How To Fix A Door That Won't Latch

[@lsatenstein]

Scott, Grandpa here. I watched as you did a very good job to adjust the door angle. Sometimes though, brick is on the far side of the hinge, which means, longer screws wont work. Most door frames are from soft pine, and that is why the screw for the hinge failed. I always carry a few toothpicks (flat type). With a touch of white wood glue, I jam two or three toothpicks into the screw hole and just restore the screw.

[@johnowens4334]

Agree with that gramps!! Also tell him just to tap those hinges back in line and drop the pin in. Enough with the washers and those extra steps

[@marksarovich5534]

My father taught me the toothpick method...And a cheap set of die grinders will beat the file any day.

[@mayorart1]

Yup, me too. I also add a drop of woodworker's glue to help further hold it together.

[@robsteele2427]

Drill out the hole to accept a wood dowel of the next size up. Put wood glue in, tap the dowel in, cut flush. Wait for the glue to set, then reinstall the hinge. Good as new.

[@notsofast5495]

Exactly how my dad taught me to move hinges and fill holes

[@AAA-nq6bo]

I had a 38 year career as a locksmith at a university that had well over 20000 doors and over those years I had thousands of calls for doors not latching especially at dorm room doors. Great video and I did the exact same process diagnosing and repairing the doors at our university over the years! There is one more tool called changing the swag of the hinge and you can use a tool called the hinge doctor to do this. Great video!

[@ShaneRoberts-v4i]

Wow , 38 years and over 20.000 doors!! That's a lotta doors !! Bet your favourite band isn't the " DOORS !" LOL

[@sg8345]

Big deal. I had a 74 year career as a locksmith at a university that had well over 500,000 doors

[@ShaneRoberts-v4i]

@@sg8345 let me guess,the university was JUST doors ?

[@BlkFireHawk427]

if you are still in that career in repair, there is another common issue I'm sure you have seen where when the door latch or dead bolt screws have stripped out the wood and just spin. There is a new hardware solution that sits inside the door along the latch that is threaded, called Resecure Latch. They have a channel here that shows how it works. Its a awesome handyman/DYI product that is a permeant solution.

[@LandonRoy-cv9rt]

I, as a finishing carpenter do not approve of this video and the fact that you do as a locksmith raises questions regarding your qualifications & experience. DIY videos like this keep the calls rolling in, which results replacing the unit opposed to a simple service call.

[@roisinsmith8811]

Was about to start messing about with the latch itself before seeing this vid. Tightened the hinges and straight away the door closes. Genius. Thank you so much!

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Hey Roisin, yeah that is the most common fix by far. Glad it was an easy fix for ya 👍

[@changclifton786]

I am a professional Locksmith and your fix is the first one I try, before adjusting the hinge knuckles, shimming the lower hinge, and lastly, realigning the strike plate! All in that order! I am sending your video to my Aunt who is thousands of miles away! Good job!

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Thanks appreciate the kind words and glad the video helped.

[@paulmullins3353]

Hinge bending: kzbin.info/www/bejne/amnJd6eBiayHe9k

[@garcand]

This whole time my door latch and the latch plate were misaligned. So I took the plate off, raised it a cm and drilled another hole. Thanks for the video

[@joelynch1059]

Dude! You are the man! I just tightened my hinges ever so slightly and it fixed it!! Like 2 or three screws 1/8 of a turn!! Thanks a million!!!

[@sarahcherry9460]

Thanks so much! with your video I was able fix my non-latching door in 5 minutes! Just needed to tighten the hinges. That door has been irritating me for years - who knew it was so easy to fix!

[@soonernima]

Great job on Video....Instead of washers i used cardboard. Traced the plate, and cut 3 forms. Layered them and taped them to plate, inserted screws and then attached to wall. Worked like a charm.

[@johnsullivan937]

KZbin never fails to help me do things I never knew how to do. My bedroom door has been unable to latch for probably 10 years, It was so frustrating how it would only latch shut if I shoved some clothes underneath it. My cats would constantly push it open at night. I ended up instead of using the file with the bracket in the frame, I just took the bracket out so I could use the full length of the file. Made the job 10x easier.

[@mrmatt7210]

A simple fix if your ok with your current door gaps. Regarding the problem seen in this video there is an option to fix the door which wasnt mentioned. Remove the striker plate and insert an appropriately sized wooden dowel rod (or wooden golf tee) with wood glue into the screw holes. Once the glue has been given time to cure, replace your striker at a lower position and reattach it with your choice of screws. You may still need to file the striker/wood should there be a large offset, but this tip will limit such to a minimal amount.

[@Troy_Built]

That's what I was expecting him to finish with. I was watching to see the cosmetic fix for the space left when the latch plate was moved.

[@BlackopsSOG1]

thats what i was thinking he basically moved the entire door when he coulda just moved the latch unless he didnt want to wait for a couple things to dry

[@2ddw]

My doors that are out of whack like this never seem to have enough reveal to kick out the bottom even a 1/16" . It's like the door is not latching and the reveal is even all over. Sometimes I've wondered whether the finish carpenter was sleeping when they drilled out the latch hole.

[@penelopelgoss2520]

Agree, done that 👍

[@gaexavier2644]

Just move the latch plate up or down. I just fixed mine after watching Bill (second video on this same issue). This fix is way overkill! Reminds me of a handyman who wants to milk it for more money.

[@Coda6766]

I know that you posted this a while ago but I was going crazy for 20 minutes trying to fix the latch plate. Your video helped me finally fix the latch. It was the hinges. Thank you.

[@skygh]

Good concepts. Door specialist for the last 25 years I've always tried to get 1/8 inch gap on all sides of door ideally. I use pasteboard instead of washers to shim hinges placing strips carefully to tilt the hinge as needed. A 1/4" strip near the door stop shrinks the gap and vice versa. Remove the strike from the door to allow for longer file strokes. They screw right back on. I use rotary carbide burrs to grind them but I have to do this regularly. Good info bro

[@ChrisPBacone]

Depends the framer if installed centererd

[@sethburkhart1021]

Hi! I know this is an old comment, but I can’t find where to buy board, or what is a more common or modern word for what you mean. Home Depot sells hardboard. Is that what it might also be called? Thanks for your great comment!

[@KaylaMoonx4]

@@sethburkhart1021pasteboard otherwise known as a cereal box.

[@davidgray3716]

I used the washer method on a heavy door from our garage. I installed longer screws as well. Thank you for your concise description. Excellent

[@georgeschroeder3026]

I have done many doors over the years yet, you taught me an excellent trick with your shim/washer trick at the end of your video. Very well done! I only wish that I knew of this in my earlier years (now 72) lol. Thank you, it is never too late to learn something new. Excellent presentation!

[@POPPASHANGO]

I lived in an older home and had some doors misaligned. Tightening the screws is definitely a fix a good number of times. If I could add that if you find a stripped screw and you don't have a longer one on hand, you can jam as many toothpicks necessary to fill the hole right through the plate and the snap them off at the same time. The original screw will go back in tight and hold you can add the longer screw later if you want. I also invested in something called a Hinge Tweaker. It helps alot.

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Nice, I have seen the modified crescent wrenches made for the hinges but haven't pulled the trigger just yet. Definitely looks handy.

[@markme4]

The tooth picks also remove any random particles of food stuck deep inside your door

[@axjohn]

I keep the bamboo chopsticks from Chinese food orders just for this purpose. Push in the hole them break off. They work GREAT.

[@mikecassie3523]

@@axjohn golf tees work too

[@michaellacaria910]

@@axjohn bamboo sticks (dollar store for skewers) swell nicely with glue

[@annarouly2144]

I go down to the big box store and buy one of those extra long strike plates (about 3" long). The extra length puts the screw holes away from the original screw holes. With a wood chisel I quickly chisel out where the new plate will have to sit. Then with a Dremel I grind out the wood in the latch hole and I am done. Got to love a Dremel. I do not know how you get through life without one. Big Box store also has a strike plate with an extra long hole for the latch. I put one of those on the porch screen door. It is very humid in my area. The humidity causes that screen door to lift then sag then lift, sag, etc. That plate with the extra long latch hole gives the latch room to move. All I have to do is grind the latch hole, in the jam, to fit the hole on the plate. Now any time of the year the porch screen door stays latched. In my area it is always the humidity that messes with the doors.

[@eostrike]

I had several of these issues over the years. Easiest and quickest fix for me was to move the strike plates down. Thanks for sharing this for people that like to DIY.

[@danmoore3300]

If the door is sagging, swap the top and bottom hinges or replace them. It worked well for me.

[@richopper6391]

If the striker plate needs to slide up or down 1/16 or 1/8 inch, moving it will not work because the screw holes do not line up and if you plan on making new holes, that doesn't work because you'll just make a larger screw hole

[@eostrike]

@@richopper6391 wood glue and thick tooth picks fix this issue.

[@moobox]

@@richopper6391 just dowel the original screw holes and drill new ones

[@Ironace-wb9sx]

@@moobox yes dowel works great with some glue. Like a charm!

[@walterthurman6441]

Great video -- thanks so much. After watching it I hoped that method #1 (tighten the screws) would fix things, but the screws were all tight. So I moved on to method #2 (take a file to enlarge the strike plate hole) and it worked like a charm. I removed very little material and it only took a few strokes of the file. Method #3 for me would have turned into "call a carpenter," but I didn't to go there. So thanks!

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Nice Walter, glad you were able to get the misalignment fixed without too much hassle. Cheers!

[@JohnDoe-si2es]

Step 2 worked for me. Filing the bottom of the metal plate. Used a Dremel tool instead of a file though. Took seconds. Thank you.

[@howtodoitdude1662]

Wood shims behind the hinges works great. You can also remove the hinges and bend them on a vice to make it work. Thanks for sharing!

[@lindajones8525]

Amazing video, thank you. By working through my door issue I discovered that the latch was in too short of a position and once I extended it the issue was resolved. The door can latch shut now.

[@Bithiah71]

Omg! Tightening the screws worked for my bedroom door! Thank you for this video!

[@jengoll3362]

I can't believe tightening the hinges on the door actually worked! I was skeptical but as soon as they were all tightened I had no issue and didn't even need to try the other suggestions! Thank you!

[@44Mag]

Nice info. I am in North Texas, and we have serious foundation fluctuations in this area. it is common to see doors with as much as a 1/2 to 3/4 inch sag and alignment issues. My garage door was so extreme, I had to remove the latch plate, enlarge the hole in the jamb, then install the plate higher. I will try your tip using the washers behind the hinge on a few of the other doors though. - Thanks.

[@IncogNito-gg6uh]

I found a latch plate with a larger vertical opening, 2" vs 1". It gives extra room to allow for doors that keep moving up and down a little.

[@Verb130]

Hinge bending works better than shims (washers) in the hinges. There are special tools specifically for hinge bending, or a 10" Cresent wrench (adjustable spanner if your in the UK) works great also. Like you pointed out, as long as your screws are anchored well the hinge will bend without any problems.

[@drbarchitect]

The problem I've had trying to bend hinges is that the screws often begin pulling out of the door or wood as you begin trying to bend the hinge. Anyone else experienced this?

[@trbr1799]

@@drbarchitect keep the door closed? There will be some resistance against the outward movement at that point. May not help though.

[@douglasdever6134]

@@drbarchitect Never had a problem and did quite a few doors.

[@xinwendog1]

Very useful info -- thanks so much! I fixed two doors: one with method #1 (tighten the screws/changing screws), the second one with method #2 (take a file to enlarge the strike plate hole). They both work like a charm. Method #3 will be the backup, but I don't think it will go there. Again, thanks a lot!

[@heroknaderi]

Very helpful thank you. And another thing i do sometimes for a stripped out screw hole is tap a plastic anchor in it and reuse the original screw. only of i wanted to use the same leingth, i tried it and it held strong. I appricciate the video.😀

[@JohnDoe-hb2ge]

Great video! Thank you. I followed along step by step. I decided to grab my dremel to sand down the door jamb and strike plate just a little and voila my door latched.

[@TheaterPopcorn]

Outstanding! Thank you! Have a new home and the only door that wouldn't latch was to master suite. Step one wasn't an issue, but after spending a good 20 minutes on step two filing down the strike plate and chiseling out a tiny bit of wood on the inside, it now works like a charm! Got it to partially latch soon enough, but wanted that striker to fully extend into the door frame/strike plate, so the final tweaking took much longer than the the initial success, but now I'm confident of the latch's security and my wife is much happier. Happy wife = Happy life. Thank you again! So helpful.

[@robertwicks3887]

Your technique is awesome and your video was the best I watched for door repairs; I watched a dozen of them and you were #1 in my book. I have an issue with our house settling; it is affecting several doors...each one differently (my luck). The first one I tackled was an inside door to our hot water heater closet, which was binding at the top. I tried hinges, with no luck and I finally resorted to sanding some from the top of the door. It now closes but the latch and the strike plate are misaligned. I am taking on that project next... QUESTION: if the latch is hitting high, do I adjust the top hinge with washers?

[@kylewilley9535]

I had one where they had already used the longer screw, and it was still spinning freely. Got a 1/2" dowel and drilled a 1/2" hole. Glued that dowel in, trimmed flush with the jam, then predrilled and screwed the same screw back in place. Worked like a charm.

[@robertjoseph1592]

Two flat toothpicks, break in half and shove the four ends into the hole. You could roll them in wood glue if they won't stay in. Costs less than a nickel and you don't need to go to the home center or lumber yard.

[@lesg9604]

Golf tee. Sand the edge as it’s typically slightly wider in diameter than the existing screw. Roll in glue and tap in. Cut flush and let dry. Boom. Solid wood connection to then drill into once bonded

[@TomCee53]

Plastic masonry anchors work pretty well. Drill as needed, usually 1/4 or 5/16, and push in the anchor. They’re designed to expand and hold tight.

[@marksarovich5534]

nice!

[@marksarovich5534]

@@lesg9604 waaay cool!

[@Otunj20]

Our bedroom door had this issue. Was so loud to open and close. Annoying. Put the washers behind the hinge. Works perfect! Seriously, my wife gave me a big hug. Thank you!

[@Psmith713]

Dude the tightening of hinges is so obvious but holy crap it saved me and my door to my bedroom thank you!

[@bethleoni1724]

I went with the washer trick. It works perfectly and only took a minute! Thanks!

[@gingermonette7455]

Our front door has been sticking for at LEAST 15 years. It was so bad, I had to move the strike plate so it would close. Hallelujah, now that it's fixed, it now closes smoothly!

[@sangkyumkim7525]

Thanks to this video, especially the washer and the hand file, I could successfully fix my door!! I love the easy instruction + the detailed reasoning + the hands on illustration.

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Hey my friend! Long time no see. Hope all is well with you and your family and thanks for the kind words 👍

[@summermeacham816]

One of the doors in my apartment doesn’t close and maintenance takes forever (and always only halfway does the job anyway) so I wanted to see if there was something I could do about it. Thank you for this video!! I couldn’t have figured it out without the tutorial and turns out it was super simple 😊 shockingly, the apartment screwed the latch plate in crooked, which is why it wasn’t closing…. I wonder what the world would be like if everyone half-did their jobs the way apartment complexes do 😅 if you do things correctly the first time, there’s less issues down the line! I’m just glad it was so easy with the help of this video!! Thanks 🙏🏻

[@hassanbazzi3545]

This is amazing info. I don’t know how this video popped, but I am having a problem with my front door due to taking it off the hinges and change the sweeper. I hated it when I installed it and and it wasn’t latching properly. I will try your method and hopefully I will be in luck. Thank you for sharing

[@aznrocka]

Good informative video. They make a product that’s plastic shims called EZ Shim. I’ve used those to square doors to the frame and use longer screws like you suggested in the video.

[@laramaui4114]

I love the way you make your videos so clear, so well paced and to the point. Whenever I look for home repair tips, if your videos come up I always prefer them. You do t waste time trying to draw attention to yourself. Just cut to the chase in a pleasant, thorough manner. Thank you for your commitment.🙏🏽❤️ I just purchased the DANCO all-in-one toilet seal wax kit. I saw other videos but yours definitely gave me the courage to try this.

[@pdpaxpv]

My door needs to be realigned just a little bit, but filing worked pretty well. Fixed it real quick. Thanks.

[@sunilsolanki]

Moving the plate down did the trick for the new lock install! Thanks for the help!

[@02sabby02]

I would have just used a chisel and moved down the strike plate and then fill the area with some wood putty and touchup paint

[@fuckgoogle8012]

Epoxy and sawdust makes a great filler material that's tough, sandable, and bonds extremely well.

[@mikeo9049]

That's what I was thinking this whole video.

[@allenwilson9656]

That would have made more sense and a hell of a lot less work

[@petermadany2779]

I just quickly fixed two doors using various techniques demonstrated in this video. One needed a little longer screws and some washers in the bottom two hinges. (With the help of my son, I did not need to use any tape.) The other door needed the strike plated to be filed for a couple minutes using a very old file. For the second one I also used a chisel to enlarge the hole in the wood by about 1/8".

[@CytoplasmicGoo]

Before I resort to that, if it's not that bad a misalignment I use a dremel or a rotary file bit for a cordless drill and file out the plate. It usually fixes it in minutes.

[@charlesmcadory8286]

I do alot of doors and great tip. I take old hinges and cut off the ears and use them the same way that you use the washers. Again good job.

[@Mattipedersen]

Great Video. More often than not, words just aren't enough, as I have read the steps countless times, yet seeing it done helped it all sink in. Thank you, sir!

[@honeydoshandymanservices-l670]

This is a very common problem in my town. On Exterior door hinges I use 4" Exterior screws in the back holes to drive them into the Stud. This helps with security as well. I also use them on the Deadbolt strike plate for the same reason. On lighter interior doors I place white drywall anchors in the holes and reuse hinge screws. Some use toothpicks and glue but that just takes longer.

[@datsuntoyy]

2:25 on exterior doors I drive a #8 by 4" in each hinge and the striker plate. That way it goes into the studs and makes the door much more resistant to break-ins. It also holds the hinges and striker more securely.

[@mrc79]

this is a gem in the comments

[@Creeping_Shadow]

Great job talking through all the various ways to fix this problem!

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Thanks! 👍

[@solomonros]

Option 2 longer two worked. If the holes are stripped, long screws don’t grip. Take a couple of toothpicks with some glue and shove them in the hole. Let set a few minutes and then redrill. Should help.

[@07liftedAV]

Golf tees work well also

[@infcap5348]

Thx, helped when another video didn't do the trick. Had to file the door latch down a little and it worked.

[@mukesharora2053]

You made the road map to fix such situation very nice and easy. Great video.

[@jameslake3705]

Thanks dude! Didn't even have to get past minute 3:41 to fix a door that hasn't shut in over a year. Simplest fix ever...

[@cornflakeusa]

Don't know if anyone mentioned it but Instead of a file, I use a Dremel to remove a little metal from the strike plate. Works like a charm.

[@Radtke_Makes]

thanks for the ideas! I replaced a doorknob on our bathroom door and it doesn't close now, i have to replace the hinges as well to match so if it doesn't close i will try some of your ideas.:)

[@jimpie231]

Good video! A cousins’ son actually always installed new doors and frames with the middle screw always being 3” long. This took care of future problems. Every door I have installed this way, I never had any latching problems later. Thanks…Jim

[@nymphsfield2]

Very informative video. Our front door lock won’t engage when the weather is cold but works fine when it’s cold. Any ideas on how to fix this problem? It’s a steel door and Schlage lock. Thanks so much!

[@vernoncooke7348]

I fixed two doors in my house and never bothered with the hinges. I took the metal plates off the door jams and reemed out the holes with a Dremel mototool. The doors worked beautifully afterwards. You got to know how to be ingenious.

[@Lake-oi9rs]

Thanks! Tightened the hinges and my door is latching just fine now

[@donpcmartin]

1.5x speed... you’re welcome. And great content!

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Life Hack 👍

[@SwankManOfficial]

Try 2x

[@ciscodiy8276]

Thanks

[@nabilshaheen3537]

My ADHD made more sense at 2x

[@JonBurgin]

I tried all the things, but had to resort to using two washers per screw and then filed the opening (just barely), but it works great now. Also, for me, it was helpful to have use a crow bar to step on, lifting the door just enough so I could use my hands to put it in position for the hinges.

[@bambivirus]

This worked perfectly for my door. Thanks!

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

You bet!

[@apfelbasket]

Cheap lipstick is great for marking latch & dead bolt spots. Coat whole surface & it leaves exact spot & shape!

[@CarlosRodriguez-hb3vq]

One more scenario for you: my door was hitting the door frame at the top of the door, which forced the latch downward. The fix was to sand 1/8” off the top of the door, relieving downward pressure and allowing the latch to align.

[@devildogg112985]

Great video. I have a situation. I put 3 1/2 screws in my upper and lower strike plates, now my bottom door handle doesn't lock , and can pushed open if the top isn't locked. Any advice very much appreciated.

[@austinonaustin6870]

Thank you for this video! You clued me in on how to fix a door that didn't quite latch right. You rock!

[@jackransbottom5398]

Just applied this technique to my own door. Thanks for the instruction!

[@laurathornton5828]

Thanks for all of your helpful tips and tricks!!!❤

[@davemikulski2593]

Great video. Extremely helpful with the misaligned doors in my home. Thanks

[@rebeccadees2300]

Thank you for the tutorial. I'm a widow and would like to try fixing things like this if I'm able.

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Hey Rebecca, happy to help and let me know if you have any questions as you tackle projects around the house.

[@vlugovsky]

@Rebecca Dees - good for you! Nothing like depending on yourself whenever possible! :)

[@Lusianna2000]

Thank you!! The longer screw did it! I didn't think it would be so easy!

[@davidsilverstein1804]

Thanks for the tip. My hinges were out of alignment and it was a simple fix.

[@davidrankin9874]

Tightened up the screws on the hinges; works great. Thanks for sharing.

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Always nice when step 1 fixes the problem. 👍

[@mikes3060]

You can use any type of clear plastic. juice container or a soda bottle works great as shims. Just need to cut it in the shape of the hinge free cheap and easy.

[@TheMimiMeows]

you saved me with the hinge intro mate. Was about to do way too much to the latch

[@dorsay703]

Thank you so much. Tightening the screws did the trick.

[@James-by9pl]

This helped me I was going to take the strike plate off and make the hole bigger. Adjusted hinges was the fix

[@genedillman7811]

That was really excellent. Now I will tackle my 3 doors that don't latch and see if I can solve the problem.

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Best of luck on the troubleshooting! 👍

[@TheSunshineRequiem]

great video, same exact issue, i thought it was a weak spring or something initially, easy fix afterall

[@tickdog3]

What are your feelings about using a knuckle bender over using the washers?

[@nickliovich]

I think the washer thing is my issue! Thank you in advance. I put a solid wood 70 year old door into my pre hung hollow core door frame (doors the same size). Its been a riot (completely novice, no clue what I'm doing). Our latch is a bit too high but I think the biggest issue is the door is too far to the right (towards the hinges). The washers should fix it. I'm so excited to have real hardwood doors that have a STORY with them (they survived Hurricane Hugo..amongst the normal daily life they saw for the past 70 years).

[@xtreamchance]

Very Good Information. I would just get a dremel and grind the plate down, cuz I'm lazy that way, but doing it right...by using washers on the hinges is spot on. Thanks for the tip!

[@KarenDowns-wn3bm]

Thank you! I was able to fix the problem by tightening the hinge screws!

[@PurpleChipz]

Thanks! Family bathroom door has not shut properly for over two years, I think its time to fix that using this video/ your advice!

[@jplieurance]

I continually struggle with an solid core passage door from house to garage. Will try these tips. Thanks!

[@CytoplasmicGoo]

This is actually a very common problem. After tightening the hinges and using longer screws and it still won't latch, I use a high speed rotary tool like a dremel and file out the catch plate. They also sell a rotary file bit if you want to you use a cordless drill it works the same but a bit slower. That usually fixes the problem in minutes. If it's really off, I move the whole catch. It takes some chiselwork and wood putty but it comes out nice, just don't forget to pilot drill the new screw holes first to prevent the jam from splitting. I never had to resort to spacing out or bending the hinges because it might cause the doors to stick or stick later when the weather changes. It's just a can of worms I would rather avoid.

[@alrey889]

The washer idea is great I hadn't thought about that I was going to use a shim instead before I learned about washers thanks that was helpful.

[@clarehead3026]

For 2 years the door hasn't shut properly! Turns out tradies failed to put back the other 3 screws in each hinge...all fixed, closes perfectly. Cannot express gratitude for this!

[@MechanicalFrog]

What about using some superglue on the washers instead of painter's tape?

[@nekophan575]

Thanks for the video!🥰🥰🥰 My door hinges got flex and the retractable is a bit below the hole; very hard to close.

[@mostlikelywedoitservices6926]

Get a rotary tool or a drill with a burr. It will take for ever with a hand file. Just did one today. A minute with vacuum sucking up the metal that would land on the floor. Customer said man you did that fast.

[@phoward247]

I had tried a couple of different things and thought I would have to do something more drastic, but the washer trick ended up working great for me! Thank you so much!

[@matthewcordova6217]

Did you put spacers in the middle hinge to or just the bottom ??

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

I put 1/2 the shim width from the bottom in the middle hinge.

[@railroadaddict1884]

Dude, you saved my sanity after 9 years of doors that don't latch. Thank you!

[@mattisonhale6227]

Washer trick worked for me. Hell yeah. Tyvm

[@cookmaster3626]

I had a similar situation. I filed the striker plate to enlarge the opening and also filed the plunger or the lock's shaft to make the engagement easy and reliable.

[@hen1588]

Thank you for the helpful tips, both tips one and two combine worked for me. 👍🏾

[@ryanj.7523]

realizing this video is 2 years old, I like to fill the old holes with a wood glue and saw dust mixture followed buy taking a shim custom ripped from another piece of wood to help make up the difference for the gap. A little sanding and some paint and you can reinstall all the Hardware like before and the gap is gone. leaves a great finish appearance in my opinion as well.

[@dougmorissette459]

Great video! How would you solve the problem that I have. My basement door closes as it should during the summertime but in the spring, fall and winter when the weather is damp the door sags and will not line up properly for either the latch or the deadbolt. It is an insulated steel door with 3 hinges and I have replaced all of the screws with 2-1/2 inch long screws without solving the problem. Do you have any suggestions?

[@michaelgraves8640]

Great VIdeo Thank you...

[@jeremyruth9096]

Did the third option (without the tape) and it worked like a charm.

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Nice!