Adjusting a door vs. planing and sanding

Wet weather makes doors stick and bind. If you're tired of pulling and tugging, you're probably ready to start planing and sanding. But not so fast. Knowing why doors stick can help solve the problem quickly and easily. Doors often bind because the opening somehow shifted, moving it out of square. Usually the culprit is moisture -- sometimes in the ground under your house rather than in the door frame itself. The wet ground expands, and part of the foundation moves up or down creating an uneven floor. Thus frames shift and doors bind. Often you can skip planing and sanding by simply adjusting the door hinges instead. Just pull out the hinge pins, one at a time, and bend the rungs opposite the way you want the door to move. After a little trial and error, you'll get the idea. As months roll on and things dry out, you just bend the hinges back as needed. And that's the On The House tip for today.

-- The Carey Brothers