Dealing with difficult doors

Do you have a door that jams, sags or refuses to shut? Don’t leave it any longer says DIY expert Helaine Clare who advises how to make simple improvements.

I’m sure we’ve all done battle with doors. There are those that stick or have dropped, and the ones that won’t stay closed or open over a newly laid carpet. And if those difficulties weren’t annoying enough there are misbehaving doorknobs that come away in your hand, spindles that crash to the floor and stiff bolts that you struggle to slide without grazing your knuckles.

We do tend to take doors for granted and usually don’t give them a moment’s thought until the trouble starts. But over the years they put up with a lot of wear and tear, and hinges and joints can work loose.

Houses settle over time and door frames in old houses become so distorted that there is not a right angle to be seen. Even a build up of paint can impede the smooth opening and closing of a door.

Unwanted layers of paint can be removed using a hot air gun but keep it on a low temperature if you suspect some of the earlier layers may contain lead (from paint applied before the late 1960s) and never use a blow lamp as the lead will be vapourised. Alternatively use a chemical gel stripper that is ideal for vertical surfaces: apply the gel and cover with transparent film to stop it drying out. If you are intending to leave the doors in their natural wooden state you will need to remove paint residue with steel wool dipped in stripper.

It’s far less messy to send the door away to be industrially stripped. But there are risks – old animal glues fixing panelling can be dissolved by the chemicals, and the combination of heat and water can cause doors to warp and panels to split. This is less likely to happen if a cold stripping process is used rather than the less expensive method of immersion into a hot caustic bath followed by a hose-down with water. Look for a reputable paint stripping company rather than the cheapest price.

You will need...

Hook scraper
Chalk or wax crayon
Coarse sandpaper
Rasp
Screwdriver
Wood glue and syringe
Saw and hammer
Glasspaper and block
Paintbrush
Sash clamps
Lubricating oil
Candle
Door draughtproofing kit
Pins
Steel measuring tape

	1. Stop doors from jamming: If a door binds along entire edge then scrape away some paint with a hook scraper. If it is catching in some places rub wax crayon or chalk on to the frame and open and close the door – colour will rub off against the swollen wood to indicate the problem. Use coarse sandpaper or rasp to smooth away the wood.
	2. Check over latch and hinges: Examine the latch and the keep plate in the door frame – sometimes the keep plate needs realigning. Loosen the screws to allow movement and tap the keep over a little before re-tightening the screws. If doors are ‘hingebound’ check there are no protruding screws preventing the hinge flaps closing together.
	3. Straighten up a sagging door: If the door catches on the frame and feels out of alignment check the hinges and tighten the screws. If they are no longer gripping the wood swap them for fatter ones. If the hole is enlarged taper a piece of dowelling, apply glue and knock into old hole. When dry saw off flush. Drill pilot hole and insert screw.
	4. Prevent scraping along floor: If just one area seems to be affected lay some glasspaper beneath and open and close until it is smooth. If a substantial amount needs to be removed from the whole width trim the door with a special saw that has a horizontally mounted circular blade. Or install rising butt hinges to lift the door as it is opened.
	5. Repair failed joints: These can cause the door to sag or catch. Use an old paintbrush to clean the joint. Apply wood glue with a syringe forcing it into the joint. Use sash clamps to pull the joint together and leave until the adhesive is dry. Wipe away surplus glue. Sash clamps are expensive to buy so try to borrow or rent one.
	6. Loosen a stiff handle or knob: A squirt of lubricating oil should help. Handle comes away in your hand? Sometimes the grub nut that secures the handle has worked loose – tighten it against the spindle. Square spindles can lose their grip so the latch will only work when jiggled. Unscrew the handle and replace the old spindle with a new one.
	7. Ease a tight bolt with a candle: If it becomes a struggle to slide the bolt try lubricating it with a candle. Rub a candle along the length and slide the bolt several times until it eases. If it is still stiff check that one or more of the screws haven’t been over-tightened which will distort the bolt and interfere with its smooth operation.
	8. Install some draughtproofing: This draughtproofing kit is for an exterior door: measure and saw both long strips to length. One long strip is often different and intended to be fixed on to the opening edge. Press against the closed door and tap pins through the pre-drilled holes. Measure and fit short strip across the top of the door.