How to Fix a Squeaky or Misaligned Door

Damp houses and settling foundations inevitably take a toll on your doors, turning a quiet entry into a noisy distraction. A squeaky door is usually the result of friction between the hinge pin and the sleeve, while a door that drags or sticks is often fighting against a mounting screw that has pulled loose from the wood grain. Addressing these issues requires nothing more than basic hand tools and a bit of patience. Done well, your door will swing silently and stay perfectly centered in the frame, closing without needing a firm push or a mid-air adjustment. Don't settle for the annoyance; spend twenty minutes and restore the quiet operation of your home.

  1. Silence Squeaks Instantly. Open the door fully and wipe away any dust or old, gummy grease from the hinge knuckles with a clean rag. Apply a small amount of silicone-based spray or synthetic grease directly to the seams of the hinge while working the door back and forth.
  2. Tighten Every Fastener. Examine the hinge plates on both the door and the frame. Use a screwdriver to tighten every screw, taking care not to over-tighten and strip the wood fibers inside the screw holes.
  3. Restore Damaged Holes. If a screw spins freely without tightening, remove it and insert a wooden toothpick or a small sliver of a golf tee coated in wood glue into the hole. Reinstall the screw once the glue is tacky, allowing it to bite into the new wood.
  4. Straighten Sagging Doors. If the door is sagging, remove the top hinge pin by tapping it upward with a hammer and nail set. Use pliers to very slightly bend the pin before tapping it back into place, which will shift the door angle back toward the frame.
  5. Pinpoint Binding Areas. Look at the gap between the door and the frame along the top and latch side. If the door is binding against the frame, use a pencil to mark the specific high spot where the wood is rubbing.
  6. Sand Away Friction Points. Using a block plane or medium-grit sandpaper, remove the thin layer of wood from the high spot identified earlier. Test the fit frequently to avoid taking off too much material and creating a permanent gap.