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How to fix a door that doesn’t close and latch?

Radha001
Community Newcomer

How to fix a door that doesn’t close and latch?

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MitchellMc
Bunnings Team Member
Bunnings Team Member

Re: How to fix a door that doesn’t close and latch?

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @Radha001. It's brilliant to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about fixing a door.

When a door won’t close far enough to latch, the first step is to figure out why it isn’t fully seating in the frame. From your photo, it looks like the latch is in the correct position, but the door simply can’t reach it, which usually means there’s some obstruction or misalignment.

 

Start by closing the door as far as it will go and carefully check all around the frame. Look for any points where the door is rubbing against the jamb, which can happen if the door has swollen from moisture, warped, or if the frame itself has shifted. If the door is touching the frame anywhere before it reaches the latch, that will prevent it from fully closing. Warping can sometimes be spotted if the top and bottom of the door behave differently. For example, if the top won’t close but the bottom does.

 

Once you identify where it’s binding, you can decide on the right fix. Minor rubbing spots can sometimes be eased by planing the door or sanding down the high areas, and in some cases, the frame can be adjusted. Adjusting the striker plate is only a temporary or last-resort solution; if the door still doesn’t sit flush in the frame, moving the striker won’t fix the underlying problem. The key is to get the door to fully close into the jamb first, and then the latch should work as intended.

 

If you can't spot anything obvious, it might be worth calling in a handyperson that is familiar with adjusting doors.


Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell
 

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