How to Repair a Wooden Door
The great thing about wood as a material is that you can easily repair it – a quality wooden door should last a lifetime when properly maintained. As time goes on, you may notice that your door is starting to stick or is not latching properly. Here are some quick fixes to repair your door easily.
If your door sticks it is likely because the edges are rubbing against the frame or the floor. You will need to identify where the door is sticking (you should be able to feel which part gets caught when opening and closing the door) and shave some wood away from that area until it opens and closes without obstruction.
If your door rattles it could be for a few reasons; the most common are the door fitting too loosely and the strike plate not fitting the door properly. If the door is too loose in the frame, you can check the position of the doorstop and strike plate and move them if necessary. The strike place also has flange that you can bend to hold the door in place when closed. It’s also possible that the hinges are loose – if that’s the case, it’s a good idea to replace the hinges. Start by drilling out the old holes, plugging them with wooden dowels, and then drill new holes for your hinges – make sure that you tighten properly when you refit your hinges.
If the latch does not close it is probably because the strike plate is not properly positioned. You can start by filing the inner edge of the strike place or by packing out the strike plate, depending on whether it is set too far back or too far forward to latch properly.
If the door does not stay shut it usually due to a latching issue. It is worth trying one of the solutions above. If these do not work, you will need to remove and reposition the strike plate.
If your door sticks but only in wet weather you can try rubbing beeswax on the edges of your door or polishing it instead of filing parts off, since making permanent changes to your door may create a draught when the weather changes.
Remember to always treat and cover exposed wood on external doors to avoid damage and swelling.
