Door adjustment issues

CocDiezel

I have a door that when I shut it , it doesnt engage. I lock it but it pulls right open. Its seems its a bit off on adjustment. When I pull up on the door handle I can hear it engage and then it wont pull open. How can I fix this the rigth way?


Also, another door I have does engage and lock, but when then handle is pulled or pushed there is a lot of play in the door back in forth in the engaged assembly. How can this be fixed?

Maintenance 6

On the first door: If the door fits in the jamb correctly, then you need to lower the strike plate. Since you can get it to latch by pulling up, then it isn't far off. Remove the stike and file the bottom of the opening about 1/8" lower. Reinstall the strike plate and remove any wood that shows at the bottom of the latch reciever hole.
The second door: I'm assuming this is a wooden jamb. You'll need to move the strike plate closer to the stop. Measure how much free play you have betwen the door and the stop when the door is latched. Do this at the knob. That is the amount that you'll need to move the strike towards the stop. Remove the strike and move it that distance. You may have to enlarge the recess in the jamb that the strike sets into. Do that with either a wood chisel or utility knife. wood glue some toothpicks or wood slivers into the old screw holes. Make new screw holes in the correct place with an ice pick or an awl. Drill them if you have to, but be careful not to oversize them. Reattach the strike plate. Be careful not to move the strike too close to the stop or the door won't be able to latch at all.

One thing I forgot to mention. If these are key locked doors and have a deadlatch, you'll have a two piece spring loaded latchbolt sticking out of the door. The small "D" shaped plunger should never enter the hole in the strike plate when properly latched. The large plunger is the only one that should hold the door closed while the small one is held depressed by the strike plate.

CocDiezel

Thanks so much! Sorry if this sounds dumb, but what is the strike plate? The metal piece in the door jam with the impression in it where the latch is supposed to engage?

Maintenance 6

That would be the strike plate. A flate piece of metal with a curved lip on one edge and a hole for the spring loaded latchbolt to engage.

buletbob

I would agree with maintenance6, but would like to add! if the first door does not sit right in the opening. gap at top by knob wider then the top on hinge side. then remove the screw at the top of the hinge closest to the top. and install a 3 1/2" -4 " wood screw or drywall screw and tighten it so to pull the hinge in to the jamb. Also check the hinge fastened to the door at the top for any looseness. BOB

CocDiezel

Can you run that by me again? Im a little confused. Thanks so much!

buletbob

If you have to lift the door knob to have the lock latch into the strike plate, then there could be a loose screw or screws in the top hinge.
shut the door with out having it latch. check the reveal across the top of the door. if it gets bigger on the latch side and smaller on the hinge side then 9 out of 10 times it means the door dropped. open the door and remove the top screw that is closest to the door stop. install a #8 3" drywall screw in its place. best bet to use a battery screw gun for this. it has the torque to pull the jamb a little tighter to the wall. also check and see if the screws are loose going into the side of the door.
good luck! bob