four edges of the door
3. Use a putty knife if needed to free the door
4. Open the door
5. Sand and repaint the affected edges

Scenario 6: Frame visibly out of plumb

Frame has settled or shifted. The fix:

1. Diagnose the frame condition with a level (vertical and horizontal)
2. If frame is severely out of square, structural repair may be needed (foundation, framing)
3. For minor out-of-plumb: adjust hinges with shims to compensate

For severely sagging frames, the right fix is structural repair before the door work.

Scenario 7: Loose hinge screws (general)

The screws keep loosening:

• Replace with longer screws (2.5 to 3 inch into the framing)
• Apply wood glue to the hole, allow to set, then re-drive screws
• For stripped-out holes, fill with toothpicks or wooden dowels and glue, then re-drive screws
• For severely damaged hinge area, replace the section of jamb (significant work)

Hinge replacement

If the hinge itself is worn:

1. Remove the door from the frame (remove pins from existing hinges)
2. Set the door aside
3. Remove the failed hinge from the door
4. Remove the failed hinge from the frame
5. Install replacement hinge (match the original size and finish)
6. Reinstall the door (drop pins back into hinges)

Most interior doors use 3 1/2 inch or 4 inch hinges. Common screw sizes 1 inch and 1 1/4 inch original; replace with 2.5 to 3 inch for better hold.

Squeaky hinge

For squeaks:

• Apply a small amount of lubricant (white lithium grease, silicone spray, even WD-40 in a pinch)
• Open and close the door several times to distribute
• Wipe excess lubricant

If lubrication doesn't fix the squeak, the hinge bearing may be worn (replacement).

Door sanding / planing

For doors that have swollen or are slightly too tight:

1. Mark the area that needs to be removed (with door closed, identify where it rubs)
2. Remove the door from the frame
3. Place the door on sawhorses
4. Sand or plane the marked area
5. Test fit
6. Repeat until door clears

Be conservative: removing material is one-way; you can't add wood back.

Customer communication

Set expectations:

• "Most door problems are caused by loose hinges; an easy fix"
• "Some problems require shimming or strike plate adjustment; takes 30 to 60 minutes"
• "If the door is severely warped or the frame has settled significantly, more work is needed"

Provide a quote based on initial assessment; reserve the right to add work if the problem turns out to be larger.

Common door re-hang mistakes

• Planing before tightening. Wood removed is wood gone. Nine times out of ten the door is not too big, the top hinge is loose. Tighten first, re-test, and only then reach for the plane. A door planed to fit a sagging hinge shows a gap the width of your thumb once someone finally drives a long screw.
• Adjusting the strike plate to fix a hinge problem. Moving the strike gets the door latching today and leaves the door hanging wrong, which shows up as rubbing, a growing gap at the top, and a latch that stops catching again in a season. Correct the hinge side, then set the strike.
• Short screws into trim only. A 3/4 inch screw grips the jamb, and the jamb is not what carries the door. At least one long screw per hinge has to reach the framing behind the jamb or the sag comes back.
• Overdriving a long screw. Run it in past flush and it pulls the jamb toward the framing, which throws the opening out of plumb and creates a new problem on the latch side. Snug, then check the reveal.
• Shimming without reading the whole opening. Shim one hinge to cure a rub and you can move the rub somewhere else. Read all four reveals first, decide which one is wrong, then shim.
• Pulling the hinge pins on a heavy slab with nobody holding it. Solid core and exterior doors are awkward and heavy enough to injure you and to tear the jamb on the way down. Wedge the bottom, get a second set of hands, and pull the bottom pin last.
• Planing the hinge edge instead of the latch edge. The hinge edge carries mortises and screws, and once you cut into it the hinges no longer sit flat. Take material off the latch side or the top, not the hinge stile.
• Painting or sealing after planing gets skipped. Bare end grain drinks moisture and swells right back. Seal every cut edge before you leave, or the door binds again on the first humid week.
• Blaming the door when the frame moved. If the reveals are wrong on multiple doors in the same wall, and floors slope, the opening moved. Say so instead of planing your way through the house.

References

• Manufacturer literature: Schlage, Kwikset (lock manufacturers); various hinge manufacturers.
• IRC R311 (Means of Egress for residential doors).
• ANSI A156 series (Door hardware standards).
• Manuall internal: Universal Common Fastener Types.