Realign a Door Frame

Tools:

6-foot level with magnetic egde
flat-head screwdriver
hacksaw
prybar for use on molding
needle-nose pliers
ratcheting screwdriver
drill
nuts
hammer
nail punch
safety glasses
shims
nails

1. First check the vertical framing to see if it’s plumb. Place the level against each side of the doorjamb to check if it's plumb (figure A).

2. Place a small nut at the bottom and top of the magnetic edge of the level to compensate for any bumps or irregularities in the door jamb and get a truer reading (figure B).

3. In this case, the top of the left side of the doorjamb was tilted slightly in, causing the door to stick at the upper right corner. Use the ratcheting screwdriver with Philips-head attachment to remove the screws.

4. Make sure the screws are long enough to reach far enough to grab into the stud. Short screws that only go into the doorjamb will not provide enough support (figure C).

5. Use the prybar to remove the trim and expose the frame. If there are shims between the doorjamb and stud, cut them out and remove using a hacksaw and needle-nose pliers (figure D).

6. Drill pilot holes through the original holes in the hinge plates and doorjamb, but go deep enough to extend into the wall stud (figure E).

7. Secure the hinge plate to the wall stud with screws long enough to reach into the stud (figure F). Hand-tighten the screws, and replace all the screws going through the hinge plate into the door frame.

8. Check the door action by opening and closing. If it opens and closes smoothly, then go ahead and replace the shims with slightly narrower ones to secure the door frame (figure G).

9. Reattach the trim using finishing nails, and use the nail set to sink the nails below the surface.