Expert: Jamie Yocono - 3/29/2008

Question
Hi - I have a closet door that won't stay open. It always slowly swings shut. I assume its a balance problem. I have tried adjusting the hinge pegs but no luck. There is also a door/wall guard in the first hinge. Do you have any suggestions on how to adjust the door so it will stay open when I want it to? Thank you in advance for your help.

Answer
Hi Sue,

I'll try to help, but this is a little out of my area of expertise.

You mentioned you tried adjusting the hinge pegs, but I don't think that's the issue. I think one of the hinges is not in perfect alignment with the other. Ideally, they should be mortised (recessed) into the jam at the exact depth on both the top and bottom. Usually, if one is deeper than the other, this makes the  hinges not perfectly plumb with each other, and can cause it to not stay open.

Here's a suggestion. You don't have to take the door off at all. Cut a piece of cardboard roughly the same size as the part of the hinge that is screwed into your jamb. I'm guessing this size would be roughly 3" tall and about 1.5 inches wide. Remove the screws in one of the hinge plates that is attached to the jamb. Maybe try this on the bottom hinge first. Then put the piece of cardboard under the plate and reinstall the screws. Basically, the cardboard is simply a shim, to bring the hinge out a little from the jamb. After the shim is in place, try the door to see if you still have the problem.

If it's better- but not perfect - add another shim under it to bring the hinge out a little more. You can't shim it too much, though, or your door might not close properly.

If it's worse, then remove the shim and install it on the top hinge, instead.

You may have to play around with it a little bit, but I think adding a shim under on of the hinges is the solution. Good luck, write back if this doesn't help and you need more info.


Jamie Yocono
www.wooditis.com
Las Vegas, NV