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There are many causes as to why we have problems with doors that don’t close. Causes can range from doors being poorly fitted, hinges becoming loose over time and constant painting over the years can take its toll and cause the door and jamb to swell as well as catch every time you open or close it. When repairing your door, if the problem is caused by loose hinges it is not difficult to fix. Usually it is the top hinge which has loosened on the door or it could also be the jamb under the weight and constant movement. The first thing you will need to do is to tighten the screws and it is possible that the holes have been stripped, so remove one screw at a time and insert in one or two regular matches making sure that you check the size of the hole. Then, break off the excess and replace the screw. This method will allow the hinges to be tightened. Pull the door back up and create the gap that is necessary to enable the door to close smoothly. If a door is causing problems closing due to it being over-painted and swelling you will need a few basic tools like a plane and a door clamp. Before removing the door, pencil mark the area and depth of the section to be planed. Remove the door and stand it in the door clamp (this could be a piece of 10cm x 5cm timber with a slot cut-out and the width should be bigger than the width of the door). Use a wedge to stabilize the door, a piece of wood or a chisel would do the job well. Don’t forget to remove the latch so that you don’t accidentally damage it when using the plane. Plane the door down carefully until it fits well into the door frame. If you are having problems with a sliding door it could be because the wheel of the roller has probably worn out and needs replacing. Most sliding doors have two rollers on the underside of the door, and these can be adjusted to raise or lower the door. At the bottom of the sliding door near the edge there should be a hole and an adjustable screw. This screw helps raise or lower the door and lines it up with the lock enabling you to position the door correctly. To do this simply lift the door and pull it out at the bottom. Lever out the rollers which should be sitting in the channel at the bottom of he door and replace the new rollers in. Put the door back into place, putting the top into the top track first followed by the bottom track and then adjust the sliding door to match the position of the lock
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