Door Won’t Latch? Here’s an Easy Fix

You shut the door, but it doesn’t latch, or you have to lift the handle to get it to latch. This problem is getting on your nerves—why not spend five minutes fixing it? The first thing you should try is tightening the screws in both the handle and the striker plate. If the door still doesn’t catch, try the following steps.

Examine the Door Latch

Grab a flashlight and study how the door latch (the flexing part operated by the door handle) hits the strike plate.

If the latch doesn’t spring into the strike plate, observe whether it hits the plate at the top or bottom. If the latch seems properly centered on the plate, perhaps it’s sticking on either the front or the back edge of the plate.

When you discover where the latch is getting hung up, file that edge.

File the Striker Plate

Insert either a triangular file or a flat file that’s small enough to fit inside the strike plate. File off enough metal to allow the latch to catch inside the plate and secure the door. If your filing action is shaking the strike plate, remove the plate and secure it in a vise for your repair. Then reinstall the plate with longer screws.