The Doors in the House Are Sticking

• A door that sticks is frustrating, especially when you discover that it did not latch properly when you locked up for the night. Weather changes cause wood doors to swell, and this is sometimes the reason for the sticking. Other factors, however, may keep the door from opening and closing properly. Fixing the problem usually doesn't take much time or effort.

Check the Hinges

• Look at the hinges to ensure that they are tight. Loose hinges often cause a door to stick. If the door sags a bit, prop it up with a shim, thick magazine or book to ensure it is at the proper level before you tighten the hinges with a screwdriver.

Minimize the Door Size

• Open and close your door slowly. If there is a particular place where it is sticking, you can make the door just a hair narrower in the place where it's sticking. Simply nail a 2- or 3-inch nail into spot that is causing the problem. This may take down the swelling by only 1/16th of an inch, but that could make a world of difference. If you still have difficulty closing the door, drive another nail in the door 6 to 12 inches above or below the first nail.

Sanding the Door

• If humidity is the cause of the door swelling, plane or sand the door jamb or edges a bit to enable it to close and open properly. Do this a little bit at a time. You do not want to remove too much. Doing so could create a gap between the door and the frame.

Painted Doors

• Many wood doors have multiple layers of paint, especially if the house is older or you enjoy changing paint colors often. Scrape away a few layers of the paint on the edges and jamb with a paint scraper. This should enable you to open and close it freely.