How can I temporarily fix door latch and strike plate issues in my nursery before my baby’s arrival on Oct 31st, given the previous owner’s craftsmanship problems?
I’m in the process of transforming a room in my house into a nursery for our first baby. However, we’ve run into some issues with the workmanship of the person we bought the house from. A lot of these problems were either hidden or only became apparent after we closed on the house. One of the main issues is that the hinges on the doors were cut in, causing the latch hole to be too far back for the strike plate to fit properly. If I try to cut a new hole, the door ends up not sitting straight. This seems to be a common problem with most of the interior doors in the house. I know the proper way to fix this would be to redo the trim, but with our baby due on Oct. 31st, I just don’t have the time to do it right now. Does anyone have any suggestions for a temporary fix or a workaround that will suffice for the time being? Funny thing is, the previous owner actually had a business in trim work, painting, and handyman services. Haha. Thanks in advance for any advice!
Try placing a shim behind the striker plate to ensure the door latches properly. And maybe reconsider hiring him for any future remodeling projects haha
Lol.. He didn’t actually work for me. He was the previous owner of the house. We purchased it from him. He had some issues and it was only after the sale that police had to intervene to remove him from the property. He was unaware that he had to vacate the premises.. but oh well. The problem is not that the latch and striker plate are misaligned. It’s because the trim installed is 1 1/4″ thick.. so the tongue of the striker plate doesn’t reach far enough.
I see his handiwork and was just kidding about hiring him. You can purchase a flat deadbolt striker plate without a curved edge until you can redo his work.
Take off the trim, cut off 1/4 inch, and make sure you have the right reveal. With all the issues here, it wouldn’t be surprising if this was a foreclosure property you purchased 🤣
You won’t believe this, but it’s a total disaster. It’s so hard to explain. We gave him a list of things we needed fixed when we bought the house. He didn’t do any of it, but when we returned, he had changed all the window and door trims, removed the bathroom outlet, and replaced the upstairs carpet… none of which was on the list.
There are quality shims available on the market, but they can be pricy. If you happen to know someone with a 3D printer, you could consider 3D printing one instead. As a temporary solution, you can use wood or washer shims behind the plate. Check out this link for more information: https://www.trudoor.com/ngp-national-guard/9225-steel-strike-shim/
Looks like he only replaced the slabs and seemed a bit lost, probably not an easy fix here. Maybe the best option is to redo everything and install new prehung doors and trim. Another alternative is to extend the jamb and update some of the trim to improve the appearance.
I just discovered they have a deep catch plate… this should do the trick for now.
That’s a super easy fix – just remove the trim, shave off 1/4 inch, and then put it back up. Add some caulk and paint. You might want to grab an electric hand planer. Should only take about 30 minutes per door if you know what you’re doing. Or you could take the lazy route and use extended door striker plates, but that won’t address the issue with the door hinges.
Oh boy, looks like he didn’t quite get the door lined up right. Yep, definitely gonna have to replace the whole door slab.
Thanks, I recently came across the extended plates. I just need a temporary solution for now until I can address it later. Thanks for the assistance.
Yeah, if you want to fill the old hole before creating a new one for the new striker plate, I recommend using BONDO wood filler. It hardens and dries in 30 minutes, sands easily, and is strong enough to hold screws.
In the first picture where there’s a hole, the metal plate is missing.
Have you tried looking up ‘extended lip’ latches or strike plates?
My question is, do you really need that type of trim? My doors don’t have trim like that. The trim on my doors is actually part of the door jamb itself. I would suggest removing those trims first to see what you’re working with. If needed, you can always replace them with smaller trims. Your hinges might need to be adjusted in the future as they seem to be off by about half an inch. However, if the door opens, closes, and latches properly, you can leave the hinges for later. This could be a fun project for you and your child in the future. 😁. Do your doors swing inward or outward?
I can’t help but think about what other unexpected things you may come across. Nothing seems to have been completed correctly from what I can see.
Want to adjust the strike plates? Add two or three to extend and catch the door latch, and opt for longer screws.
Hey, are you expecting? Take a moment to handle that small repair. If it feels overwhelming, tackling it properly is the way to go…
You should see Daniel’s photo. I really doubt he’s pregnant.