Kolbe has released a new instructional video on how to adjust adjustable hinges, which provides simple instructions and easy-to-se instructions. Common causes for door hinges not closing properly include misaligned hinges, loose screws, a sagging door, a warped door, or a swollen door due to humidity. To fix these issues, inspect the hinges and tighten any loose ones.
To fine-tune the fit of a new interior door effortlessly, follow these tips on adjusting hinges and door gaps for a seamless finish. Tighten the screws on the door hinges with a screwdriver to straighten the door and allow it to close properly without catching on the other side of the door frame.
To adjust a door by the hinges for better alignment, turn the screw clockwise to tilt the door slab towards the hinge side of the frame. Turn the screw counterclockwise to tilt the door slab.
To adjust the horizontal adjustment, focus on the guide hinges and insert a 3/16″ hex wrench into the horizontal adjustment screw. Set an open-ended adjustable wrench, also called a Crescent wrench, just larger than the hinge knuckle. Remove the hinge pin and bend the door-side knuckles.
In summary, Kolbe’s instructional video on how to adjust adjustable hinges offers simple and easy-to-se instructions for fixing door hinge issues.
📹 How To Adjust A Door Hinge
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This is the best ever. My sagging door frustrated me quite a while. And I tried a couple of approaches from Yotube. Some of them required me to bend the hing knuckles a bit which didn’t fit my case because the door casing to close to the hinge and almost zero space for a wrench not to say bending it. This approach with the article perfectly solved my problem without any damage on the hinge itself.
Omg. I’ve been so frustrated by the weather stripping on my door, messing around with it, and then I noticed it’s just that the door is hanging crooked. Which is also why it doesn’t latch properly. I felt really intimidated by trying to fix it, until I watched your article. Thanks for saving our heating bill!
Thank you! I have a space at the top of my exterior door that lets in a lot of cold air in the winter. I knew I needed to adjust the hinges, but aside from tightning screws, I had no idea how. I’m a single female and I can’t afford a handyman. I rely on knowledgeable people like you, to help me fix things. Thanks for your simple, concise instructions.
Instead of using cardboard, remove the hinge on the jamb side and install a small screw in the same place leaving the head of the screw out a little (I always use extra hinge screws) then reinstall the hinge. Cardboard is to soft and doesn’t really keep the hinge “jacked over” when you screw the hinge back in place
Thank you very much for this article. I had a door that was stuck at the top edge all the way to the corner on the latch side. It had been making awful noise for years, even cracking the drywall in the corner it was so bad. Looked at alot of articles- all involved bending the hinges, which I knew I would screw up. Your method was great because it could be easily undone if it didn’t work right. I decided to shim the top hinge with a quadruple fold of cardboard from an old greeting card. First try it worked perfectly, and the door closes silently now. Amazing. Thank you so much for a very clear and helpful article 🙂
Thank you for explaining this. The article is thorough and full of useful information. My son’s bedroom door wouldn’t latch properly and this fix solved it. I used a piece of cardboard from an apple pie box, folded it over a few times, and slid it behind the hinge plate. When I tightened the screws, the door shut perfectly. You delivered as promised. This fix was easy and free! I appreciate you sharing this knowledge. Keep being awesome.
Hey, I just watched you End of Houseimprovements article. I wanted to take a minute and let you know this here article helped me fix my front door. We had a deadbolt that had been hard to turn for a long time. This was the first article I watched after searching for a door alignment article, and I was able to fix my door in 10 minutes. No more sticky deadbolt. Thank you!
Shannon, thanks for the vid. I love your website. I have a front entry door where the top corner of the latch side protrudes in away from the stop and stands proud of the jamb about 1/4 to 3/8″. I’m thinking the door frame was twisted during install. Is there a way to adjust the hinges to correct this or would I have to rehang the door within the jamb? Uninstalling the entire door frame is not an option. Thanks for any insight!
Hi Shannon. Another great article. I’ve been a huge fan and subscriber for a longtime now. I’m needing some huge advice on my walk out basement door. I replaced just the door, and the bottom plate of it as well. Both Master craft. At first everything was fitting right except two things. There’s a gap at the upper right hand side of the door, as well as a gap at the lower left of the door. I’ve tried everything that I can think of as a DIY’er, but could really really use your expertise advice and knowledge on this one. I have even exchanged the hinges out for new ones, and that didn’t even help. About a month ago, as it started to get cold here in MI. It got to where I couldn’t even close the door, without sitting down and using my heel to close it. I bought the exterior door custom so it was painted&had two holes instead of one. Air is coming through gaps good. I had to even chisel for the hinges. Any help would be totally thankful and well appreciated. Thanks so much, and keep articles coming👍🏻
Honestly You should be embarrassed by this article. Telling ppl to stick cardboard in the hinge…. The CORRECT & FREE WAY TO FIX THAT is to remove pin on the problem hinge, take a wrench & very slightly bend the top/ midle & bttm of the outer 3 pce hinge inward towards the door then rei-nsert the pin. That will fix it the right way bro instead of shoving stupid paper in the hinge to fix it for 24 hrs. Geeezus….
That’s the way, cardboard (non corrugated which is what I guess you’re eluding to, as it doesn’t compress much) is great. I find for a slightly thicker shim than hinge box I use Ram Board, very dense and hardly compresses at all. When we’re tearing it up after a job, I cut up some of the best stuff into strips, then chuck it into the shim bucket. TopTip™ for the day! 😉
Thank you! At least this method allowed me to adjust the door where I can now use the door knob lock again. At least it should last until I can get someone more handy to come in and look at my door. I had trouble with the dead bolt too, but for now I won’t have to file as much off the strike plate to get that working too.
Wow! great article tutorial. I bought this house and it has 30 yr old Frenchwood Andersen patio doors. One is leaking air, so I replaced the weather strip. It still leaks air and so I saw the door hinges need adjustments. I’m so glad to find this tutorial on adjusting the doors. Maybe making this adjustment will help seal off the air infiltration.
My door began rubbing on the bottom, before I came on this web site I began adjusting to no avail. After your explanation I got the door lined up and then raised it off the sill. It opens and closes without any problem now. EXCEPT? The hinges squeak terribly loud. I have tried turning the bottom screw clockwise and counterclockwise on each hinge but the squeak remains. What do you suggest I do to stop the noise? Thank you Wendell
It’s amazing how things around the house go for years before I get off my butt and figure out how to fix them. I built our home in 2004. I installed one double French door and two since center French doors. Two of them had become out of alignment over the years. Last week, while letting my dog out the double doors, I realized I needed to fix them. Thank you so much for your article. I was easy to find and very easy to follow. Wish I had gotten to them sooner. Now on to the other homeowner projects for an 18 year old home.
Well.. that IS quite damn useful ! We have had problems with a certain door since we moved in to the house way back 17 years ago… The door has been removed and reset but never quite right. I did this adjustment today as there was some rubbing on the weeping plate down on the sill. Now, if they could use a more common wrench side such as 1/4 but never fear… my metric set provided a 4mm that fit the bill. I stuck the wrench in the two holes and found that there are set screws in there, only not visible. By following the procedure, I was finally able to get the door to close without rubbing against the aluminum sill/weather strip. I still had to redo the work today, for a lesser problem: the lock was super hard to open and close… I had to make the top side of the door further from the wall. Solved again… (01/2019) Another round of adjustment… now I opened one of mine to check some of the instructions and mine seems to be some sort of version 1.0 as the set screws turn counterclockwise to tighten the movable piece in place… The top of the door was “loose” and is what made me double check the guts of the hinge. Everything is (again) adjusted… but this time, I turned the set screws to tighten it in place.
I had my door for coming up on 20 years every summer by the time we get to the end of the summer the door is on a filter the left side of the door drags and it will not go shot I’ve made the adjustments I’ve had to watch this article every year for a refresher but why does it keep loosening up? Do I need to superglue these things in place once I get it adjusted?
I have 2 sets of old Peach Tree French exterior doors, just like this one by Anderson. However, Peach Tree when out of business years ago but the hinge looks just like the Anderson. My doors have held up well and now I will try this adjustment now that I’ve move them into the new basement framing. Thanks!