How To Adjust Door Hinges
If you’re having issues with operating your doors, whether they’re sticking in the frame or won’t close properly, we can help! This quick article will go over some of the most common problems that are caused by door hinges, and how you can fix them speedily and easily.
For doors that stick
If you find it difficult to open and close your door without it getting stuck, you may need to adjust the hinges to allow it to operate smoothly.
To adjust the hinge if you’re experiencing this issue, simply follow these steps:
- Remove the bottom hinge on the door using a screwdriver. For screws that are harder to remove, you can use an electric drill
- Check the edge of the mortise for any compression marks – these will be present if the hinge is not sitting in the mortise correctly, which as a result pushes the door into the frame on the unhinged side.
- Using a utility knife, cut along the lines of the compression marks – make sure to cut no deeper than the depth of the mortise.
- Then use a chisel to remove the excess wood from around the edge of the mortise.
- Replace the hinges. The door should now open and close smoothly.
- If the problem persists, use a plane to shave down the edges of the door.
For doors with large gaps
If there is a gap between the door frame and the unhinged side of the door, it might stop the door from closing properly. If this is the case for your door, you may have to adjust the hinges to fix this problem.
To adjust the hinge if you’re experiencing this issue, simply follow these steps:
- Using a screwdriver, remove each of the screws on the bottom door hinge. This will allow you to remove the hinge.
- Using a pencil and piece of cardboard, trace the outline of one of the hinge plates (i.e. half of a full hinge). Do this four times.
- Cut out the shapes you have traced onto the cardboard. Be sure to cut as precisely as possible!
- Place two of the pieces of cardboard into the mortise and fix the screw in place on top of them. This will pad out the mortise, making the door sit flusher against the frame.
- Remove the top hinge and place the remaining two pieces of cardboard into the mortise before replacing the hinge.
- If the gap still remains, repeat steps 1-5 as many times as needed.
For doors that catch on the frame
Does the top corner of your door catch on the frame? If it does, it might be because of the hinges. Some door hinges can loosen over time, which causes them to sag downwards – because of this, the top corner of the door catches on the frame.
To adjust the hinge if you’re experiencing this issue, simply follow these steps:
- Using a screwdriver, tighten each of the screws on all of the door hinges. This will pull the door back towards the frame, stopping it from catching.
- If the issue still persists, remove the middle screw from the top door hinge.
- Now fasten a longer screw of the same diameter. This should fix further into the door jamb, tightening the hinged side of the door against the frame.
To shop our range of hinges, click here.
If you have any questions that weren’t answered in this article, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with our team. We’re always happy to help!
