FixItCity.com

Walls, doors & windows

How to fix a door that won't latch

When a door swings shut but won't stay closed, the latch is missing the hole in the strike plate. A loose hinge is the usual culprit, and most fixes need only a screwdriver.

Updated · 7 min read

  • DifficultyEasy
  • Time15–60 minutes
  • If you need helpHandyman

You push the door closed, hear it bump, and it drifts back open. The latch, that little angled bolt on the edge of the door, is hitting the metal strike plate on the frame instead of dropping into its hole. Something has shifted, usually by only an eighth of an inch or so.

The most common reason is a hinge that has worked loose and let the door sag. Seasonal humidity, a house settling over time, or thick weatherstripping can also throw things off. The good news: you can fix almost all of these with a screwdriver, some patience, and a bit of trial and error.

Plan on 15 minutes for the quick fixes and up to an hour if you need to move the strike plate.

What you'll need

Shopping links may earn us a small commission at no cost to you. Disclosure.

See our basic home toolkit for the everyday tools.

Step one: find where the latch misses

Do not guess. Mark the latch and let the door tell you.

  1. Mark the latch. Rub lipstick, chalk or dry-erase marker on the tip of the latch bolt. Schlage and HGTV both suggest this trick.
  2. Close the door gently. Push it shut against the strike plate a couple of times, then open it.
  3. Read the mark. The smudge on the strike plate shows where the latch hits. Above the hole means the door has dropped or the strike is too high. Below the hole means the opposite. A mark beside the hole means the door is not closing far enough.

Also look along the gap between the door and the frame. If the gap is wide at the top on the latch side and tight at the bottom, the door is sagging from a loose top hinge.

Fix 1: tighten the hinges

This solves more latching problems than anything else, so always start here.

  1. Tighten every screw. Check all the screws on both sides of every hinge, on the door and on the frame. Tighten by hand so you do not strip them.
  2. Repair any stripped holes. If a screw spins without getting tight, remove it, fill the hole with glue-coated toothpicks or a golf tee, snap them off flush, let the glue dry, then drive the screw back in.
  3. Add a long screw at the top. On the top hinge, take out one of the screws on the frame side, usually the middle or inner one. Drill a small pilot hole and drive a 3-inch screw through the frame into the wall stud behind it. This Old House recommends this for a top hinge that keeps loosening. Snugging this screw pulls the door up and toward the latch side. Do not overtighten, or you can bend the frame.
  4. Test. Close the door. Often this alone gets it latching again.

Fix 2: adjust the strike plate

If the hinges are tight and the latch still misses, work on the strike plate.

Small miss: file the opening

If the mark is just at the edge of the hole, HGTV suggests filing the strike opening a little larger. Remove the strike plate, clamp it or hold it firmly, and file the edge of the opening where the latch hits. Take a little at a time and test-fit often.

Bigger miss: move the strike plate

  1. Remove the plate. Unscrew the strike plate from the frame.
  2. Fill the old screw holes. Glue toothpicks into the holes and trim them flush so the new screws can bite.
  3. Mark the new position. Line the plate up with the lipstick mark you made, so the hole sits where the latch actually lands.
  4. Enlarge the recess. Use a sharp chisel to extend the shallow pocket the plate sits in, and the deeper hole behind it, so the latch has room. Go slowly.
  5. Reattach and test. Drill small pilot holes and screw the plate in place. Close the door. A little touch-up paint or wood filler hides the old outline.

Fix 3: shim a hinge

If the door is too far from the strike side, or tilted, a thin shim behind a hinge leaf can move it. Shim behind the bottom hinge to raise the latch end of the door a bit, or behind the top hinge to lower it, as HGTV describes. A piece of thin cardboard cut to the size of the hinge leaf works fine.

  1. Loosen the hinge on the frame side. Leave the door closed and supported so its weight is not hanging on the loose hinge.
  2. Slip in the shim. Place it behind the hinge leaf and cut holes for the screws.
  3. Retighten and test. Add a second shim only if the first was not enough.

If humidity is the cause

Schlage notes that changes in humidity and temperature can warp a door, sometimes only for a season. If your door rubs or misses only in muggy months, make the small, reversible fixes above first. Avoid planing or sanding wood off the door until it has acted up through a whole year, since a door that is planed in summer may gap in winter. Thick weatherstripping can also keep a door from closing far enough, so check that too.

When to call a pro

Call for help if:

  • An exterior door will not lock and you cannot fix it quickly.
  • The frame is split, rotted or pulling away from the wall.
  • Several doors in the house have started sticking or missing at once, or you see new cracks in walls or ceilings. HGTV points out that settling can be the cause, and that is worth having checked.
  • The door needs to be planed, rehung, or have new hinge pockets cut.
  • The lock itself is broken, sticky or will not turn.

Renters should report latching or lock problems to the landlord, especially on an entry door. A handyman handles these jobs every day. Not sure where you stand? Try the fix-or-call quiz.

Keep it from happening again

  • Check and snug hinge screws once a year, especially on heavy doors.
  • Put one long screw into the stud on the top hinge of heavy or busy doors.
  • Use a doorstop so the door does not slam into the wall and loosen its hinges.
  • Keep a squeaky hinge lubricated (see how to fix a squeaky door).

Common questions

Why did my door suddenly stop latching?

Most often a hinge screw has worked loose and the door has sagged a little. Seasonal humidity can also make a wood door or frame swell. Start by tightening every hinge screw before you change anything else.

Should I just file the strike plate?

Filing works when the latch misses by only a little, with the mark right at the edge of the hole. If it misses by more, fix the hinges or move the strike plate instead, or you will weaken the plate.

My door latches in winter but not in summer. What should I do?

That is usually humidity making the wood swell and shrink. Make small, reversible adjustments, and avoid planing the door until it has misbehaved through a full season.

Sources

Related