How do I fix a door that will not shut properly?

A door that will not latch has drifted a few millimetres out of alignment. Finding out in which direction takes two minutes with a marker, and it turns a frustrating problem into a five-minute adjustment.

What you'll need

• Screwdriver
• Lipstick or chalk (optional)
• File (optional)
• Longer screws (optional)

Step by step

1. Mark the latch and close the door to find the misalignment.Lipstick, chalk or a marker on the latch bolt. The mark on the strike plate shows exactly whether it is hitting high, low or short.
2. Check and tighten the hinge screws first.Loose hinges let a door drop, which is the most common cause. Tightening them often fixes the whole problem.
3. Replace a top hinge screw with a longer one if the holes are worn.A 65mm screw reaches through the frame into the structural timber behind and pulls the door back up. It is a well-known and effective fix.
4. Fill and redrill stripped screw holes.Glued matchsticks or a wooden plug in the hole, left to set, gives the screw fresh timber to bite into.
5. File the strike plate if the latch is close but catching.A few strokes with a file to enlarge the opening in the direction the mark showed. Small adjustments only.
6. Move the strike plate if it is out by more than a couple of millimetres.Unscrew it, fill the old holes, chisel the recess slightly and refit. More work but the correct fix for a larger misalignment.
7. Check whether the door itself has swollen.If it sticks only in damp weather it has swollen seasonally. Wait rather than removing material, which leaves a gap in dry weather.
8. Adjust the keep on a UPVC door instead.Most UPVC doors have adjustable keeps and hinges with small grub screws. Check the manufacturer's guidance rather than filing anything.

Tips

• Check the door frame is still square. A frame that has moved with the building needs the strike plate moved to match.
• If the door only fails to latch in winter, the frame may be moving with temperature. Adjusting for the worst case is usually best.
• Take a photo before removing the strike plate. Refitting it in the right place is easier with a reference.

Common mistakes

• Forcing the door or slamming it — It damages the latch, the strike plate and eventually the frame, and it does nothing about the alignment.
• Planing the door — It is almost never a size problem. The door has dropped or the plate has moved, and removing material is irreversible.
• Enlarging the strike plate opening by a lot — The latch then rattles and the door does not sit firmly. Small adjustments, tested each time.

Questions people ask