How to Fix a Sagging or Sticking Door: Causes, Fixes, and When to Replace the Hinges
The door used to swing shut with a quiet click. Now you have to lift the handle, lean a shoulder into it, or give it a firm shove just to get the latch to catch.
That's a sagging door, and it almost never fixes itself. Left alone, the door keeps dropping, the frame takes damage where it rubs, and the gap that opens along the hinge side lets drafts and moisture in.
The good news is that most sagging and sticking doors can be fixed in under an hour with basic tools. Here's how to find the cause and apply the right fix, in the order that actually works.
What Makes a Door Sag in the First Place
A door is heavy, and almost all of that weight hangs from the screws holding the hinges to the frame. The top hinge carries the most strain, since it is pulled outward while the bottom hinge is pushed inward. Over years of daily use, that constant tug works the screws loose.
The usual culprits are:
- Loose hinge screws. The short screws that ship with most hinges only bite into the thin jamb, not the framing behind it, so they gradually back out.
- Stripped screw holes. Once the wood around a screw is chewed up, the screw spins without gripping and can no longer hold the door's weight.
- Worn or bent hinges. Hinge knuckles wear down over time, adding play that lets the door drop.
- House settling. A shifting foundation can pull the frame slightly out of square, changing how the door sits in the opening.
- Humidity and swelling. Wood doors absorb moisture and swell, which makes them stick even when the hardware is perfectly fine.
First, Diagnose Where the Door Is Rubbing
Close the door slowly and watch where it makes contact. The rubbing point tells you which fix to try first.
| Where It Rubs | Likely Cause | Start With |
|---|---|---|
| Top corner on the latch side | Top hinge pulling loose | Tighten screws, add a 3 inch screw |
| Bottom of the door drags the floor | Door has dropped overall | Tighten all hinges, shim the bottom hinge |
| Latch side edge, full height | Hinge side too tight to the jamb | Shim the hinges outward |
| Sticks only in humid weather | Swollen wood door | Seal edges, then plane if needed |
Fix 1: Tighten Every Hinge Screw
It sounds too simple, but it solves a large share of sagging doors. Open the door and tighten every screw on both leaves of each hinge, starting with the top one. Even a half turn on a single loose screw can bring the door back into alignment.
If a screw keeps turning without getting tight, move on to Fix 3 - the hole is stripped.
Fix 2: Replace One Screw With a 3 Inch Screw
This is the most effective permanent fix for a door that keeps sagging. Standard hinge screws are short and only reach the jamb. A 3 inch wood screw passes through the jamb and anchors into the structural stud behind it, so the weight of the door is carried by the framing instead of thin trim.
- Support the door so it does not drop while you work.
- Remove one screw from the middle of the top hinge's jamb-side leaf.
- Drill a pilot hole slightly narrower than the new screw to prevent the jamb from splitting.
- Drive in a 3 inch coarse-thread wood screw until it sits snug, then finish with a screwdriver.
Use this on one or two screws per hinge, not all of them. Pulling every screw tight into the stud can draw the frame out of square.
Fix 3: Repair Stripped Screw Holes
When a screw spins freely, the wood fibers in the hole are crushed. Rebuild the hole before you reinstall the screw:
- Remove the loose screw.
- Coat two or three wooden toothpicks, or a small dowel, in wood glue.
- Pack them tightly into the hole and snap off the excess flush.
- Let the glue dry for at least an hour, then drive the screw back in.
If two or more holes on the same hinge are stripped, combine this with Fix 2 for a lasting repair.
Fix 4: Shim the Hinge
Shimming changes how the door pivots inside the frame. It is the right fix when the screws are tight but the door still rubs, especially along the latch side.
- Loosen the screws on the jamb-side leaf of the hinge.
- Slide a thin shim, such as a strip of cardboard or a plastic hinge shim, behind the hinge leaf.
- Retighten the screws and test the swing.
Shimming the top hinge tends to lift the latch corner, while shimming the bottom hinge moves the door away from the jamb at the latch edge. Add one thin shim at a time and retest, since small changes make a visible difference.
Fix 5: Replace Worn or Bent Hinges
If the hinge knuckles are worn, bent, or visibly loose, no amount of tightening will hold the door true. Replacing the hardware is the permanent answer, and it is also the right moment to upgrade to something rated for the actual weight of the door.
Heavy solid-core and exterior doors in particular benefit from a hinge built for real load. For a full-height solution on oversized doors, look at a continuous hinge, which spreads the weight along the entire door edge instead of three points. For flush interior and hidden-door designs, our heavy-duty concealed hinge is a zinc alloy hinge rated for 88 lbs per two-hinge set, which suits doors up to about 850mm wide.
For more on how these hinge types differ, see how a standard hinge carries load compared with a concealed or continuous design.
Don't Forget the Bottom of the Door
A door that has dropped even slightly changes the gap along the floor. That can scrape the threshold, crush a door sweep, or open a gap that lets in drafts. After fixing the hinges, check that the door clears the threshold evenly across its full width. A properly seated door bottom seal should touch lightly without dragging.
When It Is Not the Hardware
If the hinges are solid and the door still sticks, look at the door and frame themselves:
- Swollen wood. Sticking that comes and goes with the seasons points to humidity. Seal bare edges with paint or primer, and plane the sticking spot only as a last resort.
- Out-of-square frame. Check the gap around the door. If it is wide at the top and tight at the bottom, or the reverse, the frame may have shifted and need professional adjustment.
- Paint buildup. Layers of paint on the edge or in the hinge mortise can make a door bind. Scrape or sand them back.
FAQ
What is the most common cause of a sagging door?
Loose hinge screws, especially on the top hinge, are the most common cause. Daily use gradually works the short factory screws loose, shifting the door's weight and causing it to drop.
Will tightening the hinge screws fix a sagging door permanently?
Sometimes, but often only temporarily. If the screw holes are stripped or the screws are too short, the problem returns. Longer screws and repaired holes give a more lasting fix.
Why use a 3 inch screw on a door hinge?
Standard hinge screws only reach the thin jamb. A 3 inch screw passes through the jamb and anchors into the wall stud behind it, which carries the door's weight far more securely.
How do I fix a stripped hinge screw hole?
Remove the screw, pack the hole with wood glue-coated toothpicks or a small dowel, trim them flush, let the glue dry, and then reinstall the screw.
Can a sagging door damage the frame?
Yes. A door that rubs the jamb can wear through paint and gouge the frame, and a door that keeps dropping can pull screws out of the wood, making repairs harder over time.
When should I replace the hinges instead of repairing them?
Replace them when the knuckles are worn or bent, when the leaves are loose even with tight screws, or when the door is heavier than the original hinges were designed to carry.
Have more questions? Visit our full FAQ page.
Final Thoughts: Fix It Early, Fix It Once
A sagging door is a small problem that gets expensive when ignored. Start with the simple fixes - tighten, lengthen the screws, repair the holes, shim - and most doors are back to closing smoothly the same afternoon.
If the hardware itself is worn out or undersized for the door, skip the repeat repairs and replace it with hinges built for the load. It is the one fix that stays fixed.