Sticking door (after settling?) how to fix.

OldSkodaDriver · Post by **OldSkodaDriver** » Wed Feb 23, 2022 2:33 pm

We had a loft conversion done 2 years ago.
The builder turned out to be a bit of a %$£@ - so I wouldn't go back to him even if I could.

I don't know if its normal for this to happen - but the door to the little bathroom no longer closes. Its too 'tight'.
I tried sanding down the edge a little (along the inside edge the door - around the handle/lock.)
But soon realized that the whole thing needs planing back - I think.

Now - because there is a latch set into the door - I'm thinking I need to take it off and plane (sand) down the other side a few mm (where the hinges are attached) and then set/chisel out the hinges again to make them fit.

But I'm wondering if there might be a better/easier way.

Attaching some pix below.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
(apart from get a better builder)
Cheers

dewaltdisney · Post by **dewaltdisney** » Wed Feb 23, 2022 2:52 pm

What a pain, I do not know of a way to get around a door demount and plane to fit. As a guide, I usually use a pound coin thickness all way around.

DWD

stevei · Post by **stevei** » Wed Feb 23, 2022 4:17 pm

You will have to reduce the hinge side. Determine how much you need to take off. Say it's 3mm, cut out the hinge recess first by 3 mm then trim the door edge by 3 mm. I don't know how competent you are at this sort of thing or what gear you have to do it. I use my track saw to fit and refit doors and a 1/4 inch router to cut out recesses for hinges etc. It's very easy to ruin a door with a plane if you aren't accustomed to using one. If that's the case with you I would recommend that you pay someone who is.

oz0707 · Post by **oz0707** » Wed Feb 23, 2022 6:03 pm

Looks to me like a leading edge would sort it bit hard to tell from pics. You've either got to strip the hinge or latch side depending on best way to sort

big-all · Post by **big-all** » Wed Feb 23, 2022 6:05 pm

are the hinges tight with proper sized screws that sit flush with the hinge surface

OldSkodaDriver · Post by **OldSkodaDriver** » Fri Feb 25, 2022 10:48 am

dewaltdisney wrote: ↑Wed Feb 23, 2022 2:52 pm What a pain, I do not know of a way to get around a door demount and plane to fit. As a guide, I usually use a pound coin thickness all way around.

DWD

I thought so. Just wondered if someone had a little/hint for an easy fix I was not thinking of. Thanks.

OldSkodaDriver · Post by **OldSkodaDriver** » Fri Feb 25, 2022 10:50 am

stevei wrote: ↑Wed Feb 23, 2022 4:17 pm You will have to reduce the hinge side. Determine how much you need to take off. Say it's 3mm, cut out the hinge recess first by 3 mm then trim the door edge by 3 mm. I don't know how competent you are at this sort of thing or what gear you have to do it. I use my track saw to fit and refit doors and a 1/4 inch router to cut out recesses for hinges etc. It's very easy to ruin a door with a plane if you aren't accustomed to using one. If that's the case with you I would recommend that you pay someone who is.

I thought so. I'm OK with a hand plane/chisel. (Always wanted a track saw but don't do enough to justify shelling out the ££££). Thanks.

OldSkodaDriver · Post by **OldSkodaDriver** » Fri Feb 25, 2022 10:52 am

oz0707 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 23, 2022 6:03 pm Looks to me like a leading edge would sort it bit hard to tell from pics. You've either got to strip the hinge or latch side depending on best way to sort

I Thanks for replying but I'm not sure what you mean by 'Looks to me like a leading edge would sort it'. I think I will trim back the hinge side.

OldSkodaDriver · Post by **OldSkodaDriver** » Fri Feb 25, 2022 10:53 am

big-all wrote: ↑Wed Feb 23, 2022 6:05 pm are the hinges tight with proper sized screws that sit flush with the hinge surface

Yes. all tight and flush fitted. I think they simply did not leave enough clearance when they hung it in the first place to allow for possible (Expected?!) settling.

Argyll · Post by **Argyll** » Fri Feb 25, 2022 11:03 am

stevei wrote: ↑Wed Feb 23, 2022 4:17 pm You will have to reduce the hinge side. Determine how much you need to take off. Say it's 3mm, cut out the hinge recess first by 3 mm then trim the door edge by 3 mm. I don't know how competent you are at this sort of thing or what gear you have to do it. I use my track saw to fit and refit doors and a 1/4 inch router to cut out recesses for hinges etc. It's very easy to ruin a door with a plane if you aren't accustomed to using one. If that's the case with you I would recommend that you pay someone who is.

Aye Steve's spot on. Hinge side and track saw. a 20-minute job.

OldSkodaDriver · Post by **OldSkodaDriver** » Fri Feb 25, 2022 11:29 am

Argyll wrote: ↑Fri Feb 25, 2022 11:03 am
stevei wrote: ↑Wed Feb 23, 2022 4:17 pm You will have to reduce the hinge side. Determine how much you need to take off. Say it's 3mm, cut out the hinge recess first by 3 mm then trim the door edge by 3 mm. I don't know how competent you are at this sort of thing or what gear you have to do it. I use my track saw to fit and refit doors and a 1/4 inch router to cut out recesses for hinges etc. It's very easy to ruin a door with a plane if you aren't accustomed to using one. If that's the case with you I would recommend that you pay someone who is.
Aye Steve's spot on. Hinge side and track saw. a 20-minute job.

With no track saw..... I'm going to chisel out the hinges on the door a couple of mm and see if it fits - and closes. And iff not hand plane down the hinge side. fingers crossed my rusty chiseling/planing skills will not let me down. Thanks (to all of you).

Argyll · Post by **Argyll** » Fri Feb 25, 2022 12:26 pm

OldSkodaDriver wrote: ↑Fri Feb 25, 2022 11:29 am
Argyll wrote: ↑Fri Feb 25, 2022 11:03 am
stevei wrote: ↑Wed Feb 23, 2022 4:17 pm You will have to reduce the hinge side. Determine how much you need to take off. Say it's 3mm, cut out the hinge recess first by 3 mm then trim the door edge by 3 mm. I don't know how competent you are at this sort of thing or what gear you have to do it. I use my track saw to fit and refit doors and a 1/4 inch router to cut out recesses for hinges etc. It's very easy to ruin a door with a plane if you aren't accustomed to using one. If that's the case with you I would recommend that you pay someone who is.
Aye Steve's spot on. Hinge side and track saw. a 20-minute job.
With no track saw..... I'm going to chisel out the hinges on the door a couple of mm and see if it fits - and closes. And iff not hand plane down the hinge side. fingers crossed my rusty chiseling/planing skills will not let me down. Thanks (to all of you).

That won't work. The hinge side of the door will still be the same size. You need to plane down the hinge side first. I'd just get someone in to do it. Might only cost you £20 if someones passing by.

OldSkodaDriver · Post by **OldSkodaDriver** » Fri Feb 25, 2022 4:31 pm

Argyll wrote: ↑Fri Feb 25, 2022 12:26 pm
OldSkodaDriver wrote: ↑Fri Feb 25, 2022 11:29 am
Argyll wrote: ↑Fri Feb 25, 2022 11:03 am
stevei wrote: ↑Wed Feb 23, 2022 4:17 pm You will have to reduce the hinge side. Determine how much you need to take off. Say it's 3mm, cut out the hinge recess first by 3 mm then trim the door edge by 3 mm. I don't know how competent you are at this sort of thing or what gear you have to do it. I use my track saw to fit and refit doors and a 1/4 inch router to cut out recesses for hinges etc. It's very easy to ruin a door with a plane if you aren't accustomed to using one. If that's the case with you I would recommend that you pay someone who is.
Aye Steve's spot on. Hinge side and track saw. a 20-minute job.
With no track saw..... I'm going to chisel out the hinges on the door a couple of mm and see if it fits - and closes. And if not hand plane down the hinge side. fingers crossed my rusty chiseling/planing skills will not let me down. Thanks (to all of you).
That won't work. The hinge side of the door will still be the same size. You need to plane down the hinge side first. I'd just get someone in to do it. Might only cost you £20 if someones passing by.

Thanks for your input but - I wish I had competent tradespeople passing by my house who would only charge me £20 to re-hang a door. Are you sure your not using your time machine and posting from the 1970s Argyll?!

OldSkodaDriver · Post by **OldSkodaDriver** » Fri Feb 25, 2022 4:35 pm

Well - I did it!

Just in case anybody is going to read this in future:

I took the door off and carefully chiseled the hinges 2-3mm deeper into the door.
Luckily there was large enough a gap on the hinge side of the door that this did not cause any binding and the door closes perfectly.

I'll attach a couple of pix.
(bad focus on the hinge pic - but I think you can see it is now recessed into the door)

Thanks to everybody for your input and advice.

Argyll · Post by **Argyll** » Fri Feb 25, 2022 4:52 pm

It's all I would charge if I was passing. A lady a few months ago in Cumbernauld wanted the same thing. I told her I'd be passing her in the next week or so. It took me 20 mins. I would have charged more if it were just that job I was travelling to.

I'm not here to rip anyone off.

Glad you got it sorted anyway.