8 Common Reasons Your Door Won’t Open (and How to Fix It)
If you’re feeling stuck, there’s likely a quick fix
Reasons for a stuck door can be as simple as normal wear and as complicated as a settling foundation.
The cost to repair a door varies depending on what’s causing it to stick.
Replacing a door costs between $100 and $1,600 on average.
We’ve all been there—you close the door to a room, and when you go to open it, it just won’t budge. The panic sets in. Will you ever get out? Here are some of the main reasons why doors won’t open and how to solve the problem.
1. Dirt Buildup
Cleaning on top of the door or cleaning the inside of a door frame is often overlooked, so dirt and debris can build up there over time. The buildup causes the door to stick.
Solution
Make sure to clean around your door and door frame regularly to avoid buildup and allow the door to swing freely. If you’re feeling really motivated, you can even take the door off its hinges and give it a good cleaning with an all-purpose cleaner. This can also alleviate any squeaking door issues.
2. The Strike Plate
You know that metal thing attached to the door jamb? It actually has a name—the strike plate. The plate has a hole in it, and when the door shuts, the latch catches in the hole. If everything doesn’t line up perfectly or if your strike plate is sticking out from the doorjamb, your door can get stuck or won’t close properly.
Solution
If you see that the strike plate is sticking out from the door jamb or you can feel that the screws are loose, tighten the screws with an electric screwdriver. You can also fix a wonky strike plate with a hammer if the problem is that it’s simply not laying flat.
If the problem isn’t that the strike plate is sticking out and the latch doesn’t line up with the hole anymore due to shifting over time, there are a couple of things you can do.
Unscrew the strike plate and realign it with the door latch
Drill a new hole for the latch with an electric drill
The issue also might be that the latch doesn’t fit the hole any longer due to warping over time. In this case, you don’t need to remove the entire strike plate; use a metal file or an electric planer to shave out a larger hole until the latch fits.
3. Humidity
All weather conditions affect your home, and humidity or high precipitation causes wood to swell. Your exterior doors are particularly vulnerable to the elements. The doors then stick when it gets humid.
Solution
If expansion is your culprit, you’ll need to take your door down off its hinges and sand the edges, leaving more room for your door to fit in the frame. Be careful not to sand too much off, as this will leave you with large gaps.
If you’re not comfortable taking the door down or are not sure how much to sand down, you may want to call in a door repair pro in your area to do the job. The average cost for a door repair job is between $100 and $300, depending on the scope of the project.
4. Poor Installation
Incorrect installation is a common reason for malfunctioning doors. While hanging a door seems like a simple project, even a small mistake could lead to a stuck door.
Solution
Reinstallation is the best solution for this issue. Either take your doors down yourself, re-measure, and try again, or read these tips to hire a door repair pro to rehang the door. If you choose to DIY the project, be very careful and precise with your measurements so you don’t have to do it again.
5. Shifting Foundation
While a non-level foundation may not be discernible by just looking at a home, the doors won’t lie. Windows can also be affected by a shifting foundation.
The ground underneath your home expands and contracts with precipitation and shifts with age, so it’s possible that your foundation is experiencing what’s called settlement, which is simply soil shifting beneath the home.
Solution
There’s no easy fix for foundation problems, so if you suspect that’s what’s causing your doors to stick, call in a local structural engineer ASAP. On average, foundational repair costs around $2,000 to $7,000, so you want to address the issue immediately to avoid any further expense than is necessary.
6. Broken Hinge
A broken hinge or a stripped screw hole can cause a stuck door in the frame, especially if the hinges are noticeably loose.
Solution
Replace the hinge if it’s broken. If the problem is that the screw holes are stripped, you may have to move the hinge slightly or buy an anchor kit to fill in the gaps around the screw. You can find anchor kits at any local hardware store.
7. Normal Use
Just like everything in a home, doors suffer the wear and tear of age and frequent use. You might simply have a stuck door because it’s old and worn down.
Solution
If normal use is the issue, your best bet is to replace the door. Hiring a professional to install a new door usually costs between $500 and $1,600, with the cost varying based on customizations like smart locks or glass work (usually for exterior doors).
Replacing interior doors runs slightly less at $100 to $1,000, depending on whether or not the frame also needs to be replaced.
8. Seasonal Changes
In addition to humidity, other extreme changes in temperature or weather can damage a door. In the winter, high moisture can cause additional condensation. Pair that with cold temperatures and your door jamb could freeze, causing it to not open.
Solution
In general, if frost or freezing if your issue use a de-icer to slowly work away at the frozen parts of the door. Avoid pouring hot water or using other solutions to melt the ice, as this could damage the door or cause more frost to form. If warm temperatures are the result, you likely have the humidity and expansion problem mentioned above.
When to Call a Pro
Most door sticking issues can be fixed in an afternoon yourself with minimal supplies and some elbow grease. But in extreme cases, or a door that is already on its last leg, you’ll want to hire a pro. A professional door installer can evaluate your current door, suggest a better replacement, and dispose of the old door. Most front doors last on average 30 or more years, so the investment in a quality new door is worth it.
How to Prevent a Stuck Door
A stuck door is your house’s quiet way of telling you it needs maintenance. With a few simple habits, you can keep your doors swinging freely and avoid that awkward shoulder shove we’ve all had to resort to.
Inspect regularly: Give your doors a once-over a couple of times a year to catch small problems like loose hinges or misaligned frames.
Tighten loose screws: Check the hinges, latch plate, and knob to make sure everything’s snug.
Lubricate moving parts: Keep the hinges moving freely by applying a silicone-based spray or white lithium grease every few months.
Clean your door and frame: Wipe down the edges of your door and frame to keep dirt and grime from building up and causing extra friction.
Check for swelling: Pay extra attention during humid months. If your door starts to drag, lightly sand any swollen areas to keep it smooth.
Seal unfinished wood: If your door is bare wood, seal it properly to lock out moisture and cut down on warping or swelling later on.
Ensure proper clearance: Double-check that there’s a consistent, small gap around the door.
Adjust latch placement: If the latch isn’t catching the strike plate cleanly, tweak the plate’s position to align everything.
Using force to open a door is not recommended, as this could cause serious injury or permanent damage to your door and surrounding door frame. If it’s a front door that you’ve lost the keys for, it’s better to call a locksmith. If it’s an interior door without any lock that you plan on keeping, a handyman can help. Finally, if it’s an old door that you plan to replace anyway, a professional door installer can remove the stuck door and source a replacement.
The strike plate, hinges, and handle are the parts of a door most prone to damage. These parts see the most frequent use, causing them to wear and twear faster than other parts of a door. If you’re experiencing door issues, check these three parts first to see if they need repairing or replacing.
If your door handle turns without opening, the most likely culprit is a loose or stripped spindle. This part connects the handles to the latch mechanism, and when it’s not properly engaged, turning the handle does nothing. Other issues might include a broken latch, loose screws, or even something small blocking an inner mechanism. In any case, it’s usually a matter of tightening, adjusting, or replacing a worn-out part inside the handle assembly—or calling in a professional to do it for you.
