Sagging Door

11 years ago

We have an entry door leading to the back porch that is having some problems. It has a large gap between the top of the door away from the hinges, a consistent reasonable gap between the door and jamb along the entire height on the knob side, and it is hitting the jamb at the bottom away from the hinges.

So it seems to me like the door itself is becoming out of square.

Anyone have any other diagnosis or a way to fix it>

Thank!

Comments (7)

tetwin11
Original Author
11 years ago
Picture of the top of the door
tetwin11
Original Author
11 years ago
And the bottom
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User
11 years ago
Inspect the top hinge. There are probably loose screws, allowing the top of the door to tilt.

Take out one screw in the top hinge on the side with the loose screws and replace it with another screw that is longer by 1". In your picture, I would predrill for the new screw, using a 1/8" drill bit to prevent any cracking/splitting of the wood.

There could be loose screws on both sides of the hinge. If so, do the same to the other side.

If that fixes the problem, go ahead and replace at least two screws(4 for both sides) to better support the door load.
brickeyee
11 years ago
The screws commonly supied with hings are woefully inadequate for the weight of most doors.

Especially exterior doors.

The screws need to be INCHES long to reach past the jamb and into the studs.

NOT the less than one inch screws ta barely make it through the jamb.

If you use brass screws, be sure to run a steel screw in first to almost full depth (1/8 to 1/16 short)) to avoid breaking off the much softer brass screws in a new hole.

When I purchase a box of brass screws I ALWAYS purchase a couple steel screws of the same size (preferably with a Philips, Roberts, or other slot style) and throw them in the box.
homebound
11 years ago
It appears that those hinges are attached to an adjacent fixed door, not a jamb.
hendricus
11 years ago
Get a large square ( 16" x 24") to see if it is the door or hinges. I had a wood exterior door with half glass that sagged out of square. Fixed it with diagonal bracing on the bottom half, something that you cannot do with full glass.
brickeyee
11 years ago
"It appears that those hinges are attached to an adjacent fixed door, not a jamb."

That does not matter for the screw length.

If the screws are the typical less than one inch they are inadequate.