Took me a full weekend to figure out why my old door wouldn't latch

It was just a simple fix on a 1920s interior door in my place... or so I thought. The strike plate was off by maybe an eighth of an inch, but the whole frame had settled over the decades. I spent hours shimming, planing, and adjusting the hinges before I realized the door itself had warped slightly. Ended up having to build up the edge with wood filler and reshape it with a rasp, which took another day to dry and sand. Anyone have a better method for dealing with a stubborn old door that just won't catch?

3 comments

3 Comments

blairm771mo ago

A full weekend on a single door latch is a new level of commitment. I would have given up after the hinge adjustment and just started shoulder-checking it to close.

hollyscott1mo ago

Shoulder checking a door to close it sounds like a great way to end up with a broken collarbone. I tried that once on a sticky cabinet and nearly took out my whole shoulder. A whole weekend on a latch is wild, but at least the door actually works now. I'd take that over a busted door frame and a trip to urgent care any day.

fionanguyen1mo ago

That's how you get a busted door frame.