Why doors start catching
The two most common triggers are new flooring and seasonal swelling. A thicker carpet, underlay or a new laminate floor raises the floor level, and the bottom of the door starts to drag. In damp spells, timber absorbs moisture and swells, so a door that was fine in summer binds against the frame by winter.
Loose hinges, a dropped door and years of paint build-up along the edges can cause similar symptoms. Our guide to a door that sticks or won't close helps you narrow down the cause before booking.
Trimming a door after new flooring
Trimming means taking the door off, planing or cutting a measured amount from the bottom edge and rehanging it so it clears the new floor with an even gap. The amount removed is kept as small as possible, and the freshly cut edge is sealed so it does not soak up moisture.
It is worth having doors trimmed soon after the flooring goes down, since a dragging door scuffs new carpet and laminate within weeks.
Easing a swollen or binding door
Easing is about freeing a door that catches on the frame rather than the floor. The hinges are checked and tightened first, because a slightly dropped door often needs nothing more. Where the timber itself has swollen, the binding edge is planed back carefully, taking off a little at a time so the door does not end up rattling loose once it dries out.
If the latch no longer lines up with the keep, the keep plate is adjusted or moved so the door closes and stays shut without a slam.
Latches, keeps and hinges
A door that swings open on its own or needs a shove to latch usually has a keep plate in the wrong place, worn hinges or a latch that has given up. These are small fixes that make a big difference to how a house feels to live in, and they are often worth doing in the same visit as trimming or easing.
When a door needs more than easing
Sometimes the frame is out of square, the hinges are worn out, or the door has dropped beyond what planing will fix. In those cases rehanging the door, replacing the hinges or fitting a new door into the existing lining is the better answer, which our internal doors page covers.
Finishing the edges
Any planed edge is left smooth and can be primed and painted to match the rest of the door through our painting and decorating service, so bare timber is not left exposed. To arrange a visit, ask for a free quote or call 07735 852901.