My wife and I are in the process of purchasing a new home. The home was completed middle of 05' however has never been occupied. It is a beautiful home and we are very excited. I had a home inspection today and the inspector noticed a couple of the downstairs doors were slightly warped maybe 3/16"-1/4". The doors were not hitting the stops evenly either top or bottom. They latch, you just have to give them a light pull. The home is bank owned so I cannot have the builder fix the problem. The inspector said to adjust the stops. The doors are natural solid pine six panel along with the frames. I think if I move the stops it will end up looking poorly trying to match the stain and varnish. The varnish actually has sealed in between the stop and jam. I can scribe it with knife, break it loose and then move it, I just hate to do this.

Any other thoughts how I can bend the door back into place? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

On my current home I have a door that is similarly warped and I am trying to bend it back by putting about an 1 1/2 spacer at the top and then pulling the door closed to try to bend it back. Don't know if this will work though

 

You imagine the doors are warped. That might not be the case. Unless you've checked the door with a 78" level as a straightedge, that is. It's more likely that the legs of the jamb are not aligned with one another- racked, in other words.

If adjusting the door stop is out of the question for some reason, that only leaves adjusting the door jambs, which would mean taking the casing off and giving the jamb a few gentle "adjustments" here and there.

I think that adjusting the door stop would be the least intrusive way to go. Removing the casing gets you into the same problem as moving the door stop.

Light sanding, revarnishing and filling a few new nail holes is probably all that will be needed.

If you'd like to learn more about removing the casing and adjusting the legs of the jamb, just ask.

 

I assume everything was fine when the home was built. I would tend to think a builder would not install all this beautiful woodwork and not manage to check if the doors worked. I am guessing something may of shifted, settled etc. I guess this is common on new construction. I am really being too anal about this. It is an amazing home and along with a leaking pressure relief valve on the HW heater that was all the inspector could find.

How would you suggest adjusting the stop. On my current home built in 1928 I have just taken a block of wood put it up against the stop and given it a few highly accurate whacks with a hammer until the door closes correctly. Usually prior to painting. Guess the same here it is just that it is a new place and I want it to look right. I am just concerned about matching the color.

 

Since the trim is stained and varnished, I think you'll be better off if you actually remove the door stop on the latch side (starting from the bottom and carefully working your way up, being careful not to dent the wood or break the door stop). You'll also likely want to remove the TOP door stop. You could try tapping it with a block of wood and hammer, but as you mentioned, if it's sealed with varnish you'll break or dent something before it wants to slide. Before you score it with a knife, try separating it from the jamb with a very thin stiff putty knife, tapping it behind the stop with a hammer to separate it so that you can get a small prybar behind it. I'm guessing it will pop off cleanly. Scoring it may only scratch the wood, and since you're moving the stop, that scratch would show.

If there is varnish residue on the edges of the stops or buildup on the jamb, sand it down with some 180 grit sandpaper. Pull any nails or staples out the back side of the stop, pulling them THROUGH instead of pushing them back out the surface of the stop.

If you're really concerned about the color of stain, take the top stop into a store and try to find a color to match. When you go to touch up the stain, keep in mind that wood will not accept stain if the wood is covered with varnish. Even if it's a shade off, this is such a small area that it will never be noticed.

After you've sanded the rough edges of the stops and the residue on the jamb where the stops used to be, you're ready to reinstall the stop. Latch the door, press the stops lightly against the door, and nail them in place. One coat of varnish, followed by a light sanding with 220 grit, then fill nail holes, then another coat of varnish and only you will know they've been moved.

 

The best way to prevent doors from warping or swelling is to paint/varnish the tops and bottoms.

 

Thanks for the responses and advise. First I think I may see if the doors or frames are actually causing the problems. If it is he doors I may swap them for a door in a less conspicuous place and then adjust the stops on those doors.

 

kkowalsk - Don't assume that the doors are warped because it's a new house. My first assumption would be that they aren't plumb. Things move in a house, particularly in the first couple of years.

As xsleeper recommended, check the doors with a straightedge and check the jambs with a level.