A sagging door is a common issue that can happen to any hinged door over time. The weight of the door itself along with repeated opening and closing can cause the hinges to loosen or pull away from the frame, resulting in the door becoming misaligned, rubbing the ground, or not closing properly. Thankfully, fixing a sagging door is usually a straightforward DIY project that can be completed in an hour or two with some basic tools and supplies.

Causes of a Sagging Door

There are a few typical reasons a door starts to sag:

Loose hinges – As a door ages and is used over and over, the screws in the hinges can become loose. This allows movement leading to misalignment.
Warped door or frame – Exposure to moisture or general wear and tear over many years can cause the door or frame to warp slightly and pull out of alignment.
Worn hinge holes – After decades of use, the screw holes holding the hinges to the frame or door can become enlarged, stripped, and unable to hold tightly.
Incorrect hinge placement – If the door hinges were originally positioned unevenly or too far from top and bottom, the door can start sagging due to imbalance.
House settling – In some cases, minor settling of the home’s structure or foundation over many years can throw off door alignment.

Knowing the source of the sagging helps determine the best solution. Inspect the door and frame closely to diagnose before beginning repairs.

How to Fix a Slightly Sagging Door

If the door is only slightly out of alignment with minor cosmetic sagging, the issue is likely just loose hinge screws. Tightening them up is a quick fix:

Materials Needed

Phillips head screwdriver
Tube of wood glue or toothpicks (optional)

Directions

Close the sagging door.
Check each hinge on both the door side and frame side. Insert a screwdriver into every screw and try tightening clockwise.
Open and close the door a few times to test for improvement.
If the sagging persists after tightening screws, you can remove each screw and apply a dab of wood glue or insert a toothpick into the holes before re-driving the screws. This can improve grip.
Allow the glue to fully dry before using the door.

In most minor cases of door sagging, this quick tightening of hinge screws reduces the sag and realigns the door. But for more severe cases, keep reading.

How to Fix a Badly Sagging Door

For doors that are very crooked, dropped at the bottom, or rubbing and scraping the floor, the problem is likely either warped wood or loose hinge holes. The solutions are:

1. Shimming Behind Hinges

If the door and frame are badly misaligned, you can realign them with tapered shims:

What You Need

Thin wedge door shims
Phillips screwdriver
Hammer

Steps

Remove hinge pins and take door off frame. Leave hinges attached to both.
One at a time, hold shim behind each hinge, taper down.
Tap shim gently until snug behind hinge.
Rehang door and check alignment. Add more shims if needed.
Once aligned, secure shims by screwing partially into frame.
Break off protruding sliver of shim with hammer and screwdriver.

The shims act like a ramp to change the hinge positioning and door angle. Add enough to realign and support door.

2. Filling Stripped Hinge Screw Holes

If hinge holes are badly stripped, the screws won’t hold. Fix this by packing the holes before reinstalling screws:

You’ll Need

Toothpicks, wooden matchsticks, or wood dowels
Wood glue, wood filler, or epoxy
Phillips head screwdriver
Drill with same size bit as toothpicks (optional)

How To Do It

Remove loose screws from hinges.
Squirt wood glue into enlarged holes. Jam in toothpicks until tightly packed.
Break off toothpick ends flush with surface.
Allow glue to dry completely.
Drill pilot holes if desired, then re-screw hinges into toothpick-filled holes.

The packed toothpicks will tighten up the holes and provide grip for the screws.

3. Patching Holes and Refastening Hinges

For severely enlarged hinge holes or stripped screw holes:

What You’ll Need

Wood filler epoxy
Toothpicks or wood dowels
Wood glue
Phillips screwdriver
Power drill

Process

Remove all hinge screws. Fill holes fully with wood filler epoxy.
When dry, drill new pilot holes for screws 1 inch from old holes. Make holes slightly smaller than screw diameter.
Reinstall hinges in new holes with wood glue applied. Allow to dry overnight before using door.

This gives fresh wood to bite into for long-lasting repairs.

4. Trim Protruding Door Bottom

If the door is rubbing the floor at the bottom corner:

You’ll Need

Pry bar
Wood chisel
Hammer
Handsaw or jigsaw
Sandpaper
Wood putty (optional)

To Fix:

Remove door from hinges and place horizontally on sawhorses.
Use pry bar to detach bottom corner trim piece from door.
Using chisel and hammer, carefully slice away protruding bottom corner until door sits flat.
Smooth trimmed edge with sandpaper.
Reattach and fill trim if desired with wood putty for aesthetics.

With the protruding corner removed, the door won’t scrape when rehung.

How to Prevent Door Sagging

To avoid sagging issues long-term:

Use heavy duty or ball-bearing hinges designed for heavier use. Upgrade old hinges periodically.
Keep hinge screws tight. Every 6 months, snug up the screws.
Limit direct sun exposure. Position curtains, shades or paint to protect door from sun damage.
Check for level and plumb. Fix any settling issues around the door to keep frame square.
Keep door tightly sealed against weatherstripping to prevent warping from moisture.
Lubricate hinges with silicone spray or light oil twice a year.

Proper installation and regular maintenance keeps doors hanging straight for decades. Act preemptively to avoid having to repair a sagging door.

How to Fix a Sagging Door FAQ

Still have some lingering questions on dealing with a sagging door? Here are answers to some frequently asked questions:

Why does my door sag over time?

Doors can start to sag due to natural causes like shrinking wood, small shifts in the home’s structure, loosening of hinge screws, and general wear and tear over many years of use. It happens gradually.

Can I just replace the sagging door?

You can replace the whole door, but that’s often unnecessary. In many cases, the original door itself is fine – it just needs some adjustments and maintenance to realign and stop the sagging.

Should I replace old hinges on a sagging door?

If your hinges are damaged or completely worn out, then replacement makes sense. But often just tightening up or shimming behind old original hinges is enough to realign the door.

How do I adjust hinges to fix sag?

If screws are loose, tighten them. If door needs realigning, use tapered shims inserted behind hinges to change position. Or fill worn holes before re-screwing hinges.

How do you fix a warped door that sags?

For minor warping, shimming hinges and trimming protruding sections can help. Severely warped doors may need replacement. Ensure new door is properly sealed and painted.

Why is my door not closing properly?

If a door fails to latch or doesn’t close flush, the likely culprit is sagging hinges causing misalignment. Tightening screws and rehanging with shims can fix this.

How much does it cost to fix a sagging door?

If you DIY, costs are under $20 for supplies like shims, glue, screws, sandpaper, etc. Hiring a carpenter ranges $90-$250 depending on location and repairs needed.

How do I stop my door from sagging again?

Use heavy duty ball-bearing hinges, keep hinge screws tight, limit sun exposure, lubricate hinges, fix any settling issues, and ensure weatherstripping seals tightly to prevent future sagging.

Conclusion

Fixing a sagging door is an inexpensive DIY project that usually requires just basic tools and supplies. In an hour or two, you can tighten loose hinges, reposition with shims, fill worn holes, or trim protruding sections to realign the door and stop that annoying drag and scrape on the floor. Act promptly when sagging begins to prevent more severe warping or deterioration. And take preventative steps like sealing the door edges and maintaining the hinges to keep your doors hanging straight for many years to come.

How to Fix a Sagging Door

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How to Fix a Sagging Door

A sagging door is a very common issue that can happen to any hinged door over time. The repeated opening and closing, along with the weight of the door itself, can cause the hinges to loosen or even pull away from the door frame. This results in a door that is crooked, misaligned, dragging on the floor, or just not closing properly anymore. Thankfully, fixing a sagging door is usually a pretty straightforward DIY project. With some basic tools and supplies, you can have it done in just an hour or two.

What Causes Doors to Start Sagging?

There are a few main reasons that doors start to sag over the years:

Loose Hinges – As the door is used over and over, the screws in the hinges can slowly become loose. This allows increased movement of the door, which leads to it getting out of proper alignment.
Warping – Exposure to moisture or simple wear and tear over many decades can cause the wooden door itself or even the door frame to warp slightly. This distortion pulls the door out of square.
Enlarged Screw Holes – After many years of use, the screw holes that hold the hinges in place can become stripped out and enlarged. This prevents the screws from gripping tightly.
Improper Hinge Positioning – If the door’s hinges were originally placed unevenly or too far from the top/bottom edges, it can lead to imbalance and cause sagging.
Settling Foundation – In some cases, minor settling in the home’s structure over many years can throw the door frame out of plumb, resulting in a sagging door.

Figuring out what is causing your door to sag will help determine the best solution to fix it. Carefully inspect the door and frame to diagnose the problem before starting repairs.

How to Fix a Door with Minor Sagging

If your door is just slightly out of alignment and has a minor cosmetic sag, the issue is likely just loose hinge screws that need tightening. Tightening them up is a quick and easy fix:

What You’ll Need

Phillips head screwdriver
Wood glue or toothpicks (optional)

Steps to Tighten the Hinges

Close the sagging door to access hinges.
Check each hinge on both the door side and frame side.
Insert your screwdriver into each screw and tighten them clockwise.
Open and close the door several times to test for improvement.
If the sagging persists after tightening screws, remove them and apply wood glue or insert toothpicks into the holes before re-driving the screws. This can improve grip.
Allow glue or epoxy to fully dry before using the door again.

In most minor cases of a door sagging just a bit, taking the time to snug up all the hinge screws reduces or eliminates the sagging problem completely. But for more severe cases of door sagging, further repairs are needed.

Fixing a Severely Sagging Door

For doors that are very crooked, dropped at the bottom, or even rubbing and scraping the floor, the likely culprits are warped wood or loose and enlarged hinge screw holes. There are several effective solutions:

1. Using Shims to Realign the Door

If the door and frame are badly misaligned, you can realign them with tapered shims:

What You’ll Need

Thin door shims made for hinges
Phillips head screwdriver
Hammer

How to Shim a Door

Remove hinge pins and take the door off the frame. Leave hinges attached to both door and frame.
One at a time, position a shim behind each hinge, tapered side down.
Use hammer to gently tap shim until snug behind hinge. Check door alignment.
Continue adding shims until door is realigned and level.
Secure shims by partially screwing them into frame.
Break off protruding splinters from shims with hammer and screwdriver.

The shims act like a ramp to adjust the hinge angle and door position. Add enough to support and straighten the door.

2. Filling Stripped Hinge Screw Holes

If the hinge holes are badly stripped out causing loose screws, you can pack the holes before reinstalling screws:

What You’ll Need

Toothpicks, wooden matchsticks, or thin dowels
Wood glue, wood filler, or epoxy
Phillips head screwdriver
Power drill with bit matching toothpicks (optional)

How to Fill Stripped Holes

Remove any loose screws from hinges.
Squirt wood glue, filler, or epoxy into the enlarged holes.
Pack toothpicks tightly into each hole.
Break off toothpick ends flush with the surface when dry.
Drill pilot holes if desired before screwing hinges back into the packed holes.

The toothpicks fill the space in the holes and provide fresh wood for the screws to grab onto.

3. Patching Severely Damaged Hinge Holes

For totally enlarged or stripped out hinge screw holes, a stronger fix is needed:

What You’ll Need

Wood filler epoxy
Toothpicks or thin wood dowels
Wood glue
Phillips screwdriver
Power drill with drill bits

How to Patch Badly Damaged Holes

Remove all hinge screws. Fill the damaged holes fully with wood filler epoxy.
Once fully dry, drill new pilot holes for the screws about 1 inch from the original holes. Make holes slightly smaller than screws.
Reinstall hinges using these new holes. Apply wood glue to holes before driving screws.
Allow to dry overnight before using door.

Drilling new holes gives properly sized and positioned holes for long-lasting repairs.

4. Trimming Protruding Bottom Corners

If the door’s bottom corner is hitting the floor when closed:

What You’ll Need

Pry bar
Wood chisel
Hammer
Handsaw or jigsaw
Sandpaper
Wood putty (optional)

How to Trim the Bottom

Remove the door from its hinges and place horizontally onto sawhorses or blocks.
Use a pry bar to detach the bottom corner trim piece from the door.
Carefully slice away the protruding bottom corner using a chisel and hammer until the door bottom sits flat.
Smooth the trimmed edge with sandpaper.
Reattach trim piece with wood putty if needed for appearance.

With the bottom corner removed, the door won’t scrape the floor when rehung.

Preventing Door Sagging Long-Term

To avoid sagging issues down the road:

Use heavy duty ball-bearing hinges designed for heavier use. Upgrade old hinges periodically.
Keep hinge screws tight. Snug them up every 6 months.
Limit direct sunlight exposure which can damage doors. Install curtains/shades.
Check for any settling issues and fix to keep the frame plumb and square.
Ensure weatherstripping seals tightly against door edge to prevent moisture damage.
Lubricate hinges twice per year with silicone spray or light oil.

Proper installation and regular maintenance keeps doors hanging straight for decades. Act preemptively to avoid sag repairs down the road.

Frequently Asked Questions About Fixing Sagging Doors

Still have some lingering questions about dealing with a sagging door? Here are answers to some commonly asked questions:

What causes doors to start sagging over time?

Doors sag due to natural causes like shrinking and warping wood, small shifts in the home’s structure, loosening screws, and general wear after years of use. It happens very gradually.

Should I just replace the whole sagging door?

You can replace the entire door, but that is often unnecessary. In many cases, the original door just needs maintenance and realignment to fix the sag, not replacement.

Is it OK to replace old hinges on a sagging door?

If your hinges are very worn out or damaged, replacement