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Hello, I have a new build home, and due to settling (I presume) I have 2 bedroom doors that are rubbing along the door jamb. They are not way out of whack, but enough that I hear them rubbing when closing the door. When we were under warranty the builder came out to adjust a door, it only took him 10 seconds, but I didn't see what he did to adjust it.
Any ideas on the easiest way to nudge the top of the door over so that it no longer rubs?
I suspect all the builder did was tighten the hinge screws. You can try that - don't overtighten or you may strip the screws out, which requires a more complicated fix. Take the load off the door by lifting it up and in a bit, then tighten the top screws, then the middle and bottom. That may be all the doors need.
Otherwise you'll have to shave the outer edge of the door down by 1/16 inch or so. There are several ways to do this but none are really an amateur/DIY thing. (If you HAPPEN to own a large, expensive block plane and know how to use it, that's the ticket.)
Square the door in the frame; or square the frame. Look at the reveals on the sides (hinge and striker)- obviously the top reveal is out because it’s rubbing. If the reveals are consistent from top to bottom on the sides then the frame is out of square at the top. The low end needs to be raised. Usually a good lick on a block of wood with a hammer will give you clearance.
If the reveals down the sides are not consistent, then the door is most likely not square to the frame. The usual punch out man fix is to use a pair of channel locks and bend the hinge at the pin either in or out to move the door. There is also a company that makes a specialty tool that does the same thing.
But always start with the screws in the hinges- they get stripped out very easily. If they are stripped, use some carpenter’s glue and some golf tees to fill the stripped holes. Once the glue has dried cut off the remainder of the tee, use the hinge as a guide to drill a 1/8” pilot hole, then install screw(s).
The size or the jamb is still the same so you have a larger gap on the hinge side.Replace a hinge screw with a longer 2'' screw to hit the stud to bring the jamb back over 1/16 or so. Also you could remove hinge pin and bend hinge ears on jamb back 1/16 and replace pln while pulling up on knob. use a 6'' cresent wrench to bend ears.Plane is always my last resort short of resetting the jamb.
I'm gonna withdraw my recommendation to shave the door till after you try everything K/B has written.
There will be times, however, when no matter what you try you end up just needing to take a little bit off.
And block planes are not "large" (my most used one is about 8" long) nor "expensive" (the basic Stanley block plane runs $38.50 brand new from Grainger's).
But always start with the screws in the hinges- they get stripped out very easily. If they are stripped, use some carpenter’s glue and some golf tees to fill the stripped holes. Once the glue has dried cut off the remainder of the tee, use the hinge as a guide to drill a 1/8” pilot hole, then install screw(s).
I find it easier and faster to drill the stripped hole to 1/4 inch, then drive an inch or so of 1/4-inch dowel in with plenty of wood glue. (I keep 1/4 inch dowel around more or less for that purpose; stripped or mispositioned screw holes are legion in remodeling.) If the peg has to be driven in, as it often does, you can drill the new pilot hole and go almost immediately, although an hour or two's setting time is recommended.
If you have golf tees, if you have a tool that can cut them off cleanly, if you have overnight to wait for glue... sure.
There will be times, however, when no matter what you try you end up just needing to take a little bit off.
And block planes are not "large" (my most used one is about 8" long) nor "expensive" (the basic Stanley block plane runs $38.50 brand new from Grainger's).
(Note to the OP: we've wrangled this topic recently. Ignore all the fierce glares.)
Forty bucks for a rather specialized woodworking tool, for someone without the requisite experience to set and use it right, is "expensive" in both unnecessary cost and what it will take to repair all the damage caused.
For a DIYer asking such a basic question, I'd say start with tightening the hinge screws, then check for a square fit in the frame to make sure you're solving the right problem, and THEN use a sanding block to take down any high spots that are still rubbing on the jamb. Slow but controllable and likely all that's needed.
I'm embarrassed to say it was simply a matter of tightening the hinge screws. One of those "what the heck was I thinking" types of questions!
Thank you all.
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