Closet doors are one of the most important elements in a person’s wardrobe. They provide a place to hang clothes and act as a barrier between you and other people in the house. This is why it is essential to keep them closed whenever you are not in the closet.
Many people shared with me a problem with their closet doors. They asked me how to keep the closet doors closed. That is why I started to find a solution to this problem.
Surprisingly I have not only found one fix, but also I found a few fixes to keep closet doors closed. In this blog post, I will share why your closet doors are not closing and how you can fix the issue. So, let’s start fixing the problem.
How To Keep Closet Doors Closed: Hinge And Latches Fixing Guide
You have to fix the above issues to keep the closet doors closed. Two main issues are the hinges issue and the latching issue. There are several ways to fix the problem. Most of them are given below.
3 Steps To Fix The Hinges Issue In Closet Doors
Hinges are the main component of a door, and they allow it to move in both directions. When the hinges break, the door does not close properly. Even you cannot move the door easily.
If the hinges are loose or broken, you have to fix or replace them. There are mainly three ways to fix the hinges issue:
Step-1: Tighten The Bolts On The Hinge
If the hinges are loose, you can tighten them by turning the bolts until they are snug. Ensure to do this from both sides of the door to align it properly.
If you have a hex wrench, it can be used to tighten the bolts on the hinge. If you don’t have a hex wrench, an Allen wrench can be used in place of it.
Step-2: Align Liner And Hinge Correctly
If there’s a misalignment between the liner and hinges, you’ll need to adjust it using a screwdriver or Allen wrench. Measure from one hinge to the other and make any necessary adjustments.
Take off hinges and adjust liners. If using a screwdriver or Allen wrench doesn’t work, you can try taking off the hinges and adjusting the liners manually.
Turn both of the screws that hold on the hinge to remove it from the door. Next, use your hands to reposition the liner to align with one of the screws. Then reattach the hinge by screwing it back into place.
Step-3: Replace Hinges
If you still have the problem, it may be time to replace the hinges on your closet door. To do this, unscrew the bolts holding them in place and remove them from the door. Once they’re removed, you can purchase replacement hinges or have a mechanic do it.
When choosing the right hinges for your door, it’s important to consider a few factors. First, you need to make sure that the hinge is compatible with the door itself. Second, you’ll want to factor in how heavy the door is and what type of surface it mounts on.
3 Steps To Latch A Closet Door That Will Not Latch
A good latch is crucial for a secure closet. If the door isn’t latched properly, it can easily be opened by anyone who’s unauthorized to access the space. In addition, if the door is constantly opening and closing on its own, it can wear out your hinges and cause other issues.
Step-1: Door Alignment
One of the most common causes of a door that won’t latch is alignment problems. To check if your closet door is in proper alignment, first make sure no bolts or screws hold it together to meet the hinges.
Unscrew them and try re-aligning the liner and hinge manually if there are any. If that doesn’t work, you may need to replace both the hinges and the liner. I have already shown you how to change the hinges.
Step-2: Change The Latch
If your door doesn’t latch because of an issue with the mechanism, you may need to try using a different type of latch. There are three main latches: deadbolt, slide, and hook.
Deadbolts are the most common type and use a key to operate them. They offer security because you can’t open the door without first unlocking it.
Slide latches work similarly to deadbolts but allow you to move the door along a track instead of using a key. This is helpful if you want to reorganize your closet but don’t want to take the door off of the hinges.
Hook latches are less common but are especially useful if you have a lot of clothes that hang off one side of the closet. Instead of reaching over and opening the door constantly, you can hook your arm through the loop and pull it closed.
So, it’s important to match the one that will fit your door best.
Step-3: Lock Other Items In The Room While Testing
If your closet is just one item in a larger room, ensure everything else is locked before testing the door. This will help prevent anything from moving or knocking the latch free while you’re trying to figure out what’s wrong.
If none of these solutions work, it may be because pins or nuts are holding the door closed that you can’t see. To check, remove one side of your closet door and look for screws or bolts that hold it together. If there are any, remove them and see if that fixes the issue.
4 Reasons Why Your Closet Door Is Not Closing: With The Easy Fixes
There are several reasons behind this problem. For example, the door liner may not properly align, or the hinges may break. Like them, I have found four possible reasons that may be causing this issue.
Reasons For Not Closing Closet Doors | The Easiest Fix |
Something blocking the closers from moving | Move the obstacle |
Hinges are loose or broken | Tighten the bolts |
The door liner is not properly aligned | Use a screwdriver |
The spring is broken or too much weight on one side | Replace the spring or remove any excess weight |
1. Something is Blocking The Closers From Moving
If something is blocking the closers from moving, they’ll struggle to close and open properly. This can be a piece of furniture, clothing, or even a vacuum cleaner cord.
This is a common reason for not closing the closet door. That’s why, when you face this problem, at first check whether anything is blocking the closers or not. Move any obstructions out of the way and try closing and opening the closet door several times until it finally closes/opens properly.
2. The Hinges Are Loose Or Broken
Hinges are the part of a closet door that allows you to open and close it. They are usually made of metal, wood, or plastic and attach to either side of the closet door.
Likely, your closet door hinges are either loose or broken. When this happens, the door can no longer be firmly closed. Try tightening the bolts on the hinge to see if this fixes the problem. If not, you may need to replace both hinges and bolts.
3. The Door Liner Is Not Properly Aligned
The door liner is the material that wraps around the entire edge of a closet door. It’s usually made of resilient materials, such as cardboard or MDF, and protects the wood from moisture and damage.
If the door liner isn’t properly aligned, it can cause difficulty closing and opening the closet doors. Align the liner by measuring from one hinge to another and making necessary adjustments using a screwdriver.
4. The Spring Is Broken Or Too Much Weight On One Side
A closet door spring is responsible for closing the closet doors when you push them. A broken or missing spring can cause the closet door not to close all the way. This is usually caused by a weak hinge, worn outliner, or loose screws on the closure mechanism. You’ll need to replace either the hinge or spring to fix this issue.
If too much weight is applied to one side of the closet door, it can warp and break the door. Remove any excess weight from the door by lifting it down several times.
5 Useful Tips To Keep Your Closet Doors Closed
I can’t guarantee that you won’t ever face any hassles with your closet doors. Nobody can. But following the below-mentioned tips will help you not get many problems with the closet door.
Tip-1: Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for installing your closet door.
Tip-2: Use a good quality latch that will keep the door closed securely.
Tip-3: Lock all other items in your room before testing the door to prevent them from moving or knocking it open while you’re trying to fix it.
Tip-4: Hang your clothes properly so they don’t move while you’re trying to close the door.
Tip-5: Remove one side of your closet door and look for screws or bolts that hold it together; if there are any, remove them and see if that fixes the issue.
Related questions:
Why Won’t Your Closet Doors Stay Closed?
There could be a few reasons why your closet doors won’t stay closed. One common issue is that the hinges are not tight enough and will slowly start to open on their own. If this is the case, you can either replace the hinges or try to fix them by tightening them up with a wrench.
If pins or nuts are holding the door closed, you may need to remove one side of the door and look for screws or bolts that hold it together. If the screws or bolts are missing, you can either buy new hinges or try to fix the door by tightening up the pins and nuts.
Why Does Your Door Close By Itself All The Way?
One common issue with sliding doors is that they can close by themselves. This happens when the spring-loaded latch isn’t strong enough to keep the door closed all the way. To fix this, you can either replace the latch or add a stop bar to prevent it from closing on its own.
You also can install a weight bar to help keep the door closed. However, if you have a high-quality door, the weight bar may not be necessary.
Why Won’t Your Closet Door Latch Stay Latched?
If the latch on your closet door doesn’t stay latched, there are two possible reasons:
The spring has lost its tension and won’t hold the latch closed anymore. In this case, you can replace the spring or try to tighten it up using a wrench.
Something is preventing the catch from catching onto the teeth on the door jamb. This can be caused by rust or wetness; in which case you may need to clean the catch and door jamb or replace them both.
What Can You Use To Keep Your Closet Doors Closed?
A few different options are available to you if you want to keep your closet doors closed. You can use a bracket and door handle, an invisible cable system, or a magnetic strip.
- Bracket and Door Handle
This option involves attaching a bracket to the top of one of your closet doors and then mounting an existing door handle onto it. This gives you easy access to the inside of your closet without having to open the door.
- Invisible Cable System
Another option is an invisible cable system. This involves running a cable from the handle of one closet door to the handle of the next. This way, you can close and open both doors without taking any extra steps.
- Magnetic Strip
The final option is a magnetic strip. This attaches to either side of your closet door and allows you to close it with just one finger easily.
How Do You Keep A Sliding Closet Door From Opening?
There are a few different ways to keep a sliding closet door from opening. You can use a security latch, grab bar or spring clip.
- Security Latch
This option involves installing a security latch on the inside of your closet door. This will help ensure that the door stays closed while wearing clothes inside the closet.
- Grab Bar
Another option is to install a grab bar on the outside of your sliding closet door. This will help you hold onto the door while you’re trying to open it.
- Spring Clip
The final option is to use a spring clip. This attaches to the inside handle of your closet door and helps keep it closed when you’re not wearing clothes inside the closet.
How Do You Stop A Closet Door From Swinging?
There are a few different ways to stop a closet door from swinging. You can use a weight Bar, spring-loaded latch, or stop bar.
- Weight Bar:
The weight bar attaches to the inside of your closet door and helps hold it closed while you’re not wearing clothes inside the closet.
- Spring Loaded Latch:
Installing a spring loaded latch on the outside of your sliding closet door can be a great option. This will help you keep the door closed while you’re wearing clothes inside the closet.
- Stop Bar:
The final option is to use a stop bar. This attaches to the inside handle of your closet door and helps prevent it from swinging open when you don’t have enough space to open it.
Conclusion
If you’re having trouble keeping your closet doors closed, consider replacing the latch or adding a stop bar to the door. However, in this article, I have shown you how you can fix the hinges issue, change the latch of a door, and install a door perfectly. I hope now you have understood what you have to do to your closet doors to keep closed.