My Bedroom Door Stuck Every June — Until I Found the Real Culprit

Finding the Tight Spot

I grabbed a piece of printer paper and closed the door most of the way — just shy of latching.

Then I slid the paper between the door and the frame, starting at the bottom hinge side. It moved freely. I worked my way up the hinge edge, around the top, and down toward the latch side.

The paper glided smoothly until I hit the top corner on the latch side.

There, about two inches down from the top, it caught. I could barely pull it through. Move an inch lower, and it slid freely again. Move an inch toward the center of the top edge, same thing — no resistance.

That tight spot was maybe two inches tall, right where the door’s top rail met the stile on the latch side.

I ran my hand over that section. The wood felt different — rougher, slightly fuzzy. The rest of the door had a smooth, sealed finish. This corner didn’t.

Knowing where the door was binding changed everything about how I’d fix it.