If your doors have recently started sticking, dragging, or refusing to close all the way, you’re not alone. We’ve had a noticeable increase in calls from homeowners dealing with stubborn doors, both interior and exterior.

In the Phoenix area, our weather can swing quickly. When humidity rises, your wood surfaces react. Doors, frames, floors, cabinets, and even furniture can all absorb moisture and subtly change shape. It doesn’t take much for a door that used to glide smoothly to suddenly feel heavy, tight, or misaligned.

The good news: in most cases, a sticking door is fixable. Understanding what’s causing the problem is the first step.

How Humidity Affects Wood Doors

Wood is a natural material, which means it “breathes” with the environment around it. When the air is dry, wood contracts slightly. When the air is humid, wood absorbs moisture and expands.

In our climate, periods of higher humidity can:

  • Make exterior wood doors swell, especially along the edges

  • Cause interior doors to drag against the frame or floor

  • Put extra stress on hinges and hardware

Even a small amount of expansion can make a door feel like it is glued in place. You may notice:

  • The latch doesn’t click easily into the strike plate

  • You have to lean or “shoulder” the door to close it

  • The door scrapes the top or bottom of the frame

Keeping your home at a stable, moderate temperature can help. When your HVAC system cycles regularly, it helps control indoor humidity and keeps your environment more consistent, which is easier on your doors and trim.

Why Refinishing Matters for Exterior Doors

If you haven’t had your front entry or other exterior wood doors refinished in a while, moisture absorption may be making the sticking problem worse.

Over time, the protective stain and finish on a door begin to break down. Sun, heat, wind, and rain all take a toll. When the finish wears thin, wood is more exposed and can take on water more easily. That leads to:

  • Swelling and sticking

  • Hairline cracks

  • Premature aging and fading

Having a professional come out to evaluate your door can make a big difference. During a visit, we can:

  • Inspect your door slab, frame, and threshold

  • Check weatherstripping, sweeps, and hinges

  • Look for worn, cracked, or peeling finish

  • Recommend whether adjustments or refinishing are needed

A fresh protective stain and finish will not make your door completely immune to moisture, but it will greatly reduce the amount of water the wood absorbs. That means less swelling, smoother operation, and better long-term protection for your investment.

Don’t Forget the Hardware: Hinges, Screws, and Alignment

Sometimes, sticking doors are less about the wood and more about the hardware holding everything in place.

Interior doors, in particular, may be in good shape structurally but still feel “off.” If your doors are hard to open or close, take a quick look at the hinges:

  • Are they securely attached to both the door and the frame?

  • Do you see any loose or stripped screws?

  • Does the door look like it is sagging on one side?

A sagging door will often show:

  • A larger gap at the top near the latch side than at the bottom

  • The top hinge area pulled slightly away from the frame

  • The latch hitting too high or too low on the strike plate

If screws are loose or stripped, swapping in slightly longer screws can help them bite into fresh wood deeper in the frame. This can pull the door back into proper position and lift it just enough to clear the floor or frame.

If the gap is noticeably uneven or the door is severely out of alignment, it may need a more thorough hinge adjustment or professional realignment so it operates smoothly again.

Weatherstripping and Sweeps: Small Parts, Big Impact

Another common source of sticking or dragging is worn-out weatherstripping or door sweeps.

When these components:

  • Shift out of place

  • Split or compress over time

  • Were never installed quite right in the first place

…they can create friction every time you open or close the door. You might feel the door catching at the bottom or on the latch side, even if the wood itself is fine.

During a door evaluation, we can:

  • Check your weatherstripping for proper fit and condition

  • Inspect the door sweep to make sure it seals without dragging

  • Recommend simple adjustments or replacement where needed

These small updates can make a big difference in both comfort and energy efficiency while also helping your doors move more freely.

When to Call a Professional

Some minor issues, like tightening hinge screws or identifying a small sticking spot, are manageable DIY projects. But there are times when bringing in a professional is the best option:

  • The door has visible warping, cracking, or splitting

  • The finish is faded, peeling, or noticeably worn

  • The door rubs so badly you can see bare wood where it has been scraping

  • You’ve tried simple adjustments and the problem keeps returning

Professional door specialists can:

  • Diagnose whether the main issue is humidity, hardware, or both

  • Sand and refit the door properly within the frame

  • Refinish the door with high-quality products designed for our climate

  • Make fine-tuned hinge and hardware adjustments for long-term performance

Instead of fighting with the same sticky door month after month, you get a long-lasting solution that protects both the function and the appearance of your doors.

You Don’t Think About Doors… Until They Don’t Work

Most of us walk through doors all day without giving them a second thought. They open, they close, and life goes on. That changes quickly when a door refuses to cooperate.

Suddenly it becomes:

  • The front door you have to slam to latch

  • The bedroom door that wakes someone up every time it sticks

  • The interior door that drags across the floor and leaves marks

Those everyday frustrations add up.

If your doors are sticking, dragging, or showing their age, you don’t have to just live with it. A simple evaluation can often uncover whether the solution is a quick adjustment, new hardware, updated weatherstripping, or a full refinish.

Let us help you get your doors moving the way they should again so they can go back to doing their job quietly in the background—without sticking, squeaking, or fighting you at every turn.