How do I stop doors slamming?
Why doors slam and the cheap fixes — from a foam guard to a proper closer — plus the draught cause people miss.
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Time
- 20 min
- Read
- 2 min
Short answer
Most slamming is caused by air pressure from an open window or an extractor fan rather than by the door itself. Close the window, or fit a soft-close damper, felt pads on the frame, or a foam door guard. A rubber band round both handles is the free temporary version.
A door that slams is usually being pushed by moving air, not by the person closing it. Identifying whether it is airflow, a self-closing hinge or simply a heavy door decides which fix is appropriate.
What you'll need
- Felt or rubber pads
- Soft-close damper (optional)
- Foam door guard (optional)
- Rubber band (optional)
Step by step
- Check whether it slams when a window is open or an extractor is running.Air pressure differences are the most common cause and are easy to miss. Close the window and see whether it stops.
- For an immediate free fix, loop a rubber band over both handles and across the latch.It holds the latch retracted so the door cannot slam shut. Useful for a sleeping child.
- Stick felt or rubber pads to the door frame where the door meets it.Three small pads — top, middle and bottom — cushion the impact and quieten it considerably.
- Fit a foam door guard over the edge of the door for a child's room.It stops the door closing fully as well as cushioning it, which also prevents trapped fingers.
- For a heavy door, fit a soft-close damper or a pneumatic closer.They mount to the frame and control the last part of the swing. Inexpensive and effective.
- Check the hinges are not causing the door to swing closed on its own.A door that swings shut when released usually means the frame is out of plumb or a hinge is not sitting square.
- For a persistently draughty room, address the ventilation imbalance.A room with an extractor and no make-up air path pulls doors shut. Undercutting the door slightly or fitting a vent solves it.
Tips
- Draught excluders on external doors reduce the airflow that slams internal ones as a side effect.
- A door that slams only in windy weather is being driven by pressure differences and needs the ventilation addressed rather than the door.
- Self-adhesive pads are cheap and reversible, which makes them the right first thing to try in rented property.
Common mistakes
- Treating the door when the cause is airflow — Cushioning helps, but the door will still be pushed. Closing the window or addressing ventilation is the actual fix.
- Ignoring finger-trap risk with small children — A foam guard prevents both the slam and the injury, and slamming doors are a common cause of finger injuries.
Questions people ask
Why does my door slam when a window is open?
Air moving through the house creates a pressure difference that pushes the door. It is the most common cause of slamming and has nothing to do with the door itself.
What is the cheapest way to stop a door slamming?
A rubber band looped over both handles and across the latch, which stops the latch engaging. For a permanent fix, three self-adhesive felt pads on the frame cost very little.