New Door will not line up with Striker Plate

[Jsf721]

My in-Laws house was recently extensivley renovated after a hurricane flood.

My wife when by today to keep an eye on things as my in-laws are away for a few weeks.

She opened the door by could not close it. This is the door between the garage and the house.

My guess is the change in weather had something to do with this. If this is a small fix I don't mind handking it.

Any ideas on what the best route to go in fixing. My best guess without seeing it based on the wifes discription in that the strike plate is not lined up and perhaps a file will do it. If not remove the strike plate and lower/raise it?

When it gets warm will I have the opposite issue again?

It is more of a pain to call the contractor in to fix this small job than to do it myself if possible.

Thanks.......

 

[Falcon67]

Wood frame houses like to move around a lot - especially if it happens to be pier and beam construction. Put a piece of masking tape about 12" long across the strike(s) and operate the door. That should give you an indication of how far off and what you might have to do with the strike plate to get them talking to each other again. Moisture levels in new construction make a difference. And yea, when it dries out later it could go back the other way. Our old house moved a lot - I had a couple of strike plates that were seriously ported and relieved using my carbide head porting tools.

 

[Lambo nut]

Dremel tool and carbide cutter for the win!

Kevin

 

[Toolfool]

Your problem might be that the hinge side of the door is not properly secured and the door is sagging. If so, it will continue to sag more with time. standing on the hinge side of the door, with the door closed, check the space between the top of the door and the top jamb to see if it's even all the way across. If it is, then your strike plate needs attention. If it's not even, then your hinge side needs the attention.
(old LIer here)

 

[larry_g]

Your problem might be that the hinge side of the door is not properly secured and the door is sagging. If so, it will continue to sag more with time. standing on the hinge side of the door, with the door closed, check the space between the top of the door and the top jamb to see if it's even all the way across. If it is, then your strike plate needs attention. If it's not even, then your hinge side needs the attention.
(old LIer here)

I concur with the above. Figure out what has changed, assuming that it once worked correctly, and then fix that. In my new house it took re-shimming one door to get it plumb again. I also replaced the short hinge screws that only went into the jamb with ones that would reach into the rough framing. If you just keep opening or moving the striker plate you may soon find the door rubbing on the jamb and sticking.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[kd3pc]

I would see if it has an adjustable threshold......my new construction house does, and it has been a pain in the tush all year. The "wood" absorbed most of the adhesive on the protective plastic strip put on at the factory, so that had to be removed, then the adjustment and getting it tight enough to work yet loose enough to close/open the door.

 

[JakeKohl]

I spent 30 minutes trying to fix (what I thought was) a similar problem...turns out the door knob had worn out. Make sure the that the spring action of the latch and the little 1/2 round piece adjacent to it (I have no idea what it's called) can move independently ... if you can't push the 1/2 round piece in without moving the latch, you need to lubricate the latch assembly.

 

[Jsf721]

Guys,

Thanks alot for the ideas and tools required. I have a quick question, before I run out to pick up a dremil, what is the possibility of getting a but to use in the drill to do the same work? if so, whats it called?

I just picked up a M18 Hammerdrill and i would like to use it if possible. If not, I will pick up a dremil.

Wood frame houses like to move around a lot - especially if it happens to be pier and beam construction. Put a piece of masking tape about 12" long across the strike(s) and operate the door. That should give you an indication of how far off and what you might have to do with the strike plate to get them talking to each other again. Moisture levels in new construction make a difference. And yea, when it dries out later it could go back the other way. Our old house moved a lot - I had a couple of strike plates that were seriously ported and relieved using my carbide head porting tools.

Dremel tool and carbide cutter for the win!

Kevin

Your problem might be that the hinge side of the door is not properly secured and the door is sagging. If so, it will continue to sag more with time. standing on the hinge side of the door, with the door closed, check the space between the top of the door and the top jamb to see if it's even all the way across. If it is, then your strike plate needs attention. If it's not even, then your hinge side needs the attention.
(old LIer here)

I concur with the above. Figure out what has changed, assuming that it once worked correctly, and then fix that. In my new house it took re-shimming one door to get it plumb again. I also replaced the short hinge screws that only went into the jamb with ones that would reach into the rough framing. If you just keep opening or moving the striker plate you may soon find the door rubbing on the jamb and sticking.

lg
no neat sig line

I would see if it has an adjustable threshold......my new construction house does, and it has been a pain in the tush all year. The "wood" absorbed most of the adhesive on the protective plastic strip put on at the factory, so that had to be removed, then the adjustment and getting it tight enough to work yet loose enough to close/open the door.

I spent 30 minutes trying to fix (what I thought was) a similar problem...turns out the door knob had worn out. Make sure the that the spring action of the latch and the little 1/2 round piece adjacent to it (I have no idea what it's called) can move independently ... if you can't push the 1/2 round piece in without moving the latch, you need to lubricate the latch assembly.

 

[APEowner]

Using dremel cutters in a drill a an exercise in frustration. A dremel turns at a significantly higher RPM.

 

[Jsf721]

OK, I dont mind adding a tool that will make life easier and get a job done.

I just don't buy them berfore I need them.

Using dremel cutters in a drill a an exercise in frustration. A dremel turns at a significantly higher RPM.

 

[rharman]

Either a Dremel or a file will do the trick (usually).

But, as others have said, check to see if the door has sagged. I've had to shim one door a couple of times. Made spacers out of a cut-up milk jug to put under the hinges to shim it back square.

Google is your friend:
https://www.google.com/#q=shimming+door+hinges

Commercial products are also available:
http://www.ezshim.com/products/hingeshim/

 

[Falcon67]

Your problem might be that the hinge side of the door is not properly secured and the door is sagging. If so, it will continue to sag more with time. standing on the hinge side of the door, with the door closed, check the space between the top of the door and the top jamb to see if it's even all the way across. If it is, then your strike plate needs attention. If it's not even, then your hinge side needs the attention.
(old LIer here)

Excellent - concur. I would (and have - in the current front door) get some 3" deck screws and replace two in the top hinge and two in the middle hinge. They should bite into the framing behind the door casing. That may well pull the door into line. I'd do that first before porting the strike.

 

[Toolfool]

Jsf721, did you check the door for sag as I stated? If the hinge side is your problem, filing out the strike will only be a temporary fix, as the door will most likely sag more until it begins to bind against the jamb. Listen to a professional.

 

[lmalcomb]

Dremel tool and carbide cutter for the win!

Kevin[/QUOTE
What He said.

 

[Jsf721]

Thanks guys. I looked at the door and I can see from where the paint ius rubbing off that the area on top of the upper hinge needs to be planed down. Lifting up on the door gets it to latch.

I though doors swelled in the summer and shrunk in the winter? Perhaps becasue it is anew door? I will remove and plane some material off the door and see how that works.

Thnks for the suggestions.

Either a Dremel or a file will do the trick (usually).

But, as others have said, check to see if the door has sagged. I've had to shim one door a couple of times. Made spacers out of a cut-up milk jug to put under the hinges to shim it back square.

Google is your friend:
https://www.google.com/#q=shimming+door+hinges

Commercial products are also available:
http://www.ezshim.com/products/hingeshim/

Excellent - concur. I would (and have - in the current front door) get some 3" deck screws and replace two in the top hinge and two in the middle hinge. They should bite into the framing behind the door casing. That may well pull the door into line. I'd do that first before porting the strike.

Jsf721, did you check the door for sag as I stated? If the hinge side is your problem, filing out the strike will only be a temporary fix, as the door will most likely sag more until it begins to bind against the jamb. Listen to a professional.

Dremel tool and carbide cutter for the win!

Kevin[/QUOTE
What He said.

 

[CNGsaves]

Make sure the top & middle hinge has plenty long screws (like 3") that go all the way into all framing.

Old trick of using wooden match sticks and glue to fill up sloppy holes comes in handy.

Finally, kid's sidewalk chalk rubbed on door so it transfers to frame is easy way to find out where door is dragging, so you'll know where to plane or sand.

 

[Jagmandave]

For older houses like mine where things have settled severely, they make a strike plate with a longer hole, leave the top part alone, and just relocate the lower screw and elongate the hole to match the new striker.

I just had to do this yesterday to my front door, come warm weather it shut fine, but when it gets cold it no longer lined up.

You can get them at any hardware or Home Depot store.

 

[signcrafter]

Before you shave the door did you check to make sure the frame is plumb and square? If the door is installed correctly then there really is no need to shave doors down. If this was a pre hung door then there is zero reason to shave it down. If it's rubbing it's because there is a problem somewhere that you need to fix.

Pre hung doors are made to fit the jamb and if you shave them down instead of fixing the real issue it can cause more problems or have gaps in other places. Take a 6' level and a 2' level and check the hinge side jamb and the strike side jamb and the top. Either one of the side jambs are off or the frame is racked. I used to try and "fix" doors by shaving or shimming the hinges to get them to fit right. But 9 times out of 10 it's not the actual door or hinges or strike plate, it's the jamb that is not plumb or level and needs to be fixed in order to fix this right.

 

[Zeke]

Look up "adjusting **** hinges with shims" before planing. I like to use thin strips that will cant the hinge leaf to where I want it. A rat tail file will probably do the strike in place. It's usually only a small fraction.

 

[Plump]

They do make a jig with all the tools to change the lock and mortise the hinges. It only cost around $25 I believe and I've done two doors so far with perfect results. No router required, just a drill:


Irwin Industrial Tools 3111001 Carbon Door Lock Installation Kit

 

[Zeke]

They do make a jig with all the tools to change the lock and mortise the hinges. It only cost around $25 I believe and I've done two doors so far with perfect results. No router required, just a drill:


Irwin Industrial Tools 3111001 Carbon Door Lock Installation Kit

$14.97 Amazon Prime. That thing is pretty amazing for the price. When I hang a door there's about $1200 worth of tools on the ground around me. Just the lock jig alone was over 200.