Hello team Tackling a job this weekend. Our external french doors are binding in the centre in the red spots. I realise this may be as it has sagged a tiny bit, but I believe to be honest it was simply me not measuring quite right as this was one of my first DIY jobs about 5 years ago when I ordered this door kit from a joinery. The doors have always had the most tiny of gaps between them that a piece of paper barely fit into - i should have probably given myself some room to work with, but Ben of 5 years ago was not the Ben of now. Anyway, I am totally strapped for cash and therefore cannot get a carpenter or builder out and need to fix myself. Here are the problems I face. * where the hinges join the jam is a solid timber frame, however behind the frame is brickwork (as the doors sit flush to the outside of the house which is brick veneer), so I cannot simply get longer screws as they hit bricks behind the frame. So simply "put longer screws in" will not work. * the hinges are fixed pin so I cannot do the "just bend the hinges" trick either. * the mortices are set at the correct depth, so I am unsure if I can simply put the mortices deeper or not. I also am hesitant to gouge more out of the mortices if that doesn't work. * The fix needs to be done in a few hours, as having an external door open overnight etc just isnt an option for family safety and keeping my pets from escaping My idea was to remove the door with the handle on it, and plane it down by say 3mm, re-mortice the hinge spots and re-mount it. This will give it some breathing room. I chose the one with the handle as you can see the let side already have a door lock that bolts into the frame above and if I move the door on that side the hole will no longer line up. Can anyone that has door experience let me know if this will work. These doors are solid, heavy as hell, and too expensive to simply replace. Thanks Ben

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How to fix rubbing French doors?

GingerNinja

Hello team

Tackling a job this weekend.

Our external french doors are binding in the centre in the red spots. I realise this may be as it has sagged a tiny bit, but I believe to be honest it was simply me not measuring quite right as this was one of my first DIY jobs about 5 years ago when I ordered this door kit from a joinery. The doors have always had the most tiny of gaps between them that a piece of paper barely fit into - i should have probably given myself some room to work with, but Ben of 5 years ago was not the Ben of now.

Anyway, I am totally strapped for cash and therefore cannot get a carpenter or builder out and need to fix myself.

Here are the problems I face.

where the hinges join the jam is a solid timber frame, however behind the frame is brickwork (as the doors sit flush to the outside of the house which is brick veneer), so I cannot simply get longer screws as they hit bricks behind the frame. So simply "put longer screws in" will not work.
the hinges are fixed pin so I cannot do the "just bend the hinges" trick either.
the mortices are set at the correct depth, so I am unsure if I can simply put the mortices deeper or not. I also am hesitant to gouge more out of the mortices if that doesn't work.
The fix needs to be done in a few hours, as having an external door open overnight etc just isnt an option for family safety and keeping my pets from escaping

My idea was to remove the door with the handle on it, and plane it down by say 3mm, re-mortice the hinge spots and re-mount it. This will give it some breathing room. I chose the one with the handle as you can see the let side already have a door lock that bolts into the frame above and if I move the door on that side the hole will no longer line up.

Can anyone that has door experience let me know if this will work. These doors are solid, heavy as hell, and too expensive to simply replace.

Thanks

Ben

Screenshot 2026-06asdfasdfsadf16 133632.png

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EricL

Hello @GingerNinja

Thank you for sharing your question about your binding/rubbing French doors. Your repair plan sounds good; however, I suggest not changing the mortice depth of your hinges as it will alter the turn of the door causing it to bind onto the frame. Planing the side of the door is a good idea, but I suggest being conservative with the amount you'll be taking off. I propose a maximum of 2mm and do a test fit. Just keep in mind that once you paint the door it will add a skin to the surface of the door so the gap must be big enough to accommodate the paint.

My best advice is to get an extra pair of hands to help with the assembly and disassembly along with the lifting of the door.

Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1, @Nailbag, @DIY4Knuckleheds and @Alicia_Woodwork for their recommendations.

Please remember to wear personal protection such as gloves, goggles and a mask.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

GingerNinja

Sounds good, happy to hear anyones thoughts. With the mortice I was only considering redoing the mortice on the door itself as after shaving a few mm off it, the hinge wont sit flush. Hope this makes sense and that your team can advise if thats the right thing to do if I go that route.

THANK YOU!

Ben

Dave-1

Good Afternoon @GingerNinja

I was thinking along the same lines of you as in taking the door off and planing the length of the door down a bit, I would take it slow and steady. I wouldnt deepen the hinges slot tho.

Dave

GingerNinja

Thanks Dave, as the rubbing is down the centre, if I simply take some off the edge of the door on the hinge side but not sink the hinges any more, how will that remove the bind in the centre. I can only image that it would make a larger gap on the hinge side of the door, and not a larger gap on the handle side?

The doors have an overlap in the centre (astragal?) so I was hesitant to trim that down to stop the rubbing, but is that an easier fix as its only a few mm?

Dave-1

Afternoon @GingerNinja

I was thinking of the center line down the middle, thats the part I would plane. If its stepped (As I suspect it will be) then you may need to take some off each part of the step. Or if the other door has a straight edge (in the center where you have marked in red) thats the side I would plane down.

Dave

GingerNinja

Thanks @Dave-1 tha'ts exactly the info I need. As its only a small amount this will save me a lot of time re hinges etc. Thank you so much! And yes they are stepped :)

Dave-1

Afternoon @GingerNinja

If you can find a small hand planner you might be able to get away with that. I would also mark the tight spots in pencil and the depth you want to remove before you remove the doors.

Dave

R4addZ

Hi @GingerNinja

I would reccomend your original idea for one simple reason, if you try to take it off the centre of the door with the handle, the mechanism for the lock will no longer match up with the handle position. You may get away with a few mm off the centre of the left hand door but would that put the bolts too near the edge?

GingerNinja

Hey @Dave-1 - Just wanted to say thanks. careful planing worked a charm on each of the rebated doors :)

EricL

Hello @GingerNinja

Thank you very much for the update. I'm sure @Dave-1 will be happy to hear his suggestion helped.

Eric

Dave-1

Afternoon @GingerNinja

:D hahahaha Well I just smiled :) Thanks and you are welcome.

Dave