Wonky Door? Can't get it closed....

mookybargirl

Our bathroom door has always been stiff at the bottom half of the door, but it's gotton so much worse. It's as though the bottom is too wide for the gap, but the top is fine. The hinges are all tight. Short of planing a bit off the bottom, am I missing something obvious?

If I force it shut, I basically run the risk of pulling off the door handle and getting stuck in there! lol

Don't want to consider a new door as they all match and are about 9 years old so it would tough to find another the same....

Thanks

maninthestreet

Has the bottom of the door got wet and swelled?

mookybargirl

maninthestreet wrote: »

Has the bottom of the door got wet and swelled?

It does gets a lot of condensation in there with the shower, so it's possible this is the reason (there is an extractor fan fitted and working fine)....

Mutton_Geoff

Is it sticking on the sides or the base where it meets the floor. Either way, it's a simple job to remove the door and plane down the offending edge. A chippy could do it in 10 minutes. Have you painted them since? With high humidity, doors do expand even if you haven't got them wet, but as it's the bathroom no doubt it's been absorbing moisture from the room and slowly expanding.

mookybargirl

Mutton_Geoff wrote: »

Is it sticking on the sides or the base where it meets the floor. Either way, it's a simple job to remove the door and plane down the offending edge. A chippy could do it in 10 minutes. Have you painted them since? With high humidity, doors do expand even if you haven't got them wet, but as it's the bathroom no doubt it's been absorbing moisture from the room and slowly expanding.

It's on the side of the door. Was painted 2 years ago and we had the problem then, but not as bad as it is now. I'm as handy as it gets so I'll nip and get a plane and knock a bit off unless someone suggests something else. Thank you.

Mutton_Geoff

I'm sure you can get a cheap plane from the sheds. Close the door slowly and look carefully along the length to see where it starts to rub the frame. Mark this area with a pencil on the face of the door. Use a straight edge to mark exactly which bit you need to plane off and by how much (allow some for new paint and later expansion).

Remove the lock parts if they are in the area you'll be planing down, you'll notch the plane blade if it hits them. Check the hinged side as well, make sure that isn't getting too tight.

mookybargirl

Thanks. Thankfully, it's the bottom half half away from the locks. What's "the sheds" for picking up a cheap plane?

LandyAndy

Sheds = B+Q and the like.

mookybargirl

Ah. Should have guessed that. Thanks again.

Doozergirl

Keep an eye on it. Your house might be moving about a bit. Door frames will 'rack' (dunno how you spell it) when a house settles or subsides.

Plasticman

Doozergirl wrote: »

Keep an eye on it. Your house might be moving about a bit. Door frames will 'rack' (dunno how you spell it) when a house settles or subsides.

Always a possibility, but more likely to be the door swelling - especially if there are no other signs (other doors having the same problem). All houses settle though, so there could be a bit of movement. Just chop a bit off the door!