Quick Answer: A sticking or non-latching door in Phoenix and the East Valley is usually hinge sag fixed by tightening hinges or replacing the top hinge screw with a 3-inch screw for $65 or less. Toolbox Pro handles it in under an hour, insured and background-checked with 4.9★ rating.
Most doors that won't close have one of three problems. Each needs a different fix. Get the diagnosis wrong and you'll waste time on the wrong solution.
Here's the thing: About 8 out of 10 sticking doors come down to a single loose or stripped screw in the top hinge. Not planing. Not shimming. One screw.
Diagnose Where It's Sticking
Close the door slowly and look at where it first touches the frame:
- Top corner on the latch side, The door is sagging. Top hinge screws are loose or the holes are stripped. This is the most common problem by far.
- Along the top edge, Either the frame is out of square or the door got trimmed at the bottom and sits too high now.
- Bottom edge dragging, Usually hinge sag again. Less common: the door swelled from a leak (rare in Phoenix but happens during monsoon season).
- Latch won't reach the strike plate, The strike plate has moved, or the door has warped.
Fix 1: Tighten and Repair Hinges (Solves 80% of Cases)
Time: 15-30 minutes. Cost: $0-$5.
- Open the door and tighten every hinge screw on both sides. Use a screwdriver, not a drill. A drill over-torques and strips the wood.
- If a screw spins freely, pull it out. Dip two wooden toothpicks in wood glue and push them into the hole. Wait 10 minutes for the glue to dry, snap off the toothpicks flush, then drive the screw back in. Fresh wood grips the screw.
- Still sagging? Replace the short screws in the top hinge (usually 3/4 inch) with one 3-inch screw that goes through the frame and into the wall stud. This single screw pulls the hinge and door upward. It works almost every time.
Fix 2: Adjust the Strike Plate (For Latch Problems)
Time: 15-20 minutes. Cost: $0.
When the latch bolt doesn't line up with the strike plate opening, the fix depends on how far off it is:
- Less than 1/8 inch off, Use a metal file to widen the strike plate opening in the direction the latch needs to go. Five minutes, done.
- More than 1/8 inch off, Unscrew the strike plate, chisel a new mortise, fill the old holes with glued toothpicks, remount the plate, and drive new screws. Takes 15-20 minutes.
Fix 3: Plane the Door (The Last Resort)
Time: 30-45 minutes. Cost: $0 if you own a block plane.
If hinges are tight but the door still binds, the frame may be out of square. This is common in older Phoenix homes that have settled. Shave the binding edge with a block plane:
- Close the door and mark contact spots with a pencil. Open it and plane only the marked area.
- Take thin passes, 1/32 inch each time. Test the fit after every three passes.
- Sand the edge smooth with 120-grit paper, prime, and paint the bare wood to seal it.
Important: Planing is permanent. Plane too much and the door has a gap. Fix the hinges first. Planing is the last option, not the first.
When It's Not the Door
If lots of doors in your home suddenly stick or show gaps at the top, the real culprit could be foundation settling. Look for diagonal cracks coming out of door corners and cracks in the exterior stucco. If you see these, a structural engineer's look ($250-$400) makes sense before you fix each door one by one.
Your door still won't close after a repair? Make sure you fixed the root cause (hinge sag) and not just the symptom (binding edge).
Book a door repair, starting at $65 →
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the quickest door wont close fix?
Replace the top hinge screw with a 3-inch screw that reaches the stud. Hinge sag gets fixed in under 5 minutes.
Why does my door wont close fix only work temporarily?
The problem is probably a shifted frame from foundation settling, not hinge sag. Check the gaps on all four sides they should be even.
Does humidity cause door wont close problems?
Yes. Monsoon season in Arizona swells wooden doors. Plane 1/16 inch off the binding edge and seal the raw wood to stop it from happening again.
