My front door keeps catching the bottom doorframe horizontal

[EdInnes]

Can anyone give me some advice?

My front door keeps catching/jamming against the bottom doorframe horizontal. It’s a heavy wooden exterior south-facing door that is about 9 years old. Shaving the bottom of the door does not help for long. And anyway if I take any more off there won’t be much door left! I think the centre section of the door is ‘dropping or slipping’ due to weight and age.

Much appreciated

Ed

 

[masona]

Is there a gap at the top wider than left or right ? if so ,as you say the door is slipping because the glue in the joints is not holding.You might need a carpenter who can take the door apart and re-glued - not easy.Sometime we make a thin wedge into the side jamb to split the tenon to widen it into the mortise,again not easy.The cheapest and eyesore option is to a strong thin metal brace from the hung side to the top brace to stop the door slipping any further,failing that a new door I'm afraid.

 

[renovator]

it is possible to stop the joint slipping by inserting a star dowel ( an extruded metal star) through the rails where they are jointed. this effectively pegs the joint in place.

 

[EdInnes]

Thank you both Masona and Renovator for your advice. Sorry I’m back so late but have been away.
The gap at the top looks normal (quite small) and even across the whole width of the door. I guess the centre section ‘slippage’ must be taking place somewhere further down the length of the door, though I can’t actually see where. I have since taken the door off it’s hinges turned it upside down and used a heavy sledge-hammer to try and knock the centre section ‘back up’ the door. But it did not budge a single millimetre!
I managed to alleviate the problem by shaving some more off the bottom and by re-screwing the hinges slightly higher up the doorframe. But this will only be temporary if the bottom centre section continues to drop!
I think I will take your advice Renovator once I figure out where to position the star dowel/s.
Many thanks again.

 

[aussie1]

your door jamb may be the prob.

 

[Igorian]

Did you treat the edge after you shaved it? It's possible that moisture is being absorbed, causing it to swell.