Rubs at the top latch-side corner
The gap gets tight at the top opposite the hinges, and the door scuffs there first when you close it.
Start here: Start with the top hinge screws and look for movement between the hinge leaf and the jamb.
Door alignment problem
Door Sagging
Direct answer: Most sagging doors are caused by loose hinge screws or a top hinge that has started pulling away from the jamb. Start at the hinge side and the top corner gap before you do anything destructive.
Most likely: The most likely fix is tightening or replacing stripped door hinge screws, especially at the top hinge. If the screws will not hold or the hinge leaves are worn, the door hinge itself is the next likely repair.
When a door sags, the clues are usually right in front of you: the top reveal gets tight on the latch side, the latch stops lining up, and the door may drag at one upper corner. Reality check: a door that worked fine for years usually did not suddenly get "too big" overnight. Common wrong move: planing the edge before checking the top hinge screws.
Don’t start with: Do not start by trimming the door slab, forcing the latch, or shimming random spots behind trim. Those moves hide the real problem and can make the fit worse.
If the top latch-side corner rubs first,check the top hinge screws and hinge leaf movement before anything else.
If the whole opening looks out of square,you may be dealing with frame movement, not just bad door hardware.
Last reviewed: 2026-04-04
What a sagging door usually looks like
Needs lifting to latch
You have to pull up on the knob or push hard to get the latch into the strike.
Start here: Check whether the door slab has dropped on the latch side or whether the strike is just slightly low.
Drags on the threshold or floor
The bottom edge scrapes, usually more on the latch side than the hinge side.
Start here: Look for a dropped slab from loose hinges before assuming the threshold or floor is the problem.
Hinge side looks loose or cracked
You can see a widening gap at a hinge, stripped screws, cracked wood at the jamb, or hinge leaves that no longer sit flat.
Start here: Focus on the damaged hinge location first. A screw that will not tighten is a stronger clue than minor rubbing marks.
Most likely causes
1. Loose or stripped door hinge screws
This is the most common cause. The top hinge carries a lot of the door's weight, and once those screws loosen, the latch side drops and the top corner starts rubbing.
Quick check: Open the door partway and watch the top hinge while gently lifting the handle side. If the hinge leaf shifts or a screw spins without tightening, you found a likely cause.
2. Worn or bent door hinges
If the screws are tight but the hinge knuckles are sloppy, bent, or separating, the door can still sag and misalign.
Quick check: Compare the top hinge to the lower hinges. Look for a hinge leaf that sits proud, a bent pin area, or extra play at the knuckle.
3. Door jamb wood no longer holding screws well
Older soft wood, repeated tightening, or a heavy door can wallow out the screw holes so the hinge looks tight at first but keeps moving under load.
Quick check: Remove one suspect screw from the top hinge. If the threads come out dusty, short, or with chewed-up wood, the jamb may not be holding fasteners anymore.
4. Door frame or house movement
If the reveals are uneven all around, several doors in the area act up, or you see trim cracks, the opening itself may have shifted.
Quick check: Stand back and compare the gap around the slab. If the hinge side and latch side are both off, or the head gap changes across the top, the frame may be out of square.
Step-by-step fix
Step 1: Read the gap pattern before touching hardware
The rub marks and reveal tell you whether the slab has dropped, the hinges are loose, or the frame has moved. That keeps you from fixing the wrong thing.
- Close the door slowly and look at the gap along the top and both sides.
- Note where the gap is tightest: top latch-side corner, bottom latch side, hinge side, or all around.
- Look for fresh paint rubs, shiny spots, scrape marks on the threshold, and a latch that sits low against the strike.
- Open the door halfway and lift gently on the handle side to feel for play.
Next move: If the pattern clearly shows the latch side has dropped and the top corner is rubbing, move to the top hinge first. If the gap pattern is inconsistent or the whole opening looks crooked, keep going and inspect the hinges and jamb before deciding on a repair.
What to conclude: A single tight upper corner usually points to hinge-side sag. A generally skewed opening points more toward frame movement.
Stop if:
- The door is heavy enough that you cannot control it safely alone.
- The slab is cracked, split at a hinge, or looks ready to fall off the hinges.
- You see major wall or trim movement that suggests structural shifting beyond a simple door adjustment.
Step 2: Tighten and test the top hinge first
This is the fastest, least destructive fix, and it solves a large share of sagging door calls.
- Support the door so its weight is not hanging hard on the screws.
- Snug all visible screws on the top hinge at the door and jamb side.
- Pay attention to screws that spin, back out easily, or never get firm.
- Close the door and recheck the top gap and latch alignment after tightening.
Next move: If the reveal improves and the latch lines up again, the problem was loose hardware. Keep using the door and recheck in a few days. If one or more screws will not tighten, or the hinge still shifts under load, the screw holes or the hinge itself need attention.
What to conclude: A door that improves immediately after tightening usually does not need trimming. A screw that will not bite points to stripped jamb wood or the wrong screw length.
Step 3: Separate bad screws from a bad hinge
You do not want to buy hinges when the real problem is stripped wood, and you do not want to keep chasing screws if the hinge is worn out.
- Inspect the top hinge leaf on both the door and jamb side for bending, cracked screw holes, or a leaf that no longer sits flat.
- Compare the top hinge to the middle and bottom hinges for visible wear or extra slop at the knuckle.
- Remove one suspect top-hinge screw and inspect the threads and the wood it came from.
- If the screw is short or damaged, replace it with a proper door hinge screw that pulls the hinge snug into solid wood.
- If the screw holds but the hinge still has play or sits distorted, plan on replacing that door hinge.
Next move: If a better screw pulls the hinge tight and the door closes square, you likely only needed fresh door hinge screws. If the screw still will not hold or the hinge remains loose and sloppy, the jamb wood may be stripped or the hinge is worn enough to replace.
Step 4: Repair the hinge-side hold before changing the door slab
Most sagging doors need the hinge side restored, not the door edge cut down. This is where you correct the source instead of the symptom.
- If the top hinge screw holes are stripped, move to longer or fresh door hinge screws only if they can bite into solid framing behind the jamb.
- If the top hinge is bent, worn, or cracked, replace the matching door hinge with the same size and finish style so the leaf fits the existing mortise.
- Reinstall the hinge snug and test the door swing, top gap, and latch alignment.
- If the hinge side is now solid but the strike is slightly off, adjust the strike position only after the door is hanging correctly.
Next move: If the door swings freely, the top reveal is even, and the latch meets the strike without lifting, the sag repair is done. If the hinge side is solid and the door is still badly out of square, the frame or jamb has likely moved and this is no longer just a hinge repair.
Step 5: Finish with the right next move
The last step is making sure you do not leave a half-fixed door that keeps chewing up hinges, paint, or weatherstripping.
- Open and close the door several times from fully open to fully latched.
- Check that the top and side gaps look reasonably even and that the latch enters the strike without lifting the door.
- If the door only acts up during humid or rainy weather, treat that as a sticking or swelling problem rather than more hinge work.
- If the opening is visibly racked, trim is cracking, or hinge repairs will not hold, schedule a carpenter or door pro to reset the jamb and inspect the framing.
A good result: If the door closes smoothly and stays aligned after repeated cycles, you fixed the real cause.
If not: If alignment keeps drifting back, stop adjusting hardware and move to a frame-level repair with a pro.
What to conclude: A stable repair stays stable. If the door keeps dropping again, the support behind the hinge side is failing or the opening has moved.
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FAQ
Can I fix a sagging door by just tightening screws?
Often, yes. Loose top-hinge screws are the most common cause. If the screws tighten firmly and the hinge leaf pulls flat, that may be all the repair you need.
Should I plane the door if it rubs at the top?
Usually no, not at first. A top-corner rub is classic hinge-side sag. If you plane the door before fixing the hinge side, you can end up with a bad gap after the real problem is corrected.
How do I know if the hinge is bad or the wood is stripped?
If the screws hold tight but the hinge still has visible play, bent leaves, or a sloppy knuckle, the hinge is likely bad. If the screw spins or pulls out without getting firm, the wood or screw fit is the problem.
Why does my door only sag enough to stick sometimes?
Small alignment problems show up more when humidity changes, the house shifts a little seasonally, or the door gets used hard. If it acts up mostly during wet weather, swelling may be part of the problem too.
When should I call a pro for a sagging door?
Call a pro if the jamb is split, rotten, or pulling loose, if the opening is visibly out of square, or if hinge repairs will not hold. That usually means the fix has moved beyond simple hardware and into jamb or framing work.