Solving general door problems

A well-fitted door should not give any problems but the usual defect is likely to be the door binding against the frame and perhaps failing to shut properly.

Possible causes is a build-up of paint on the door and frame surfaces after years of re-painting, expansion due to atmospheric conditions and hinge faults caused either by wear and tear or bad fitting.

If the problem is due to bad paint build up, strip off the old paint from the door edge back to bare wood and repaint from scratch.

With atmospheric conditions, the solution is to plane down the edges slightly to increase the clearance between door and frame.  The door will have to be fully removed from its hinges unless it is the leading edge that is only binding.

Hinge faults can cause binding screws to protrude or work loose and is caused by hinge recesses being cut too deep or too shallow.  The slots in the screw heads should be cleaned first with paint remover before trying to remove the screws.  Position the screwdriver in the slot and give the handle a sharp blow with a hammer in order to free the grip of the threads in the wood.