How To Fix A Door Hinge That Won T Close

If the door binds on the knob side the hinges are too shallow.

How to fix a door hinge that won t close.

The front adjustment screw controls the distance between the hinge and the side of the cabinet. If a door binds open it grasp the knob and lift up to see if a hinge is loose. If the hinges still sag and the door will not shut then the holes for the mounting screws are stripped and you should proceed to the next section. Simply turn this screw counterclockwise to reduce the distance and straighten the door.

Remove one of the screws on the jamb side of the hinge and drive in a 3 in. Adding shims to stripped hinge screw holes. Choose the hinge on the end of the door that is closed. Tighten the mounting screws on the hinges while your friend holds the door straight.

Tighten the hinges first. Then re nail the door stops on leaving a 1 2mm gap all the way around to allow for paint fix them tighter if no decorating needs doing afterward. If they simply twist in place but won t catch try inserting longer screws. Then tighten the screw with a screwdriver.

If that doesn t work try putting a bit of carpenter s glue on a thin sliver of wood or a matchstick and tapping it into the screw hole. Once the glue is dry reinstall the screws. Throw the hinges i m not talking out the window here if you don t want to cause any re decorating you can adjust a door by the hinges. Open and close the door to find the problem.

With a drill you re more likely to over tighten the screw and strip the screw holes or chew up the screwheads. If that doesn t solve the problem try this trick. If your door rubs near the top or drags on the floor use a screwdriver not a drill to tighten the screws. To fix a loose hinge leaf start by trying to tighten the screws.

If one is loose remove two or more screws and try driving in longer screws. The hinges and door should both be level and the door should shut. Take it off de nail it and close the door so it latches shut. Tighten the hinge screws screws magically work themselves loose over the years.

If you find that the latch contacts the strike plate too high or too low make sure all the door s hinge screws are tight. Look for signs of abrasion on the edge of the door and for uneven gaps between the jamb and the door. Fold a matchbook cover or piece cardboard of similar thickness four times. When this distance is too great the cabinet door won t close because it s tilted.

On the latch side a door is cut at a slight bevel to make it easier to close.