How to Adjust a Composite Door Hinge The Right Way

Do you have a composite door that isn’t shutting properly? This might be because the hinges need adjusting. In this article, we will show you how to adjust a composite door hinge the right way so that your door is functioning properly again!

Need help with adjusting your composite door? Then you’ll want to have a door installer take a look at it. Unfortunately, finding a trusted professional who can help you can be difficult on your own. After several hours of research, you might still not have found an installer that fits your requirements. 

Thankfully, we are here to help you avoid any hassle. We work with a broad network of reputable installers and can put you in touch with them in no time.

All you have to do is fill in our 30-second form and sit back while we put you in contact with up to 4 local installers. They will offer you quotes for their services, so not only will you easily find a reliable installer to work with, but you can also secure the best deal for your composite door adjustment. Simply click below and request free, non-binding quotes today!

One of the most common composite door problems and reason your composite door might be catching is that it isn’t sitting level in the door frame. This can cause the door to bind when you try to close it, as well as making it difficult to open and close.

If you have a composite front door for instance, you might notice that it’s difficult to open first thing in the morning or you can’t close the door fully. This is because the door has cooled overnight and contracted, so it doesn’t fit as snugly in the frame.

As the day goes on and the door warms up, it will expand and become easier to open. But if you have to force it open, it’s a good sign that the door isn’t level and the hinges need adjusting.

Before you start adjusting the hinges, it’s important to check if the door is actually level. To do this, you will need a spirit level.

Start by placing the spirit level on top of the composite door and see if it’s level – you can tell if this is the case if the bubble is in the middle of the spirit level.

If the door is level, then you won’t need to make any adjustments to the hinges. But if the door is not level, then you will need to adjust the composite door hinge until it is.

If the door is level but still catching, then it’s probably because the hinges are set too tightly. In this case, you will need to loosen the screws on the hinge plates.

If you find that you can't make the changes to your composite door's hinges on your own, then the safest option is to ask a professional for help. No clue where to find the right installer? Don't worry, we're here to make the process as quick and easy as possible. Simply fill out our 30-second form and we will put you in touch with up to 4 local door installers who can help you adjust your hinges. Just click below to get started now.

Now that you’ve checked if the door is level it’s time to get the things you need together ready to adjust the door hinge and put it back in the correct position. These will include:

How to adjust composite doors:

1 - Start by opening your door and taking a look at the hinges. In most cases, there will be three screws on each hinge – two holding the hinge to the door, and one holding the hinge to the door frame. If this isn’t the case, your composite door may have a different type of hinge which will be adjusted in a different way. These different hinges could include:

These are less common on composite doors, so we’ll cover adjusting the standard hinge here.

2 - Once you have located the screws, you will need to use a screwdriver to loosen them. Be careful not to remove the screws entirely, as you will need to put them back in the same place later.

3 - Once the screws are loosened, you can start to adjust composite door. If the door is catching on the top of the frame, you will need to lower the door by adjusting the bottom hinge. To do this, simply lift the door and tap the bottom hinge with a hammer to move it down.

4 - If the door is catching on the bottom of the frame, you will need to raise the door by adjusting the top hinge. To do this, lower the door and tap the top hinge with a hammer to move it up.

5 - Once you have adjusted the hinges, you will need to check that the door is level again. If it’s not, you will need to repeat steps 3 and 4 until it is. You can also do a visual check by opening the composite door slightly on the lock side and look up and down the frame to see if the gap is consistent throughout or whether it needs more adjustment.

6 - Once the door is level, you can tighten the screws on the hinge plates either with the screwdriver by itself or with an Allen key as well if needed.

7 - And that’s it! Your door should now be level and easy to open and close. Do make sure at this point that the door lock still works and any latch you have is working properly.

We hope this article has been helpful and that you now feel confident when it comes to adjust composite door hinges. Making sure your door closes properly and is secure is a really important thing both of safety reasons in the instance of a composite front door, as well as helping with energy efficiency in the colder or more draftee months of the year. Let us know how you get on in the comments or if you have questions during the process.

If you are still unsure about how to fit a door hinge and whether you can do it on your own, you will want to consult a professional. They can offer you advice or make the adjustments to your composite door themselves. This way, you avoid any hassle and you can rest assured that you have a high-quality door installation. 

However, finding a reliable installer to work with can prove quite difficult and frustrating. The process can take hours of tedious research with no guarantee that you will find the right installer for you. Fortunately, we’re here to help you avoid any frustration and disappointment. 

We work with a broad network of reputable door installers and can get you in touch with them in no time. Simply click below and fill in our 30-second form. Then sit back and wait for up to 4 local installers to reach out to you with free, non-binding quotes for their services. You can then compare the information you receive to choose the installer you want to work with and secure the best deal for your home. Just click below to get started today!