Why does my exterior door stick only in summer or after rain?

Wood doors absorb moisture from humid air and rain, causing the wood fibers to swell. The swelling is greatest during summer humidity or after prolonged rain exposure. A door that sticks seasonally — easy to open in winter, difficult in summer — is almost certainly swelling due to moisture absorption. The permanent fix is to plane or sand the sticking edge to remove material, then seal all edges (including the top and bottom of the door) with exterior primer and paint to slow future moisture absorption. Leaving the top and bottom edges of a door unpainted is a leading cause of seasonal swelling.

How do I find exactly where my door is sticking?

Close the door as far as it will go and note where it resists. You can also place a strip of paper between the door and the frame and pull it out — a tight section grips the paper while a loose section lets it slide freely. Another method is to rub chalk or a pencil on the door edge, then close and open it — the chalk will transfer to the frame at the contact point. Common sticking locations are the top corner of the latch side (caused by hinge sag), the middle of the latch side (caused by door swelling), and the bottom edge (caused by floor settling or door sagging).

Can I fix a sticking door without removing it from the hinges?

Often yes, depending on where it sticks. If the door sticks at the top of the latch-side edge, tightening the hinges or shimming a loose hinge often solves the problem without removing the door. If the sticking is minor and on the latch edge, you can sometimes plane the edge in place with the door closed to the sticking point, though this is awkward. For significant swelling or a full-edge drag, removing the door from its hinges gives you much better access and control for planing.

What tools do I need to plane a door?

A hand plane is the traditional tool — a No. 5 jack plane or No. 4 smoothing plane works well for most door planing jobs. A belt sander or random orbital sander with 60-grit paper is a faster alternative for removing larger amounts of material. For fine-tuning, a block plane is excellent. Power planers remove material very quickly but require experience to control, since taking off too much material in one pass is easy. Whichever tool you use, work with the grain of the wood and remove material gradually, testing the fit frequently.

How do I fix a door that sticks because the hinges are loose?

Loose hinge screws are one of the most common causes of a sticking door. When the hinges pull away from the jamb or door frame, the door sags and the top of the latch side drags against the strike plate area. First try tightening the existing screws. If the screw holes are stripped and the screws just spin, remove the screws, fill the holes with wood toothpicks coated with wood glue, let dry for an hour, then reinstall the screws — the toothpicks give the screw threads something to bite into. For severely stripped holes, longer 3-inch screws that reach through the jamb into the wall framing provide a much stronger anchor.

My exterior door has a gap at the top but drags at the bottom — what causes this?

This is the classic symptom of a sagging door, where the door has rotated slightly in the frame — the hinge side dropping and the latch side rising or the latch side bottom dragging. The most common causes are: worn hinge mortises that allow the hinge to sink deeper into the door or jamb; loose or stripped hinge screws; or a door frame that has racked slightly out of square due to settling or structural movement. Start with the hinges — tighten all screws and replace any stripped ones with longer screws. If the door is still sagging after the hinges are secure, a hinge shim (thin cardboard or commercial shim) placed behind the lower hinge pushes the bottom of the door outward and corrects the sag.

How to Fix a Stuck Exterior Door: Step-by-Step Guide

A sticking exterior door is more than an annoyance — it is also a security problem (a door that won’t close fully can’t be locked), an energy problem (gaps waste heat and air conditioning), and a potential safety concern if the door can’t be opened quickly from inside.

What You Need

Hand plane (No. 4 or No. 5) ($25–$80 for a quality bench plane)
3-inch wood screws for hinge repair ($8–$15 for a box)
Door weatherstrip replacement set ($15–$35 for a full door kit)
Belt sander or random orbital sander with 60-grit and 120-grit pads
Screwdriver (Phillips and flathead)
Hammer and chisel
Sawhorses or door jack (for work with door removed)
Exterior primer and paint or clear sealer
Wood toothpicks and wood glue (for stripped hinge screw holes)
Carpenter’s pencil or chalk

Step 1: Diagnose Where and Why the Door Sticks

Before removing anything, diagnose the specific problem. The location of the sticking tells you the cause.

Sticking at top of latch side (most common): The door has sagged — the hinge side is dropping, pulling the latch-side top corner into the top of the frame. Check the hinges for loose screws.

Sticking along the full latch edge: Moisture swelling of the wood. The door has absorbed humidity and expanded. More common on older doors without proper edge sealing.

Sticking at the bottom: The door sill has risen (floor settling), the door bottom has swollen, or the door has sagged enough that the bottom corner drags. Also check whether new flooring was installed that reduced the clearance.

Sticking at the top (full width): The door frame has shifted, or the top rail of the door has swollen. Less common but possible in older homes with significant settling.

To locate the exact contact point: Close the door as far as it goes, then run a strip of paper or cardboard between the door and frame around the perimeter. Where the paper grips tightly is where the door is binding.

Step 2: Fix Loose or Stripped Hinges First

Before planing, always address hinge problems first — planing material off a door that is only sticking because of a loose hinge wastes wood and makes the door fit poorly after the hinge is fixed.

Check all hinge screws. With the door closed, inspect each hinge on both the door and the jamb side. Any movement or visible gap between the hinge leaf and the wood surface indicates a problem.

Tighten screws. Use a screwdriver (not a drill, for better torque control) to snug all screws. If they turn without resistance, the holes are stripped.

Repair stripped holes. Remove the screws. Dip wood toothpicks in wood glue and pack them firmly into the stripped hole — push in as many as the hole will accept. Break them off flush with the surface. Allow the glue to set for at least one hour. Drive the original screws back in — they’ll now have solid wood fiber to bite into.

Upgrade to 3-inch screws. On the hinge jamb side (not the door itself), replace the short hinge screws with 3-inch coarse-thread screws that reach through the door jamb into the structural framing behind it. This is the most reliable fix for a sagging door and prevents the problem from recurring. One 3-inch screw per hinge in the door frame side is sufficient.

Test the door. After hinge repair, open and close the door several times. Many sticking problems disappear at this step.

Step 3: Mark the High Spots

If the door still sticks after hinge repair, you need to remove material from the sticking edge.

Close the door to the point of resistance. Run a carpenter’s pencil along the frame where the door contacts it, marking the door edge at the contact point. Open the door — the pencil mark on the door edge shows exactly where material needs to be removed.

Alternatively, apply chalk to the door edge and close the door firmly, then open it — the chalk transfers to the frame at the contact areas.

Step 4: Plane or Sand the Sticking Edge

For minor sticking (1/16 inch or less): A block plane or belt sander with 60-grit paper is sufficient without removing the door. Work on the latch edge with the door in place — close it to see progress after every few passes.

For significant sticking or full-edge contact: Remove the door for better access. Remove the hinge pins by tapping the bottom of each pin upward with a screwdriver and hammer. Start with the bottom hinge pin first, then the top. Lay the door on sawhorses.

Using a hand plane: Set the plane for a thin shaving (0.01–0.02 inches per pass). Work with the grain — on the latch edge of a door, this means planing from the corner inward toward the center on each pass, not running the plane off the end grain corner. Take light, overlapping passes. Check the fit frequently — hang the door temporarily after every 4–5 passes until the door closes with a consistent 1/8-inch gap around the perimeter.

Using a belt sander: Clamp the door on edge on sawhorses. Work with 60-grit on the high spots, finishing with 120-grit to smooth the surface before painting.

Target clearance: Aim for 1/8 inch (the thickness of a quarter) between the door and frame around the full perimeter when the door is closed. More gap than this allows air infiltration and is covered by weatherstrip. Less gap risks the door sticking again after minor swelling.

Step 5: Seal All Door Edges

This is the step most DIYers skip — and the reason the swelling problem comes back next season.

Before hanging the door back up, apply exterior primer to all six faces of the door — especially the top and bottom edges, which are often left bare. The top edge is hidden when the door is in the frame and the bottom edge faces the threshold, so both are commonly unpainted on older doors.

Seal the top edge with a coat of exterior primer and follow with the finish color, or use an exterior penetrating sealer. The bottom edge can be sealed with exterior primer, painted, or fitted with a door bottom sweep that covers the edge.

Allow the paint or sealer to dry fully before rehanging.

Step 6: Rehang the Door and Check the Fit

Rehang the door by sliding the hinge leaves into position and tapping the pins back in from the top — bottom hinge pin first, then top. Swing the door through its full range of motion. Check that:

The door swings freely without binding
The latch catches when the door is closed without forcing
The gap around the perimeter is approximately 1/8 inch and consistent
The door closes flush with the stop molding on all sides

Step 7: Replace Worn Weatherstrip

While the door is off or accessible, inspect the weatherstrip around the door frame. Weatherstrip that is compressed, torn, or missing allows air and water infiltration. Replacing it takes 20 minutes and significantly improves energy efficiency.

Peel off old adhesive-backed weatherstrip or remove fastened weatherstrip by pulling the nails or staples. Clean the frame surface with a damp cloth and allow it to dry. Cut new foam or vinyl weatherstrip to length and press it firmly into the door stop rabbet, or nail it in place. The weatherstrip should make light contact with the door face when closed — enough to create a seal without adding resistance that makes the door hard to close.

When to Call a Professional

Call a carpenter or door contractor if:

The door frame itself is racked or out of square (visible twist in the opening)
The door sill is rotted or structurally compromised
The door panels or stiles are rotted, cracked, or structurally damaged
After planing, the door still won’t close due to a frame problem
The door is warped significantly (a twist more than 3/16 inch across the diagonal)

⏰ PT2H 💰 $25–$80 🔧 Pry bar, Shims, Level, Exterior caulk, Expanding foam insulation

Diagnose Where and Why the Door Sticks
Before removing anything, diagnose the specific problem. The location of the sticking tells you the cause.
Fix Loose or Stripped Hinges First
Before planing, always address hinge problems first — planing material off a door that is only sticking because of a loose hinge wastes wood and makes the door fit poorly after the hinge is fixed.
Mark the High Spots
If the door still sticks after hinge repair, you need to remove material from the sticking edge.
Plane or Sand the Sticking Edge
For minor sticking (1/16 inch or less): A block plane or belt sander with 60-grit paper is sufficient without removing the door. Work on the latch edge with the door in place — close it to see progress after every few passes.
Seal All Door Edges
This is the step most DIYers skip — and the reason the swelling problem comes back next season.
Rehang the Door and Check the Fit
Rehang the door by sliding the hinge leaves into position and tapping the pins back in from the top — bottom hinge pin first, then top. Swing the door through its full range of motion. Check that:

How to Fix a Stuck Exterior Door: Step-by-Step Guide

What You Need

Step 1: Diagnose Where and Why the Door Sticks

Step 2: Fix Loose or Stripped Hinges First

Step 3: Mark the High Spots

Step 4: Plane or Sand the Sticking Edge

Step 5: Seal All Door Edges

Step 6: Rehang the Door and Check the Fit

Step 7: Replace Worn Weatherstrip

When to Call a Professional

Free: 10-Point Home Maintenance Checklist

Save this for next time.

How to Fix a Stuck Exterior Door: Step-by-Step Guide

What You Need

Step 1: Diagnose Where and Why the Door Sticks

Step 2: Fix Loose or Stripped Hinges First

Step 3: Mark the High Spots

Step 4: Plane or Sand the Sticking Edge

Step 5: Seal All Door Edges

Step 6: Rehang the Door and Check the Fit

Step 7: Replace Worn Weatherstrip

When to Call a Professional

Related Reading

Free: 10-Point Home Maintenance Checklist

Save this for next time.