# My interior door rubs just a bit on the top. Can I saw off a milimeter or so?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-interior-door-rubs-just-a-bit-on-the-top-can-i-saw-off-a-milimeter-or-so/839569
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [September 1, 2019, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-interior-door-rubs-just-a-bit-on-the-top-can-i-saw-off-a-milimeter-or-so/839569 "2019-09-01T21:29:24Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2019, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-interior-door-rubs-just-a-bit-on-the-top-can-i-saw-off-a-milimeter-or-so/839569/1 "2019-09-01T21:29:24Z")
I have used a powersaw to remove small strips on the bottom of a door before. I know there is wood in there that makes the door adjustable without exposing the interior of the door. I believe my doors are hollow except for that bit.
However, I do not know if there is wood at the top of my door and that is where it is rubbing. I’m having a heck of a time grating it down so it won’t rub. It’s a small rubbing area and I wish I could just saw off a thin strip from the top.
Is there typically wood inside on the top of doors, or just the bottom?
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### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2019, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-interior-door-rubs-just-a-bit-on-the-top-can-i-saw-off-a-milimeter-or-so/839569/2 "2019-09-01T21:38:46Z")
In my experience, there is wood at both ends of the door. That said, I still wouldn’t use a saw. Get a power sander and make several passes at the offending area before you start sawing away at things.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2019, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-interior-door-rubs-just-a-bit-on-the-top-can-i-saw-off-a-milimeter-or-so/839569/3 "2019-09-01T21:42:16Z")
You could use a [wood plane](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plane_(tool)).
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### Author:  [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2019, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-interior-door-rubs-just-a-bit-on-the-top-can-i-saw-off-a-milimeter-or-so/839569/4 "2019-09-01T21:49:51Z")
There is enough wood all around a hollow core door for small adjustments.
I have found that it works a lot better to remove the door and frame and put them back up again square.
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### Author:  [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2019, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-interior-door-rubs-just-a-bit-on-the-top-can-i-saw-off-a-milimeter-or-so/839569/5 "2019-09-01T22:15:34Z")
There is a smaller wood strip then the bottom but still fine for alterations. A plane is the tool for the job but a saw cut is fine also.
Dennis
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### Author:  [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2019, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-interior-door-rubs-just-a-bit-on-the-top-can-i-saw-off-a-milimeter-or-so/839569/6 "2019-09-01T22:25:16Z")
One thing that worked for me once was loosening the screws on the top and middle hinges just a touch, and making sure the bottom ones were real tight. Not more than a turn or so obviously - don’t want your door to fall off!
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### Author:  [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2019, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-interior-door-rubs-just-a-bit-on-the-top-can-i-saw-off-a-milimeter-or-so/839569/7 "2019-09-01T22:45:42Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#):
>
> One thing that worked for me once was loosening the screws on the top and middle hinges just a touch, and making sure the bottom ones were real tight. Not more than a turn or so obviously - don’t want your door to fall off!
Yep, that’s a thing. Just use a tiny shim behind the hinges to plumb the door.
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### Author:  [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2019, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-interior-door-rubs-just-a-bit-on-the-top-can-i-saw-off-a-milimeter-or-so/839569/8 "2019-09-01T23:18:33Z")
I used some wax paper to figure out where it was rubbing, then coarse sandpaper to sand it down. It took some elbow grease, but it saved me from over-trimming or damaging the door.
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### Author:  [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2019, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-interior-door-rubs-just-a-bit-on-the-top-can-i-saw-off-a-milimeter-or-so/839569/9 "2019-09-01T23:37:06Z")
Back when I was a trades assistant, using a plane to adjust the top of a door was part of the standard job of hanging a door, along with fitting the door handles and door latch. You don’t have any room to adjust the angle of the door at the hinges, because the door has to match the vertical at the latch side. Doorways are never square, (they aren’t made that way), and you have to adjust the shape of the door at the top if it rubs at the top.
You can also take a plane to one of the verticals, but I never saw that done: adjusting the hinges adjusted the vertical line.
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### Author:  [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2019, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-interior-door-rubs-just-a-bit-on-the-top-can-i-saw-off-a-milimeter-or-so/839569/10 "2019-09-02T15:24:53Z")
If the issue started with the house settling, the easiest fix is probably to tap the top of the jamb up. I’ve successfully done this a few times. Get a piece of 2x4 to protect the jamb and gently tap in an upwards direction.
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### Author:  [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2019, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-interior-door-rubs-just-a-bit-on-the-top-can-i-saw-off-a-milimeter-or-so/839569/11 "2019-09-02T15:46:27Z")
I would use a plane instead of a saw. You have better control over how much wood is removed.
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### Author:  [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2019, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-interior-door-rubs-just-a-bit-on-the-top-can-i-saw-off-a-milimeter-or-so/839569/12 "2019-09-02T17:15:21Z")
Makes a mess but I’ve used a belt sander to make quick work of it.
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### Author:  [@Drummond\_Bays](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drummond_Bays)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2019, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-interior-door-rubs-just-a-bit-on-the-top-can-i-saw-off-a-milimeter-or-so/839569/13 "2019-09-02T22:56:04Z")
Cutting the door is usually last resort. Adjusting the hinges is often first, then as aforementioned tuning the jamb.
If anyone else goes through this thread with a similar problem:
Before anything else, close the handle of a hammer into the offending area between the door and the frame, and give the hammer a good crank upwards/outwards, pushing the door in and frame out. That will solve a good chunk of minor rubs the fastest.
Source: I’m a Union Carpenter.
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### Author:  [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2019, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-interior-door-rubs-just-a-bit-on-the-top-can-i-saw-off-a-milimeter-or-so/839569/14 "2019-09-02T23:29:23Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#):
>
> I used some wax paper to figure out where it was rubbing, then coarse sandpaper to sand it down. It took some elbow grease, but it saved me from over-trimming or damaging the door.
…Yes, This.
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### Author:  [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)
#### Post date: [September 2, 2019, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-interior-door-rubs-just-a-bit-on-the-top-can-i-saw-off-a-milimeter-or-so/839569/15 "2019-09-02T23:34:28Z")
wood block to keep it straight & level…then a finer grit paper on a block to make it smooth
And as noted above…tweak the hinges first ?!
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### Author:  [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2019, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-interior-door-rubs-just-a-bit-on-the-top-can-i-saw-off-a-milimeter-or-so/839569/16 "2019-09-03T10:46:12Z")
> [@ftg](#):
>
> There is enough wood all around a hollow core door for small adjustments.
>
> I have found that it works a lot better to remove the door and frame and put them back up again square.
I have recently done this and I agree with this. I used a belt sander. I do not recommend a saw. It takes off too much material, and it’s hard to fine-tune how much you are taking off.
> [@Aspidistra](#):
>
> One thing that worked for me once was loosening the screws on the top and middle hinges just a touch, and making sure the bottom ones were real tight. Not more than a turn or so obviously - don’t want your door to fall off!
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#):
>
> Yep, that’s a thing. Just use a tiny shim behind the hinges to plumb the door.
I would not do this unless the root cause is that the door is out of plumb or the jamb is not square. And if you do, use a shim as suggested so the screws are tight. If screws are not tight, over time and with use they will ream out the holes and wobble around.
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### Author:  [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2019, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-interior-door-rubs-just-a-bit-on-the-top-can-i-saw-off-a-milimeter-or-so/839569/17 "2019-09-03T12:04:30Z")
Wood plane and sander are fine for one or two doors.
And after you spend a couple of decades trying all of the various techniques in your home, you could use one of these:
[electric planer](https://www.amazon.com/Bosch-Inch-Planer-Carrying-PL2632K/dp/B00V4DJ6AC/ref=asc_df_B00V4DJ6AC/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=242034450866&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12931422735079867078&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9003970&hvtargid=pla-599465905084&psc=1)
The problem I have is that all of the doors swell in the summer and stick. No matter how many times I sand, plane, tighten, and whatever, they continue to swell to fill the gap.
I finally grew tired of the tedious process and bought an electric planer. It requires a bit of finesse to avoid hacking a huge swath of wood off (hint: use its lowest setting).
The one I bought came with a handy 5-degree angle fence to use on the latch-side vertical edge of the door so that it is angled slightly toward the opening, as it should be. This makes a huge difference in ensuring a good fit.
Most of my doors were originally installed by me, so they had never been properly angled (doors come from the store with no angle since you could install them either way).
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### Author:  [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2019, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-interior-door-rubs-just-a-bit-on-the-top-can-i-saw-off-a-milimeter-or-so/839569/18 "2019-09-03T14:01:13Z")
The problem I have with a saw or sometimes even a planer is the veneer crackling along the cut. Tape and such doesn’t seem to help prevent this.
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### Author:  [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2019, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-interior-door-rubs-just-a-bit-on-the-top-can-i-saw-off-a-milimeter-or-so/839569/19 "2019-09-03T15:23:58Z")
That makes sense…I haven’t experienced it because my doors are all painted, not the veneer kind.
I can’t imagine any chipping or cracking of veneer with one of those electric planers, as the blades are razor sharp and spinning at a scary speed.
But it’s a pretty serious investment for one door–not so bad an investment for a homeowner though.
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### Author:  [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)
#### Post date: [September 3, 2019, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-interior-door-rubs-just-a-bit-on-the-top-can-i-saw-off-a-milimeter-or-so/839569/20 "2019-09-03T18:56:50Z")
> [@silenus](#):
>
> In my experience, there is wood at both ends of the door. That said, I still wouldn’t use a saw. Get a power sander and make several passes at the offending area before you start sawing away at things.
That’s what worked best for me.
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-interior-door-rubs-just-a-bit-on-the-top-can-i-saw-off-a-milimeter-or-so/839569.md?page=2)