Sticking doors can be annoying. The sticking sometimes occurs because the screws, being too smaller put in incorrectly, become overstressed and partly pull out of the timber. It can also be caused bay build-up of paint narrowing the necessary gap between the door and the frame (the jamb). Another possibility is that moisture is getting into the door and making it swell. The solutions to all three problems are easy.

Loose Screws
To establish if this is the problem open the door 100 mm and, using your arms, pull and push it towards the hinges. If there is movement then the screws are loose in either the door or the jamb. A telltale signs cracked paint around the hinge. To fix loose screws see Refasten-in Loose Hinges or Catches.

A Swelling Door
Keep an eye on whether the door sticks in humid weather or when the room is subjected to a lot of steam. If so, this means that moisture is getting into the timber through the joints or unpainted surfaces and causing it to swell. Not only does this cause sticking but long term it can lead to rotting. It may also cause the door to come apart

Removing Built-up Paint
The solution to this problem depends on the thickness of the build-up and the area of contact between the door and the jamb. If the whole edge of the door is sticking badly you may have to get in a carpenter to plane the door unless you have a plane and know how to use it (see Hand Tools and later in this topic). For small areas the following pro-cadre is suitable.

TOOLS AND MATERIALS

Screwdriver, cork block, pencil and rule; sandpaper (both rough and fine) and suitable paint.

SANDING PROCEDURE

1. Check where it’s sticking.1 When you are finished there should be an even 2 mm gap tallow for clearance after repaint-in. Using a pencil, mark howmuch of the sticking area youneed to sand off. Remove the door if it’s binding on the hinge side or on the bottom, otherwise sand it in position.

2. Using the rough sandpaper And the block, heavily sand the offending area. Make sure you keep the block flat and slightly angled towards the back of the door (the surface that fits in the rebate). Finish it off with the fine sandpaper. Then use the sandpaper to take the sharp edge off the corners. This is calledarrissing and is done to stop splintering and to give the door an eat finish.
3. Screw the door back on (if necessary) and check the gap for evenness and size. Sand fur-there if required, prime and repaint the door.

PLANING PROCEDURE

1.If the whole edge is sticking1 and you have a plane, mark the 2-3 mm clearance, take the door out of the frame (either be taking out all the screws from the jamb or, if the hinge has a loose pin, driving the pin up with hammer and a 75 mm nail).

2. Next set the plane iron. This involves firstly using the depth adjustment knob to win the sharp blade (see Hand Tools for parts) out say 0.5 to 0.75 mmbeyond the sole (bottom) of the plane. Next, hold the plane up towards the light and, using the lateral adjusting lever; make the blade parallel with the sole.

3.Get a friend to hold the door or push it into the corner of room. If you’re planning on the lock side you will have to remove the lock.

When planning, start with the weight on the front of the plane. As you come off the timber, transfer the weight to the back. This will ensure the timber stays straight. If it’s too hard to push, wind the blade back in. If lines appear on the timber, the blade is digging in on one side. Check it again for parallel.
If the wood is tearing you maybe planning against the grain. Trepanning from the opposite direction. If it tears from both directions, it has ‘cranky’ grain. Plane the way it tears the least.

4.Make sure you slightly undercut the edge towards the back of the door. Arras the corners to get rid of sharp edges. Then screw the door back in the jamb, check the clearance, and repaint all bare surfaces.

Related posts:

1. French Doors vs. Sliding Doors

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 17th, 2008 at 12:40 pm and is filed under Doors. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.