Technical > Home Improvement > Making small adjustments to door hinge or strike plate

Making small adjustments to door hinge or strike plate

Drill the holes oblong, then cut the heads off some kitchen match sticks, jam them into the holes and put the screws in where you want them.
For the bottom hinge shimming it with a little paper or light cardboard behind the hinge plate to tilt it slightly will work.

Yeah... sometimes even a matchbook cover behind the hinge plate can make quite a bit of difference.

reply to quatrix
I`ve made some small adjustments to the original strike plates in my 1901 home with a file or dremel.. If the door has slightly sunk, and installing new screws in the hinges didnt work, i just file a bit off the plate so the latch will engage.

The suggestion of a spacer behind a hinge or plate is a good idea, I`ll have to keep that in mind.. Though i`d probably use a good cedar shim instead of a matchbook..

good luck

-j
--
if it aint broke, tweak it!!
currently on FiOS (kick aZZ!)

I second the dremel and file for strike plate adjustment.

reply to quatrix
Sorry, "pushed out" is ambiguous. Both the hinge and strike plate are level with the door frame and don't need to be sunk more or less into the frame. They need to be shifted left or right ("pushed out" toward the inside of the room).

reply to quatrix
I have this same problem. In my case I need the door to close tighter. It moves around too much when latched and the deadbolt doesn't easily lock unless I pull on the door.

The match stick idea is brilliant!
--
AT&T U-Hearse - RIP Unlimited Internet 1995-2011
Rethink Billable.

reply to quatrix
Thanks for the suggestions. We don't have matches, but I jammed a toothpick into each of the old holes instead. We don't have a file or chisel either, but I used a small drill bit and a screwdriver to (eventually) achieve the same effect. Both doors close smoothly now.

reply to Pacrat