How to Stop Internal Doors From Rattling

When the weather gets warmer and the days get longer, it can be very refreshing to throw open your windows and let a fresh breeze travel through your living space. But when that breeze causes your internal doors to rattle in their frames, it can really ruin the ambience. A relaxing reprieve from the warmth of the sun can quickly become an annoyance as your internal door leaf’s hardware rattles against the hardware in the frame.  Don’t worry. You don’t necessarily have to replace your internal doors to rid yourself of this annoyance. There are three fixes for this common problem, all of which can be implemented quickly and easily with a simple selection of household tools. Let’s take a closer look at how to stop internal door frames from rattling and eliminating bothersome noise whenever a breeze passes through your living space. 

What causes ratting internal doors?

Ideally, your internal doors should sit perfectly flush with the frame when closed. If there is a gap between the door leaf and the frame, it can cause the door to rattle whenever a breeze passes through the frame.  While this can be an annoyance, especially if you’re trying to sleep, it’s a relatively easy fix. Try implementing one of the solutions below to keep your door leaf resting snug in its frame and prevent irritating rattling. 

Fix 1- Adjust the strike plate

Let’s start with the easiest fix. This will require you to move the strike plate on the door frame and make an adjustment to the little tab inside (this is known as the tang). This will require two adjustable wrenches. Avoid using pliers as these can cause an unsightly dent in the finish of the strike plate.  Start by tightening one of your adjustable wrenches onto the curved side of the plate to hold it in place while you bend the tang. Next, tighten your second wrench on the tang and bend it slightly in the direction of the door leaf. Try to make small bends, as overcompensating may require you to bend the tang out of shape as you readjust it. Reattach the strike plate to test the fit, and make further small adjustments if necessary.  After this fix, the door leaf will be pushed a little closer to the stop when it latches, tightening the door’s hold on the latch. This may be enough to silence the door when it is pushed by the wind. If this does not work, however, there are two more adjustments you may try. 

Fix 2- Fill the gap 

If your door leaf is still rattling in its frame, the annoying sound can be mitigated using simple self-adhesive cork dots. These are often stuck to cabinet doors and drawers to soften the noise that they make when closing.  Deploying them here may prove an easy and cost-effective way to eliminate irritating rattling. Simply find the point at which there is the most space between the door leaf and the doorstop within the frame. Fill the gap with a dot that roughly matches the size of the gap and try closing the door. If the door closes and sits snugly in the frame, the job is done. If the door does not close, you may need to shave a millimetre or so from the cork dot. A utility knife will make short work of this job.  

Fix 3- Shift the doorstop

In most cases, the above solutions should remedy the problem. However, if they do not (or you need a more permanent solution), the last option is to shift the doorstop itself.  For this fix you will need a wooden block, a hammer or mallet, and a few 4d finish nails.  Close the door fully and hold your wooden block against the doorstop at the point where there is the most gap between the leaf and the doorstop. Knock the wooden block with your hammer or mallet until the doorstop has moved forward enough to touch the door.  Once you have achieved the desired position, hammer the doorstop into place with the nails. If the existing nails have been shifted by this adjustment, use the block to knock the doorstop further into the jamb to flatten the nails.  Keep in mind that this may damage the paint or finish on your door leaf and / or frame, so touch-ups may be necessary once the job is complete. 

Find your new internal doors with Doors & More

If your doors continue to rattle despite taking the measures above, it may be that your door is not the right fit for your frame. If the door was installed by your property’s previous occupants trimmed an excess of lipping from the door when trying to get it to fit in the frame. Or perhaps the timber has warped due to excessive moisture and insufficient protection. Or maybe you simply feel like a change. Whatever the reason for replacing your internal door, you’ll find an outstanding selection at Doors & More. We’re proud to carry a huge range of internal doors from some of the UK’s most trusted manufacturers including JB Kind, Deanta, Climadoor, PM Mendes and more.  You’ll also find a great selection of handles and hardware to ensure a smooth opening and closing action and prevent future rattling.