Doors that close fine all winter and then rub, stick or won't latch from June to September are a classic DMV problem. Wood absorbs moisture in our humid summers and swells. The good news: most sticking doors don't need to be planed down, and planing should be the last resort, not the first.
CHECK THE HINGES FIRST
A door that sags at the latch side is the most common cause of rubbing. Open the door and check the screws in the top hinge. If any are loose, tighten them. If they spin, replace one screw in the top hinge with a 3-inch screw that reaches through the jamb into the wall framing. That pulls the whole door back up and often solves the problem in five minutes.
FIND WHERE IT RUBS
- Look for shiny or worn paint on the door edge or the jamb.
- Close the door on a sheet of paper at several points. Where the paper won't pull out, that's the tight spot.
THE FIXES
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Door sags, rubs at top latch corner | Tighten top hinge or add a long screw into the framing |
| Latch misses the strike plate | Adjust or file the strike plate opening |
| Paint buildup on edges | Sand the edge lightly and repaint thinly |
| Swollen door that sticks all summer | Plane or sand the tight edge in summer, then seal it |
| Gaps at top on one side, tight on the other | Possible framing settlement; have it assessed |
The edges nobody paints are the problem. The top and bottom edges of many doors were never sealed, so they soak up humidity. After trimming or sanding a door, always seal every edge, including top and bottom, so it doesn't happen again.
WHEN TO REPLACE
Hollow-core doors that have delaminated, exterior doors that let in drafts or water, and doors that have been planed so often they now have gaps are often better replaced. See our door installation cost guide.
RELATED READING
INTERIOR DOOR INSTALLATION COSTS: DC, MD & VA (2026)
Prehung vs. slab, hollow core vs. solid core — what interior door replacement costs and the sizing issue older DMV homes run into.
DRYWALL NAIL POPS: WHY THEY HAPPEN AND HOW TO FIX THEM
Why they show up every winter, when they're a warning sign, and the repair that keeps them gone.
SUMMER HOME MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST FOR DMV HOMEOWNERS
What to inspect, clean, and repair before the DMV summer hits — the checklist that prevents expensive reactive repairs in late summer and fall.
Planning a project? See our Door Installation service page for scope, process and recent work.
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