How to fix a heavy front wooden door that sags and rubs on floor tiles?
Our solid oak main entry door in Ajman sags on its top hinge, causing the bottom edge to scrape against the floor tiles when opening. How do I shim the hinge or replace short screws to lift the door?
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Expert Answers 1
Do not shim the top hinge. That pushes the top of the door outward, which will actually tilt the bottom edge even closer to the floor.
For a solid oak door, the problem is almost always that the sheer weight of the wood has pulled the short factory screws loose from the frame. You need longer screws.
However, since you are in Ajman, the wall behind your wooden door frame is almost certainly concrete or block. If you just drive a long wood screw in, it will hit the masonry and stop.
Here is how to actually lift the door:
1. Wedge something under the open door to support its weight.
2. Remove the screws from the wall side of the top hinge.
3. Use a masonry drill bit to drill straight through those empty screw holes and deep into the concrete behind the wood frame.
4. Tap heavy-duty wall plugs (anchors) through the wood and into the concrete.
5. Drive 3-inch or 4-inch screws through the hinge and into those anchors.
As the long screws bite into the wall, they will pull the hinge tight against the frame. This pulls the top of the door inward and lifts the bottom edge off your tiles.
If the hinge is perfectly tight against the wall but the door still rubs, the weight of the oak has likely bent the metal hinge itself. In that case, you will need to replace it with a heavy-duty ball-bearing hinge.
For a solid oak door, the problem is almost always that the sheer weight of the wood has pulled the short factory screws loose from the frame. You need longer screws.
However, since you are in Ajman, the wall behind your wooden door frame is almost certainly concrete or block. If you just drive a long wood screw in, it will hit the masonry and stop.
Here is how to actually lift the door:
1. Wedge something under the open door to support its weight.
2. Remove the screws from the wall side of the top hinge.
3. Use a masonry drill bit to drill straight through those empty screw holes and deep into the concrete behind the wood frame.
4. Tap heavy-duty wall plugs (anchors) through the wood and into the concrete.
5. Drive 3-inch or 4-inch screws through the hinge and into those anchors.
As the long screws bite into the wall, they will pull the hinge tight against the frame. This pulls the top of the door inward and lifts the bottom edge off your tiles.
If the hinge is perfectly tight against the wall but the door still rubs, the weight of the oak has likely bent the metal hinge itself. In that case, you will need to replace it with a heavy-duty ball-bearing hinge.
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