Repair the Existing Door or Install a Replacement?
A sticking, rubbing or hard-to-latch door does not always need replacement. Hinges can loosen, frames can move slightly and weather changes can affect how a door fits the opening.
We begin with the symptom and the condition of the slab, hinges and frame. If the door is still structurally sound, adjustment or localized repair may be enough. A cracked slab, badly damaged frame or door that no longer suits the opening may make replacement the more practical option.
Door Slab, Frame and Rough Opening
A replacement door has to fit the opening as a system. The slab size, hinge locations, jamb condition and rough opening all influence the installation.
Prehung doors arrive with their own frame and can be useful when the existing jamb is damaged or no longer square. Slab-only replacement keeps more of the original frame but requires closer compatibility. The right choice depends on the condition of the existing opening rather than on appearance alone.
Alignment, Latching and Weather Seals
A door should swing freely, stay where expected and latch without needing to be lifted or forced. Hinge adjustment, strike alignment and weather seals all affect how the finished door performs.
Patio and sliding doors, pocket doors, screen doors, barn doors and pet doors each have dedicated pages because their hardware and movement are different. This general page is for ordinary residential door installation and repair when a more specialized door service does not fit the problem better.