# Summertime Door Sag



## shackdweller (Jul 19, 2016)

I would think this has probably been discussed before, but, every summer, the front door to my shack starts to sag, and I have to grab the know and push it up slightly to get the deadbolt to turn into its slot.

I'm also noticing it on the sliding glass doors, which are a real problem, compared to the wooden main door with the deadbolt sagging.


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## nealtw (Jul 19, 2016)

Unless you have loose screws in the hinges, doors don't sag. But things do change with moisture and temp.
If this happens every year you may want to move the striker plate or file the opening to allow for some movement.

The slider should have adjustment screws for the lower wheels.


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## shackdweller (Aug 19, 2016)

nealtw said:


> Unless you have loose screws in the hinges, doors don't sag. But things do change with moisture and temp.
> If this happens every year you may want to move the striker plate or file the opening to allow for some movement.
> 
> The slider should have adjustment screws for the lower wheels.




Thanks for the reply, nealtw.  I checked the door hinges, and all of them are very tight, so there is not a sag problem.

I carefully took off the striker plate, and put it back on exactly as I took it off, and I'm sorry to say that the problem is worse than ever, with the bolt being so tight, and I am now having tomove the door away toward me, when entering from the outside, and push it away from me when turning the bolt from the inside, as well as pushing it up.

The striker plate actually has a very large hole in it with plenty of clearance.

I am sure that once the weather has cooled down, the problem will go away, as it has every Fall.


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## nealtw (Aug 19, 2016)

You would have to make the hole bigger or move the plate a little, but in the winter you might like it to hold tight closed.


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## joecaption (Aug 20, 2016)

No way would I ever suggest "moving" a strike plate.
You up end up with the holes being to close together and not grabbing, and an ugly gap on the jamb.
Open the door and close it just enough that the latch hits the outside of the strike plate and mark it with  pencil, transfer the marks over to the hole in the latch plate to see how far and where it's off.
I use a Dremel tool with a grinding wheel to enlarge the hole if needed so it does not even need to be removed. 
Make sure it's not the recessed hole in the wood behind the strike plate causing the issue.
If it's changing with the seasons it may be time to take a step back and look over the big picture.
Just a few of the things to look for.
Unsealed outer edges on the door, a door needs to be sealed on all sides including the top and bottom or it's going to shrink and swell.
On a wooden door the mortised seams can come loose over time if the doors to tight and rubbing against the jambs.
Improper flashing under the door can cause all kinds of moisture issues.


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## Mastercarpenty (Aug 27, 2016)

Medium grade 'Schlage' locksets come with an elongated-hole strike plate. In the rentals I do, I don't replace the strike unless needed so that leaves me with a few of these gems to fix problems like this. In some of the old houses I work on the old overspaced foundation piers coupled with some soils that heave when it rains can move the door or strike as much as 3/8" (10mm).  Some do the same seasonally with temps changing (or maybe caused by dry heating/humid summers?) More piers might solve it, or they might not behave like the old piers making it worse. Doesn't matter with these old rentals but it's something an owner might consider looking at. That's why a full foundation wall is worth the cost when building new. 

Phil


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## shackdweller (Aug 29, 2016)

Thanks for the posts, everybody.

Now that the weather is starting to cool down some, I have less adjusting of the door position to do to get the deadbolt into and out of its hole, and as the fall begins, it will go back to needing no adjusting.

I consider this to be a minor problem, as far as my household maintenence and repairs go.

The next problem I want to discuss here on the board is floor covering.


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