How to Fix a Sagging Door: Hinge Screws, Shims, and Strike Plate Adjustment (2026)
A sagging door that drags at the bottom or binds at the top latch corner is almost always a hinge problem. This guide covers tightening hinge screws with longer screws, shimming loose hinges, and adjusting the strike plate after correcting the sag.
A door that sags (drags at the bottom or binds at the top latch corner) is almost always caused by loose hinge screws — specifically the top hinge. Fix: replace the 1-inch screws in the top hinge with 3-inch screws that reach the structural framing behind the door jamb. This single change fixes 90% of sagging doors in under 15 minutes. The long screws pull the hinge back to the framing and lift the door back into alignment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does replacing with long screws fix a sagging door?
The standard screws that come with most door hinges (3/4 to 1 inch) only penetrate the door jamb wood — they don't reach the structural framing stud behind it. Over time, these short screws work loose because the jamb wood is relatively thin and gets compressed by the door's weight. Long screws (3 inches) pass through the jamb and bite into the solid framing stud, providing much stronger support. The top hinge carries most of the door's swinging load — that's almost always where the sag originates.
How do I know which hinge is causing the sag?
Open the door to 90 degrees. Grab the door handle and try to lift and lower the door — you'll feel play in the hinges. Push the door toward the hinge side — you can sometimes see which hinge lifts off the mortise. Visually inspect all hinge screws: loose, stripped, or missing screws are the culprit. In most sagging doors, the top hinge has at least one stripped screw hole.
What do I do if the screw holes are stripped?
A stripped screw hole (the screw spins but doesn't tighten) means the wood fibers are compressed and will no longer grip the threads. Two fixes: (1) Toothpick method — apply wood glue to 3–4 toothpicks, pack them into the hole, let dry, snap off flush, and redrive the screw. This works well for shallow holes with minor stripping. (2) Longer screw — jump from a 1-inch to a 3-inch screw that bypasses the stripped zone entirely and reaches solid wood. The long screw fix is permanent; the toothpick fix is semi-permanent.
After fixing the hinges, the door still doesn't latch. What now?
Correcting the sag shifts the door position, so the latch bolt may no longer align with the strike plate hole. Check: close the door and see if the latch bolt hits high, low, or to the side of the strike plate hole. High: the strike plate needs to move up, or the top of the hole needs to be filed. Low: move the plate down. To the side: move the strike plate. In most cases you can file the existing strike plate rather than moving it — a metal file removes material in 10–15 minutes and often eliminates the need for repositioning entirely.
My door sags and no hinge screws are loose. What else could it be?
Less common causes: (1) Hinge shimming needed — if a hinge was installed without a proper mortise (hinge plate proud of the jamb surface), the hinge can't pull fully closed. (2) Foundation settlement — in older homes, the door frame itself has shifted out of square due to foundation movement. Check the door frame with a 4-foot level. If the frame is out of plumb by more than 1/4 inch: planing the door edge is a temporary fix; the frame itself needs correction. (3) Swollen door — in humid climates, wood doors swell seasonally and sag at the hinge side when the hinges can't accommodate the expansion.
A door that sags (drags at the bottom or binds at the top latch corner) is almost always caused by loose hinge screws — specifically the top hinge. Fix: replace the 1-inch screws in the top hinge with 3-inch screws that reach the structural framing behind the door jamb.
A sagging door is one of the most common and fixable problems in a house.
What you need
- 3-inch wood screws (coarse thread — same head type as existing hinge screws)
- #2 Phillips screwdriver or drill
- Metal file (if strike plate adjustment is needed)
- Toothpicks and wood glue (for stripped holes)
Step 1: Diagnose which hinge is loose
Open the door. Grab the handle and try to lift — you’ll feel play at the loose hinge. Look for screws that spin without catching. The top hinge is the most common culprit.
Step 2: Replace hinge screws with long screws
Remove one screw at a time from the hinge — the entire hinge at once. Replace each standard screw with a 3-inch coarse-thread screw. Drive slowly so it threads into the framing behind the jamb.
The screw will pull the hinge tight to the jamb and into the framing. You’ll feel the resistance increase as it catches solid wood.
Repeat for the remaining screws in the top hinge. If the door was significantly loose, do the middle hinge as well.
Step 3: Test the door swing
Close the door and check the reveal (gap between door edge and frame). It should be uniform — about 1/8 inch on hinge side and latch side. The door should close fully without lifting the handle.
Step 4: Adjust the strike plate if needed
If the latch no longer catches after correcting the sag: look at where the latch bolt contacts the strike plate. File the edge of the strike plate opening to match the new latch position. File gradually and test often.
If the latch is off by more than 1/4 inch: loosen the strike plate, shift, and retighten (add wood filler to old screw holes first if needed).
Related guides
- How to Fix a Door That Won’t Latch — full latch troubleshooting after sag repair
- How to Fix a Door That Won’t Close — additional door binding fixes
- How to Fix a Loose Door Handle — loose handle hardware on a sagging door
- How to Stop a Squeaky Door — hinge lubrication once the door hangs correctly
- Identify the sag location
Open and close the door slowly. A sagging door typically drags at the bottom latch corner and binds at the top hinge corner. Check all hinge screws — tighten each one firmly. If any screw spins freely without gripping (stripped hole), that hinge is the primary cause of the sag. A door that has sagged for years may also need a strike plate adjustment after the hinge is fixed.
- Replace stripped hinge screws with longer screws
Stripped hinge screws are the most common cause of door sag. Remove the screw(s) that are spinning without gripping. Replace with 3-inch #9 or #10 wood screws — these reach through the door jamb and into the structural framing behind it. A 3/4-inch screw only grips the jamb; a 3-inch screw grips the jack stud or king stud, which cannot pull out. Drive the longer screws slowly to avoid splitting the jamb. This repair often eliminates sag in a single step.
- Fill stripped holes for standard screw replacement
If you want to use the original screw size (or the hinge is not near solid framing): fill the stripped holes before re-driving the screws. Remove the hinge. Pack wooden toothpicks or a short section of wooden dowel into the hole with wood glue. Let dry 1 hour. Trim flush. Reinstall the hinge and drive the original screws — they now grip the solid wood fill. This works well on interior jambs where reaching framing with a longer screw is difficult.
- Adjust the strike plate
After fixing the hinge, the door may close but the latch bolt no longer aligns with the strike plate hole. Test: close the door slowly and feel where the latch contacts the strike plate. Use a lipstick or marker on the latch bolt and close the door — the mark shows exactly where the latch contacts the strike. If the latch hits above or below the strike hole: loosen the strike plate screws and move the plate to align with the latch mark. Enlarge the mortise (the recess the strike sits in) with a chisel if needed.
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