Homeowner Guide

Why Are My Doors Sticking?

A door that suddenly starts sticking, dragging on the frame, or no longer latching cleanly is one of the most common reasons Texas homeowners first call us. It is not always a foundation problem — but it is worth understanding what usually causes it before you assume the worst.

What Usually Causes It

Doors stick when the frame around them shifts out of square. That happens for a few different reasons, roughly in order of how often we see them:

• Seasonal humidity — wood door frames swell in humid months and shrink in dry ones; this is normal and not a foundation issue
• Settling foundation — if one side of the house has settled unevenly, the door frame racks out of square and the door binds against it, usually on the top corner or the latch side
• Loose or worn hinges — the door itself sags on its hinges rather than the frame moving
• Recent construction or plumbing work nearby that disturbed the soil under the foundation

How to Tell the Difference

A humidity-related sticking door usually affects one or two doors, changes with the seasons, and has been happening for years without getting worse. A foundation-related sticking door usually shows up alongside other signs — cracks over doors and windows, a door that used to close fine and now consistently doesn't, or multiple doors on the same side of the house sticking around the same time. If you're only dealing with one door and it's always been a little tight in summer, that's very likely just wood movement. If it's new, getting worse, or accompanied by cracks, it's worth having someone look at the foundation.