Reasons Why Your Front Door May Be Sticking And How to Fix It

A sticking door is not only frustrating and inconvenient, but it can also pose a safety hazard. There are many reasons why your front door is sticking and, thankfully, there are also many solutions. The main problem with a sticking door is that it won’t shut properly and creates an opening for intruders to enter your home. Not only this, but the broken lock will make your house less secure.

So, why is my front door sticking and how do I fix it? To rectify the issue of a front door that’s sticking, you’ll need to take some time to check all of the various parts of the moving pieces in the hinges of your door. Look for any area where there may be friction or corrosion on any part of the hinge pins or on brackets that provide support for them.

If this is a metal-on-metal situation, then you’ve most likely run into a problem of metal expanding. In this case, applying some lubrication will help to increase the movement of the door and prevent it from sticking.

If you’re unable to find any problems with the hinges on your door, then chances are there’s a problem with a section of your doorframe that is either not level or has warped over time. This can sometimes be corrected by having a professional take a look at it, but if you feel like you’re up for doing some repairs yourself feel free to try out these methods:

Remove Dirt And Debris

First thing’s first; get rid of all debris that has accumulated between the frame and the outer wall of your home. It may seem silly that dirt would be causing your door to stick, but over time it can create a lot of friction and cause the door not to close properly. Once this is done, check to make sure that the door opens and closes properly.

Replace Hinge Pins

If it doesn’t work correctly, replace the hinge pins (the metal pieces of the hinges) with new ones that are in good working order. You can do this by using a screwdriver to take off the cover of your existing hinge pin and then replacing them with shiny new ones. If this still does not solve your problem, you may need to realign your door on its hinges or try reattaching it again with nails or screws.

Fill In Gaps

If all you need to do is fill in some gaps, then you can use some wood putty or another adhesive with filling properties. If you’re trying to get rid of small gaps between the door and frame, then it’s a better idea to use something more lightweight like wood putty or an adhesive.

Wood putty can be purchased from most hardware stores and comes in a variety of shades that blend well with your door. If this doesn’t seem like it will work for whatever reason, go ahead and try using an all-purpose construction adhesive instead. This type of adhesive is specially designed to bind wood together, even when there isn’t any direct contact on each piece.

It will come in a caulk tube with an equally sized nozzle on top which you can use to spread it around the door’s frame. Make sure that there are no gaps between the wood and wall of your house or else this adhesive won’t hold securely enough to keep your front door from falling out of its hinges.

There are also some household glues that you can try using if neither of these options works for whatever reason. These are typically made with some kind of strong chemical so be extra careful when applying them so they don’t get on anything other than what you want them on.

If all else fails, then find yourself a more heavy-duty version of household glue but only if necessary because it is very difficult to get anything to stick to metal with this kind of glue.

If you need help deciding which one is right for your specific situation or how to apply them correctly, then go online and do some research on whichever of these two options works best for you before choosing one. This way you’ll be completely prepared when working with your front door frame and hopefully can avoid making any costly mistakes that end up requiring even more repairs in the future!

Weatherstripping

Your front door could also be sticking because you need to replace the weatherstripping. It’s often flexible and made of foam or rubber. The purpose of this material is to seal out the elements – rain, snow, cold, heat – from entering your home.

However, like all things exposed to the elements, it wears down over time. There are generally two types of weatherstripping you can choose from: adhesive and mechanical. Adhesive strips are the easier of the two to install.

They’re not glued onto your door or frame but made using a special double-sided foam tape that sticks best on smooth surfaces. The first step is cleaning both sides of your weather stripping with rubbing alcohol to ensure that it has a strong bond once you stick it down.

Next, peel the protective film off of each side and carefully press the weatherstripping into place along your entire bottom edge. If any parts fall off, simply re-apply them and use an extra piece of tape if necessary for reinforcement before completely pressing them back down again.

In the event that you’re not satisfied with adhesive strips or want a longer-lasting installation, then you’ll probably need the assistance of a cordless drill and some screws to install mechanical weather stripping. If you choose this kind of installation, follow whichever product instructions apply best for your situation.

Remove Old Frame

If you’ve checked all of these possibilities and still have a sticking front door, then you’re unfortunately going to have to look into removing your old frame from its hinges and trying something easier. To do that, you’ll need a reciprocating saw with a metal-cutting blade, an adjustable wrench, and some sandpaper.

Step 1

Take off the door from its hinges (if it’s still attached) using your adjustable wrench. Take special care at this stage not to damage the finish of the door by carefully making sure that you are cutting through all of the screws or nails that hold it in place at each hinge point.

Once you have removed your front door from its hinges, take out any screws or nails that may be holding it in place if they’re sticking out too far. Keep in mind that if there is anything left over after you’ve done this, then chances are it will cause more problems for you later on down the line.

Step 2

Cut off the bottom of the door with your reciprocating saw at an angle. This will give you more clearance to remove the pieces that are hidden by the side of your house which you need to remove next. Once you’ve done that, then look for screws or nails that may be holding down any additional pieces that will be blocking your way to removing this particular piece altogether.

Using your reciprocating saw again, carefully cut through these pieces until they fall away from one another. If they still won’t come apart easily there’s most likely some kind of support inside of them so check every nook and cranny before trying anything else because it can cause further damage if not done properly.

Step 3

Sand off any rough edges that may have been created by the reciprocating saw or other tools. You can use a finer grit to smooth out parts of this frame that are visible if you want them to look nice and new.

This would be an excellent time to paint over your doorframe to give it the color you’re looking for since getting rid of old pieces makes room for fresh coats of paint. If there is nothing left except metal then you’ll need to spray some kind of primer on these areas so they aren’t too shiny before painting them with two coats of paint in your desired color choice(s).

If you do choose to paint your front door a different color, make sure that the color scheme of your house works well with it and allay any fears that passersby might have that burglars are hiding inside of your home because of its sudden change in appearance.

Call A Professional

If all else fails and you still cannot find a solution to your sticking door problem, then consider calling in a professional who offers house door repair services for an estimate on what it would cost to fix the issue permanently. Most likely they will be able to replace any broken pieces properly and ensure that no part of your home’s exterior is affected when they repair the problem area.

So there you have it. Now that you’ve read this article, you should be able to figure out some of the main problems that could cause a door to stick and decide which method(s) would work best for you.