locked out drama—what would you do?

Yeah, you nailed it—old houses always have a way of keeping you on your toes. I’ve run into those swollen wood doors more times than I can count, and it’s always a balance between fixing the immediate problem and not making it worse down the line. Tightening hinges is smart; sometimes even just shimming them a bit can help with clearance. Ever tried swapping out the screws for longer ones to pull the jamb tighter? It’s a small thing, but it can make a surprising difference. Those quirks are frustrating, but honestly, they’re what give older places some character... even if they do make you late for work now and then.

Longer screws are a game changer, for sure. I’ve also had luck with a little sanding on the sticky edge, but you’ve gotta be careful not to overdo it. Ever thought about weatherstripping too? Sometimes it’s just enough to keep the swelling in check. Old houses really do keep things interesting...

Longer screws have saved me more than once—especially when the door frame’s seen better days. I’ve had mixed results with sanding, though... sometimes it just makes things worse if the humidity changes again. Weatherstripping’s a solid call, but I’ve even used a little bar soap on sticky spots in a pinch. Old wood just does what it wants, doesn’t it?

I get what you’re saying about sanding, but honestly, I’ve had better luck just tightening up the hinges or even swapping them out for new ones. Sanding always feels like a gamble—sometimes it fixes the sticking, sometimes I end up with a gap and a draft. One time I tried to sand down a swollen door and it fit fine in July, but come winter, there was daylight peeking through. Maybe it’s just my old house being stubborn, but I’d rather mess with hardware than take off too much wood.

Totally get the fear of sanding too much—been there. I tried sanding a sticky door once and ended up with a weird draft that wouldn’t quit, just like you said:

“sometimes I end up with a gap and a draft.”