# Bedroom door won't close...



## Flightsport (Jan 13, 2013)

This door is actually one of several doors in my house that do not close correctly that need to be fixed.  As you can see from the pictures and the YouTube video, the door rubs along the top of the frame.  I am wondering if I need to take the door frame apart in order to solve this problem.  I know I could just take the door off the hinges and shave down the top of the door but I would rather solve the problem than just apply a band-aide.  Is there an adjustment that could be made to the hinges that would correct the issue at the top of the door? Please see the pictures below and youtube video link.  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGdXR-8cvGg[/ame]"][ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGdXR-8cvGg"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGdXR-8cvGg[/ame]


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## Wuzzat? (Jan 13, 2013)

Shave the door or you will let out many worms from the can.  
There's supposed to be a clearance all around of the thickness of a nickel.


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## nealtw (Jan 13, 2013)

Here: I have the can of worms. There are four fixes to this problem
1. cut the top of the door on an angle so the gap looks good and works
2. move the hinges and leave the gap goofy
3. remove the trim on the latch side and the top, inside and out, cut the nails holding the frame on that side raise it until the gap looks good, shim behind frame to make the gap constant all the way around and replace trim. Trim will be to short, need to replace with new.
4. remove the whole frame and cut some off the hinge side and re-install, old trim will work but but may not hide damage at top.
With a level on the floor you can figure how much to remove from the hinge side
 I think 1 & 2 can be seen from a glance and lower the value of the house.


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## Wuzzat? (Jan 14, 2013)

Some of these worms seem more like snakes. . .

I guess the trick is to find the minimum fix that will not draw the eye of the typical house guest.  Anyone who already knows about this problem is disqualified.


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## CallMeVilla (Jan 14, 2013)

We have to assume when the house was built, the door worked fine.  That means there has been settling which took the frame out of square.  I saw a house where the second story doors on one aide were out like that  --  and another one would close "on its own" because the settling from a new addition had taken the whole side of the house out of square.

Inspect the house for evidence of settling and the causes.  You should deal with the causes ASAP.

If you are sure the house is now stable, I would use a power plane to shave the top of the door.  Make sure the gap is even across the entire width of the door so the visual is consistent.  Congatulate yourself for an easy fix and pray it does not come back!


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## Wuzzat? (Jan 14, 2013)

A quarter inch in a 28" wide door (1 part in 112) would be one corner of a 50' long house sinking 5" in as long as you've owned it.  One of these adaptor kits to make a garden hose into a level can check this.  Maybe I should check my house, which has the same problems with probably most doors.


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## nealtw (Jan 14, 2013)

I had a house that had 2 bedrooms over an open carport and the outside footing and foundation was not attached to the house. That wall went up and down 3/4" every year.


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## Wuzzat? (Jan 15, 2013)

nealtw said:


> I had a house that had 2 bedrooms over an open carport and the outside footing and foundation was not attached to the house. That wall went up and down 3/4" every year.


Freezing and thawing each year?  I'm at a lower latitude and my frost line is 2'.


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## nealtw (Jan 15, 2013)

Our frost level is 18" but we never get close to it. That wall was on poor soil and it came up when the soil got wet.


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## rander (Jan 15, 2013)

There's a trick you can try if you have adequate clearance between the knob side of the door and the jamb.  Loosen the screws on the top door hinge -- don't take them out.  Gert some thin cardboard -- I've used index cards and the cover from a pack of paper matches. Cut it to the shape of the door hinges (It has to fit into the hinge mortise) Cut slots in it to clear the hinge screws -- like a reversed E.  Slip the shim
 under the hinge plate and tighten the screws .  This has the effect of dropping the top knob side corner of the door and may be enough to let the door close normally. (A few times I had to use two shims). 

Failing this I suggest trimming the door to fit.  Rebuilding a door frame can become a bigger job than just pulling some casing and molding.  I lived for several years n an old house that settled a bit and about half of the doors had to be "adjusted".


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