Old houses really do have a mind of their own when it comes to swelling and shrinking. I get wanting to fix it right away (locked out drama is no joke), but I’d lean toward your approach: tighten...
I hear you on the “old houses have a mind of their own” part. I’ve had doors that seemed to change shape with every season—tight as a drum in July, then suddenly swinging free by January. Have you ever tried just adjusting the strike plate before reaching for the plane? Sometimes a tiny shift there does more than you’d think. Or do you find that’s just a band-aid in these situations?
Honestly, I’ve tried the strike plate trick a few times, but in my experience it only buys you so much time. Maybe it’s just the houses I’ve dealt with, but that seasonal swelling always seems to win out eventually. I usually end up shaving a hair off the door edge—just enough to get by without making it drafty. It’s a bit of a gamble, though... sometimes you fix one door and another starts acting up. Old houses keep you humble, that’s for sure.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’d actually hold off on shaving the door unless it’s really necessary. Sometimes a little graphite powder in the latch and hinges can make a bigger difference than you’d think. If you start taking wood off, you can’t put it back... and next season, you might end up with a gap. Old houses are tricky, but sometimes less is more.
I totally get the hesitation about shaving the door, but I’ve actually seen situations where a tiny adjustment made all the difference—especially if the sticking is happening at just one spot. Have you checked if it’s actually the wood swelling from humidity, or maybe the frame’s a bit out of square? Sometimes a little creative sanding can solve it for years, and you barely notice the change visually. I’m always wary of quick fixes like graphite if the underlying issue is bigger... but then again, old houses do have minds of their own.
If the door’s sticking in just one spot, I’d go straight for the trouble area with a pencil and close the door to see where it rubs. Mark it, then take the door off the hinges—just two pins, easy—and sand or plane that section down a bit at a time. Test fit after each pass. No need to go overboard; sometimes even a millimeter makes all the difference.
I’ve tried graphite and those spray lubricants before, but honestly, if the wood’s swollen or the frame’s shifted, you’re just masking the problem. Especially in older houses, things settle and move around. Quick fixes might buy you a month or two, but you’ll be back at square one when the weather changes again.
One thing I always check: make sure your hinges are tight and not sagging. Loose screws can throw everything out of alignment. Tighten them up before you start shaving anything—you might save yourself some work.