Fix a Cabinet Door That Won't Close or Hangs Crooked

Cabinet doors drift out of alignment for one simple reason: the hinges shift. Whether a door hangs too high on one side, gapes open at the top, or won't latch at all, the fix lives in three places—the hinge screws, the hinge position itself, or the door frame. This is one of the most common kitchen complaints and one of the easiest to solve yourself. A crooked door is usually just telling you that fasteners have loosened or the hinge has shifted slightly on its mounting plate. Within an hour, you'll have diagnosed the problem and brought the door back true. The payoff is immediate: a door that closes with confidence, sits flush in its frame, and doesn't rattle or stick.

1. Start with the Screws. Open the cabinet door fully and look at both hinges. Using a screwdriver that fits the screw head perfectly—Phillips or square-drive, depending on your hinges—tighten each screw on both the door hinge leaf and the frame hinge leaf. Turn slowly and stop when you feel firm resistance. Do not overtighten; you're looking for snug, not crushed. If a screw spins without tightening, the hole is stripped.
2. Watch It Close. Close the door slowly and watch the gap between the door edge and the frame from both sides. The gap should be even top to bottom and the door should rest in the frame without pressing against the frame or leaving a wide gap. If it closes properly, you are done. If not, proceed to identify the specific misalignment.
3. Spot the Problem. Observe where the door sits relative to the frame. A door that hangs high on one side, low on the other, or pushes outward at the top suggests one hinge is positioned higher or lower than it should be. Mark the problem area with a pencil or mentally note it. The misalignment will almost always be at one hinge or the other.
4. Check the Holes. If tightening the screws did not help, remove one screw at a time from the hinge that corresponds to the misaligned corner. Inspect the hole. If the hole is enlarged, crumbly, or the screw spins without resistance, the hole is stripped. You will need to fill it and re-drill. If the holes are intact, skip to the next step.
5. Restore the Hole. For a quick fix, remove the hinge and fill the stripped hole with waterproof wood filler, packing it firmly with a putty knife. Smooth flush and allow to dry per the product instructions—usually 30 minutes to an hour. For a permanent fix that takes no drying time, remove the hinge, fill the hole with wooden toothpicks and wood glue, snap them off flush, then re-drill at the same location. The toothpicks give the new screw something to bite into.
6. Level the Top Edge. If the door hangs high on the hinge side, you need to move that hinge downward. Loosen (but do not remove) the screws on the hinge mounting plate. Close the door until it sits level, then re-tighten the screws. If the door is high away from the hinges, you need to move the hinge upward instead. Open the door, loosen the mounting screws, shift the hinge up slightly, and re-tighten.
7. Square the Bottom Edge. If the door twists so that the bottom corner is pushed outward or the top is pulled inward, loosen the bottom hinge screws and shift the hinge slightly forward or backward on the mounting plate, then re-tighten. Small movements—1/8 inch—make a significant difference. Adjust in the direction opposite the gap: if the bottom gapes outward, shift the hinge backward (toward the cabinet interior).
8. Fine-Tune with Shims. If the door still won't sit true after tightening and adjustment, the cabinet frame itself may be slightly out of plumb. Remove the hinge and place thin shims (cardboard, veneer, or metal shim stock) behind the hinge mounting plate. Add one shim at a time, test the door, and add more if needed. Shims allow you to bring the hinge forward without affecting the door's fit on the other side. Trim the shims flush with the hinge plate after installation.
9. Listen for Binding. Close the door slowly and listen and watch for the moment it makes contact with the frame. If the door binds (sticks) at a specific point rather than sitting evenly in the frame, the frame itself may be bent or the hinges may need further adjustment. Mark the bind point with a pencil. The door should close smoothly without pressure.
10. Align the Latch. Once the door sits evenly in the frame, check that the latch (the bolt on the door) aligns with the catch (the hole in the frame side). The latch should enter the catch smoothly and the door should stay closed without rattling. If the latch misses the catch entirely, the door is still misaligned—go back to step 6 or 7 and make smaller adjustments.
11. Lock It Down. Once the door closes properly and sits true in the frame, go around and snug every hinge screw one more time. This locks in your adjustment. Do not overtighten—firm and seated is all you need.