Brett Field
A door sticks when something changes its fit: the timber swells with moisture, the hinges work loose, or the house settles and pulls the frame out of square. On the Gold Coast the most common cause is humidity, which makes a timber door swell and rub in the wet season.
Below are the usual causes, how to tell which one you have, how to fix it, and when it is worth calling a carpenter. Any prices here are market rates, checked on 3 November 2026, not a quote from us.
Does humidity make doors stick?
Yes. Timber takes up moisture from the air and swells, and gives it back and shrinks as the air dries. In a humid Gold Coast summer, a timber door can swell just enough to rub on the frame, then free up again when the weather turns dry. That is why a door can stick for a few months and be fine the rest of the year.
Bare timber on the top and bottom edges of a door soaks up moisture the fastest, because those edges are often left unpainted. Sealing them is one of the simplest ways to keep a door from swelling, which we cover below.
What are the common causes of a sticking door?
Find where the door rubs first. The spot it binds on tells you the likely cause. Open and close it slowly and watch the gap around the edge.
| Cause | Sign | Usual fix |
|---|---|---|
| Humidity and swelling | Rubs in the wet season, frees up when dry; bare edges | Seal the edges; light sand or plane if needed |
| Loose or worn hinges | Door drops, rubs on the latch side or the floor | Tighten or repack the hinge screws |
| House movement | Frame looks out of square, gap is uneven | Adjust the hinges, or ease the binding edge |
| Paint build-up | Thick paint on the edge, sticky all year | Sand the edge back and refinish |
| Swollen bottom edge | Drags on the floor near a wet area | Dry it out, seal the edge, trim if needed |
How do you fix a door that sticks?
Work from the easiest fix to the hardest. Many sticking doors come good with a screwdriver, not a plane.
- Tighten the hinges. Loose or worn hinge screws let a door drop and rub. Tighten them, and if a screw spins, swap it for a longer one or pack the hole.
- Mark where it rubs. Rub a pencil or some chalk on the edge, close the door, and the shiny or marked spots show where to take timber off.
- Sand or plane the binding edge. Take off a little at a time from the spot that rubs, not the whole edge. Check the fit often.
- Seal any bare timber. Paint or seal the edge you worked on, plus the top and bottom, so it does not swell again.
Take off as little as you can. A door planed down in a wet summer can end up with a big gap once it dries and shrinks back.
How do you stop a door sticking in the wet season?
Seal the edges and keep the room ventilated. The top and bottom edges of a door are usually left bare, and that is where the moisture gets in. A coat of paint or sealer on all four edges, especially the top and bottom, slows the swelling a lot.
Good airflow helps too. A bathroom, laundry or ensuite door that sticks is often dealing with steam, so an exhaust fan that clears the damp air will ease the problem over time.
When should you call a carpenter?
Call a carpenter when the door still binds after the simple fixes, when the frame itself is out of square, or when the timber is rotted or termite-damaged rather than just swollen. A carpenter can rehang the door, adjust or replace the hinges, plane it to fit and, if the frame is the real problem, replace it. If the frame is damaged, see our guide to door and frame replacement cost.
What does it cost to fix a sticking door?
A door repair or rehang runs about $98 to $295, typically $175, on the Gold Coast, according to What's The Damage (October 2026). A full new door or frame costs more.
| Job | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Door repair or rehang | $98-$295, typically $175 | What's The Damage (Gold Coast page, 2026) |
| Install a new door, supply and fit | $245-$635, typically $390 | What's The Damage (Gold Coast page, 2026) |
For a new door rather than a fix, see our door installation cost guide.
What does Field Carpentry do with sticking doors?
We adjust, rehang and repair internal and external doors across the Gold Coast, plane them to fit, sort out dropped or worn hinges, and replace frames that are out of square or damaged. See our carpentry page for the door work we do.
Where does this information come from?
Checked on 3 November 2026: repair and install prices from What's The Damage (door cost, Gold Coast page, October 2026), and the door repair trade scope from the QBCC carpentry licence page, which covers restoring and renovating doors, windows and frames. We will check the prices again every three months.
See our carpentry work, or check what your job will cost.
