Fix Gap On Latch Side Of Door

Sometimes the gap is far too wide.

Fix gap on latch side of door.

Fill in the notches where the hinges were with thin pieces of wood. Be careful not to overdo it and seal the door so that it can t settle with the rest of the house. Open the door approximately 18 inches and stand on the other side of the door so you can see the hinges where they attach to the door jamb. Look to see if the top door hinge on the door.

Reducing door gap in a latch side. Here are some pictures of the problem. If a door binds on the latch side at the top the upper hinge may be loose. If it binds on the latch side at the bottom you may need to fix the bottom hinge screws.

To readjust the door frame you have to remove the trim along the latch side to get at the shims. The correction for this would be to raise the hinge side left or cut off the latch side right. A properly installed door features a 1 8 inch gap along the latch side to allow the door to swing and function correctly. How to fix a gap in an outside door.

If you have gaps around an outside door you could be losing up to 15 percent of the money you spend heating your home by allowing heated air to blow outside. One two three the gap is so big that the latch will not catch in the jamb so when the deadbolt isn t engaged the door won t stay closed. If you have a large gap at the bottom of your door that may be helping the door to stay plumb. As long as the gap is even on an interior door it shouldn t be why a door isn t closing properly.

Apply slow but moderate lifting force on the door knob. The installer should have adjusted the frame with shims to leave about a 1 8 in. Gap along the latch side about the thickness of two quarters coins. This is the amount you need to cut off the high side of the door jamb.

Place a level on the floor and level it. Tighten the screws or repair the screw holes. If the gap between the door and the jamb is large and consistent the door is mounted too low in the jamb. In this picture notice how the gap is larger on the latch side of the door.

The new door is snug against the frame on all sides except one. Measure the width of the gap then remove the door from the jamb and take the hinges off the door. The door is probably touching the side jamb at the top of the door leaving no gap at all. The side where the lock is.

If the gap on your door exceeds this. Measure the gap under the low side of the floor.