It is raining outside. you walk into your bedroom, grab the door handle, and pull it shut. but it does not close.
The edge of the door gets stuck on the frame. you have to push it really hard just to lock it, and it makes a loud scraping sound.
This is a very common problem during the rainy season. wood acts exactly like a big sponge. when the air is full of water, the wooden door absorbs that moisture. this makes the wood swell and grow slightly bigger.
Before you call a carpenter or start cutting the wood, stop! when the dry winter comes, the door will shrink back to its normal size. If you cut it now, you will have a huge gap later.
Instead, try these simple, 5-minute fixes that solve your problem regarding how to fix a swollen wooden door that won’t close in the Monsoon.
Quick fixes you can do right now (No Tools Needed)
1 – The Hair Dryer Trick
If the door is only stuck in one small spot, you can dry that exact spot out.
Plug in a hair dryer and point the hot air directly at the edge of the door that is rubbing. you should keep the dryer moving slowly so you do not burn the paint. after about 10 to 15 minutes, the heat will pull the water right out of the wood. the door will shrink just enough to close easily.
2 – The Soap or Candle Wax Trick
If the door is still rubbing against the frame, you need to make the edge slippery.
Take a plain bar of dry bathing soap or a regular white candle and rub it hard up and down the edge of the door where it gets stuck. this puts a smooth layer of wax or soap on the wood. now, the door will slide right past the frame without making that awful scraping sound.
Easy fixes if the door is still stuck
1 – Tighten the Hinges
The door may not always be full and their screws may be loose!
The large wooden door lowers somewhat when screws come free. It begins to rub against the side frame or the floor. Using a screwdriver, tightly turn each and every screw on the metal hinges to the right. almost half the time, this little action resolves the issue.
2 – Use Sandpaper on the Edges
If the hair dryer and soap do not work, you can remove a tiny bit of wood yourself.
You should buy a block of rough sandpaper from any local hardware store. Rub the sandpaper hard on the edge of the door where it gets stuck. you only need to rub off a very thin layer of wood. it takes a little physical effort, but it works perfectly.
How to protect your doors for next year
Seal the Bottom of the Door
Almost all of carpenters paint a door’s front and back, but typically ignore to paint the bottom border. when you mop, the raw wood at the bottom instantly absorbs water from the wet floor.
In the winter, paint or apply wood polish to the bottom edge of your door once it has completely dried. In order to prevent water from entering the wood again the next year, this shuts it.
Apply Protective Oil to Hinges that Crack
The metal hinges on your door are rusting from the moist air if it creates a loud, squeaky sound when you open it. apply a little amount of protective oil to the metal hinges. It will immediately put an end to the noise and shield the metal against corrosion throughout the year.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Should I hire a carpenter to shave the door down right now?
This should only be your final resort. your door will be too small in the winter if a carpenter removes too much wood during the monsoon. It won’t lock correctly, allowing cold air or insects to enter your room. you should always start with the sandpaper trick.
Why is my bathroom door swelling more than the others?
Both the inside and the exterior of bathroom doors can get wet. even more water is added to the wood by the hot steam from your daily shower. To smoothly remove moisture after a shower, always leave the bathroom window open or turn on the exhaust fan.
Can I use a room heater to dry the swollen door?
You can try this, but exercise extreme caution. The intense heat from a room heater placed too close to a wooden door has the potential to peel paint or break the wood. because you have control over where the air flows, using a hair dryer is far safer. In order to warm the air without burning the wood, if you do use a room heater, be sure to keep it at least three feet away from the door.
