Doors are an essential component of your home, providing privacy, security, and comfort. However, doors can become misaligned, causing issues such as rubbing, sticking, or opening and closing on their own, which can be frustrating and inconvenient. The good news is that you can easily adjust your door hinges to fix these issues and restore the functionality of your doors. In this article, we will explain different methods for adjusting your door hinges.

When to Adjust Your Door Hinges

There are several reasons you need to adjust a door in your home. Over time doors can shift and not close properly. Sometimes doors can rub, hang crookedly, and even open or close independently. It may be time to adjust the hinges if you have a door with any of these issues.

How to Adjust Door Hinges

There are a few different ways you can adjust the hinges of a door. It can depend on the issue and the severity of the issue. The following section explains each method step by step.

Tightening the Hinges

Is the top corner of your door catching on the door frame? To fix this, try tightening the screws on the hinges. Tighten each screw as much as possible. See if this keeps the door from catching.

Try Bending the Hinges

Another way to adjust door hinges is by bending them. This fix is suitable for a door that is hanging against the knob side. First, place a nail set between the top of the hinge pin and the top knuckle.

Use your hammer to push the pin about 2/3rd of the way up and out. With your wrench, bend the knuckles of the hinge toward the door. Then, drive the pin back down into place.

Replace the Center Screw

This is a simple method for fixing a gap across from the top hinge. With your screwdriver or drill, remove the middle screw from the top hinge. Replace it with a larger, 3-inch screw. Once done, you should be able to see that the gap has closed up.

Move the Hinge

Sometimes, the whole hinge must be adjusted to make a door functional. Use your screwdriver or drill to remove all of the screws from the hinge. Remove the hinge. Plug the holes with wood plugs. Move the hinge up, down, left, or right as needed. Mark the places for the new holes, then drill the new holes. Place the hinge in the new position.

Make the Mortise Larger

Trimming the mortise to make it larger is another way to adjust a hinge. If your door is rubbing on the frame, you may need to make the mortise larger. This makes the door hang correctly. First, you will remove the plate.

Then, use a pencil to trace the impression left by the plate. Cut along the tracing, making the mortise larger. Make sure the plate will sit flat. Use a chisel to remove extra wood to ensure the plate can sit flat. Replace the hinge plate.

How to Adjust a Door Hinge in Your Home

If you have a door that hangs unevenly, rubs against the frame, won’t close easily, or opens on its own, you may need to adjust the hinges. Hopefully, you found the methods listed here helpful. Just follow the steps laid out here and you should be able to adjust your hinges on your own.

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