Rubbing Doors: How to fix?
- Outlook Homes
- Dec 26, 2025
- 2 min read
Doors in your new home may begin to rub slightly when opening or closing. It’s actually quite common, especially during your first year in the home—and usually nothing to worry about.
Common Causes of Door Rubbing
New homes undergo a natural “settling in” period. During this time, several normal factors can contribute to minor door misalignments:
Drying Lumber: The wood used to frame the home, as well as doors themselves, often contains residual moisture. As the lumber dries out over time, it can shrink slightly, leading to subtle shifts in alignment.
Initial Usage: As doors are used for the first time, the weight and movement can cause the hinges to settle or sag a bit, especially on heavier doors like solid-core ones.
Lumber Deflection: Even properly installed framing can experience minor deflection or bowing as the structure adjusts to loads and seasonal changes in temperature and humidity. These small shifts can cause doors to rub at the top, bottom, or latch side.
Simple Fixes You Can Try
Most door rubbing issues are quick and inexpensive to resolve:
Tighten the Screws: The most common cause of a sagging door is a loose screw in the top hinge. Tightening the screws—or better yet, replacing short screws with longer 2½–3" screws that anchor into the framing—can often lift the door back into position.
Adjust the Hinges: If the door still rubs, try slightly bending the hinge leaf with a crescent wrench to adjust the door’s swing or spacing.
Plane the Door Edge: In rare cases, especially with stubborn rubbing at the top or bottom, a small amount of material can be sanded or planed off the door edge. Be sure to refinish any exposed wood to prevent moisture damage.
Check for Seasonal Changes: Humidity can cause doors to expand or contract. If the issue only occurs during certain seasons, it may resolve on its own or require only minimal adjustment.
As always, during your one-year warranty period you can also submit a warranty claim, and we will evaluate and address door adjustments during your warranty service appointment.
