Hi everyone,
I'm facing a dilemma with an old interior door in my home. The door sticks a bit, the edges are worn, and the frame looks slightly warped.
I'm trying to decide whether it's better to replace the entire door frame or just the door itself. Replacing the frame seems more involved and costly, but would it prevent future problems?
On the other hand, swapping only the door is simpler, but could it lead to misalignment or fitting issues if the frame is off? Has anyone dealt with this, and what worked best for you?
If your door sticks and the frame is warped, I'd usually recommend replacing the entire frame rather than just the door. Even a slightly warped frame can cause ongoing problems, like misalignment, sticking, or uneven gaps, and swapping the door alone may not solve those issues. Replacing the frame is more work upfront, removing trim, fitting a new frame, and possibly adjusting the wall opening, but it gives a proper, long-term solution. If the frame is mostly straight and the sticking is minor, just replacing the door can work, but it's more of a temporary fix. Personally, I've found new frames save headaches down the line.
I recently faced the same issue in my home. My advice is to replace just the door if the frame is mostly solid and the sticking is minor. It's faster, cheaper, and usually solves the problem. However, if you are wondering whether to replace the door frame or just the door (https://www.dooronthego.ca/residential-door-repair/should-i-replace-the-whole-door-frame-or-just-the-door/), and the frame is warped, cracked, or causing the door to hang unevenly, you will save yourself future headaches by replacing the entire frame. I ended up replacing both, and while it was more work, the door now opens smoothly and looks much better. Sometimes small adjustments like sanding or adding shims can help, but a new frame gives a permanent fix.