How to Repair Door Latches

A door latch helps close the door with a gentle push. When the door has trouble closing it does not mean that the latch is defective. Many factors come into play when door latches malfunction. Follow these steps to identify the cause and easily repair your door latch.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Protective gloves
• Hammer
• Nippers/pliers
• Utility knife
• Wood putty/filler compounds
• Drill
• Long nails/screws

1. Find out where the problem lies. If the door is unable to close due to a slightly protruding stop molding that makes the latch unable to snap in place, gently tap the molding with a hammer until it comes back to its original position.

2. Use nippers/pliers to lift or loosen the molding and nails at the point where the problem seems to be. Close the door and let the latch bolt fit in place. Proceed by nailing down the molding with a set of new nails. Use a utility knife between the joints if you experience difficulty removing a painted molding.

3. Carefully observe if the door latch or stop molding is installed properly. If there is a problem, take out the molding and fix it in an appropriate position to match the door latch. Use a drill to make new holes for the molding plate. Fill the existing holes with wood putty or a filler compound. Use the same procedure if you only want to change the position of the latch.

4. Screw any loose hinges tightly as they can also create alignment problems with a door latch. Carefully cut out any weather stripping recently applied to the door that may hinder the latch to function properly.

Tips & Warnings

• Use caution when working with drills and tools.
• Wear protective gloves when working on such a project.