Realign Interior Door

Tools:

shims
utility knife
scissors
hammer
chisel
awl
level
flat head and Phillips-head screwdriver
safety glasses

1. A creeping door is a common problem, usually caused by settling of the house. First use a level to find out if the door is out of alignment and to determine which end to adjust (figure A). In this case, the lower hinge mortise needed to be built out a bit and the upper mortise needed to be just a bit deeper.

2. Remove the hinge pins and take the door off. Next use a screwdriver to remove the hinge plates from the doorjamb (figure B).

3. Use a chisel to outline the area where you need to chisel away material. Make a series of horizontal grooves inside the perimeter, then evenly chisel out some of the mortise material (figure C).

4. To build out the bottom hinge, cut a piece of thin wood veneer to match the lower hinge plate (figure D). Place the veneer between the lower hinge and the doorjamb and replace the hinge.

5. Remount the door and check that it is level.