the_sam•1mo agoMost Upvoted

The simple fix for my sticky basement door was a $3 pack of shims

My basement door has been dragging on the frame for months, driving me crazy every time I go down there. I was about to plane the bottom off when a buddy stopped by and said try shimming the hinge side first. I grabbed a pack of cedar shims from Home Depot for like 3 bucks, slipped one under the bottom hinge pin, and it lifted the door just enough that it swings smooth now. Anyone else find a cheap shortcut that saved you from a bigger project?

3 comments

3 Comments

foster.tessa1mo ago

Man, I mean shims are great but that's just a temporary bandaid though.

ben_lewis1mo ago

Isn't that how MOST quick fixes in life really are though?

ivan7741mo ago

You said "temporary bandaid" but shims aren't really a bandaid in the usual sense. Bandaids cover a wound and let it heal underneath, but shims just fill a gap that shouldn't be there in the first place. If a door frame is already level and square, a shim can make a trim piece sit flush without causing other problems. The problem is when people use them to fix a frame or wall that's way out of plumb, then you just hide the real issue. A shim done right is permanent, not a quick fix that falls off later.