Totem Building Supplies

Batten Down the Hatches 
Repairing a Storm Door 



Does it take the force of 1,000 winds to close your storm door? If your door doesn't close or takes a firm tug to close, chances are it's grating against the frame and your nerves. When the metal frame on the hinge side of the door comes loose, or the moulding loosens, the door begins to sag and scrape against the opposite side of the frame.

(Image: Houzz)

Before you go running for your tools asses and determine where the issue is. Partly open the door and push the door up and down, keeping an eye on the hinge side of the frame. 

Re-Nail the Door Moulding

If the moulding moves, secure it with extra nails. Start by adding a couple of nails near the top of the wood trim. Then add nails further down if necessary. Sink the nailheads slightly with a nail set, cover the heads with acrylic caulk and touch up the moulding with paint. Position the door by wedging a shim between the door and the frame. Pre-drill and drive 10d galvanized finish nails to firmly fasten the moulding.

Add Additional Screws

If your wood trim is good it's more than likely your metal framing loosening. To fix the metal frame add a few No. 8 x 1-in. pan head screws. Stick a shim between the door and the frame, tighten the existing screws and drill new screw holes through the frame. Press lightly as you drill the metal; you don’t want to drill into the wood molding with the 3/16-in. bit. Then drill a 3/32-in. pilot hole into the wood and add screws. Usually two or three screws added near the top of the frame will work. For a neater look, spray-paint the screw heads first.