Short answer
If your door won't latch, tighten every hinge screw first, starting with the top hinge. Then rub a little lipstick or chalk on the latch, close the door and see where it marks the strike plate. Off by 1/8 inch or less? File the opening wider toward the mark. More than that? Move the strike plate. A latch that sticks gets a puff of powdered graphite.
How to fix a door that won't latch
1The door bounces back open
You push it shut and it swings back, or you have to slam it. The latch is missing the hole in the strike plate on the frame.
Read all the steps
- The door bounces back open. You push it shut and it swings back, or you have to slam it. The latch is missing the hole in the strike plate on the frame.
- Tighten the hinge screws, top first. A loose top hinge lets the door sag, so the latch drops below the hole. Tighten every screw. If one just spins, see the tip below.
- Mark the latch and close the door. Rub lipstick, chalk or dry-erase marker on the latch. Close the door gently and open it: the mark shows exactly where it hits.
- Off a little? File the opening. With a metal file, widen the strike plate opening toward the mark. If it is off by more than about 1/8 inch, move the plate instead.
- Close it: it clicks. Close the door and listen for the click. It should stay shut without slamming and hold when you pull on it.
- Still not fixed? Call a handyman Especially if: the door and frame still do not line up after you tighten the hinges, or there is a new crack in the wall above the door.
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If a hinge screw just spins
The hole is stripped. Swap one screw on the frame side of the top hinge for a 3-inch screw. It reaches the stud behind the frame and pulls the door back up. On the other holes, push in wooden toothpicks with wood glue, snap them off flush and drive the screw back in.
Moving the strike plate
- 1
Unscrew the plate and hold it where the mark says it should go.
- 2
Trace around it, then chisel out the wood so the plate sits flush in its new spot.
- 3
Fill the old screw holes with toothpicks and glue, drill small pilot holes and screw the plate down.
What not to do
- Do not keep slamming the door: it loosens the hinges and can split the frame.
- Do not grease or oil the latch. It collects dust and gums up. Use powdered graphite or a dry lubricant.
- Do not plane the door for a latch problem. Planing is for doors that rub, not for latches that miss.
When to call a handyman
- The door and frame still do not line up after you tighten the hinges, or there is a new crack in the wall above the door.
- The frame is split, or the wood around the strike plate is soft or rotten.
- It is an exterior door and the deadbolt does not line up either.
- The knob turns but the latch does not move: the lock itself is broken.
Frequently asked questions
Why won't my door latch all of a sudden?
Usually the top hinge worked loose and the door sagged, or the house moved with the seasons so the latch no longer meets the strike plate. Tighten the hinges first: that fixes a lot of doors.
How do I adjust a strike plate?
Mark the latch with lipstick or chalk, close the door and see where it hits. File the opening if it is off a little, or move the plate if it is off by more than about 1/8 inch.
Why does my door only latch when I slam it?
The latch is barely catching the edge of the strike plate opening. Widen the opening a little with a file toward the mark, or bend the plate tab in slightly with pliers.
Can humidity make a door not latch?
Yes. Wood swells in humid weather and shrinks in dry weather, so the latch can miss for part of the year. If it only happens in summer, a little filing on the strike plate is usually enough.
What lubricant is best for a door latch?
Powdered graphite or a dry PTFE spray. They do not collect dust like oil or grease.
Should I call a locksmith or a handyman?
A handyman when the latch misses the strike plate or the door sags. A locksmith when the lock itself is broken, the key will not turn, or you want new locks.