Fix Gap On Latch Side Of Door

Tighten the screws or repair the screw holes.

Fix gap on latch side of door.

Move the hinges down on the door by the width of the gap minus 1 8 inch. The door is probably touching the side jamb at the top of the door leaving no gap at all. 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. Fill in the notches where the hinges were with thin pieces of wood.

To readjust the door frame you have to remove the trim along the latch side to get at the shims. Place a level on the floor and level it. 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.

If you have a large gap at the bottom of your door that may be helping the door to stay plumb. Here are some pictures of the problem. The new door is snug against the frame on all sides except one. If a door binds on the latch side at the top the upper hinge may be loose.

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. The installer should have adjusted the frame with shims to leave about a 1 8 in. Sometimes the gap is far too wide. The side where the lock is.

If the gap on your door exceeds this. How to fix a gap in an outside door. Reducing door gap in a latch side. Measure the width of the gap then remove the door from the jamb and take the hinges off the door.

Gap along the latch side about the thickness of two quarters coins. In this picture notice how the gap is larger on the latch side of the door. If it binds on the latch side at the bottom you may need to fix the bottom hinge screws. The correction for this would be to raise the hinge side left or cut off the latch side right.

This is the amount you need to cut off the high side of the door jamb. If the gap between the door and the jamb is large and consistent the door is mounted too low in the jamb. This job can be a hassle especially if you have painted trim. A binding door may need to be planed but often simpler repairs will solve the problem.

Look to see if the top door hinge on the door. Apply slow but moderate lifting force on the door knob.