Doors & Locks in Madison, WI
Sticking, drafty, and sagging doors repaired, and new knobs, handles, and locks installed with two decades of hands-on care for Dane County homes.
Doors are the part of a Wisconsin home that reacts most visibly to the seasons. A cold, dry winter shrinks wood and shifts framing, and the spring freeze-thaw cycle moves a door in its frame — and suddenly a door that closed perfectly in October sticks, drags, or won't latch. Drafts creep in as weatherstripping flattens and the door settles out of square. We fix the door itself rather than just forcing it shut, so it swings freely and seals tight for more than one season.
Hardware wears out too. Knobs go stiff, latches stop catching, and locksets get sloppy with use. We repair or replace that hardware, adjust the strike, and set new knobs and locks so the door works the way it was meant to. When a door is past repairing, we hang a new one in the existing opening and trim it to fit.
What Door & Lock Work Covers
Door Repair
Plane sticking edges, re-hang sagging doors, and fix latches that won't catch.
Door Installation
Hang a new interior or exterior door in an existing opening, trimmed to fit.
Knob & Handle Repair
Replace stiff or worn knobs and handles and re-seat them so they turn freely.
Lock Repair & Installation
Install new locksets, adjust strike plates, and fix latches that won't catch.
Draft Sealing
Replace worn weatherstripping and door sweeps to close winter gaps.
Hinge & Strike Adjustment
Tighten loose hinges and adjust the strike so the door latches cleanly.
How a Door Repair or Install Gets Done
Send photos of the problem door
Pictures of the door, the sticking point or gap, and the hardware are usually enough to estimate the repair by phone or email.
Diagnose the cause
We determine whether the door is sticking from humidity shrinkage, hinge sag, or a shifted frame, and whether the hardware needs repair or replacement.
Adjust or repair
We plane the sticking edge, re-hang the door, adjust the hinges and strike, or replace worn weatherstripping to seal drafts.
Set new hardware if needed
New knobs, handles, or locksets are installed and the strike is adjusted so the latch catches cleanly.
Test and clean up
We swing the door through its full arc, confirm it latches, and clean up any shavings or debris.
What to Expect With Wisconsin Doors
Doors move with the seasons. A door that sticks in January may have been perfect in July. We fix the underlying fit so the door works year-round rather than planing it to a single moment's humidity.
Drafts are usually weatherstripping. When a door feels cold, the weatherstripping has likely flattened or torn. Replacing it and adjusting the sweep closes the gap without replacing the door.
Hardware wears in quietly. A knob that takes an extra jiggle to open usually has a worn latch or a shifted strike. We adjust the strike and replace the hardware before it leaves you locked out.
First Time Clients Discount
$50 off with 4 hours of service, or $100 off with 8 hours of service.
Ask about our senior discounts for Dane County homeowners.
Offer valid for first time clients only. One discount per client.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you fix a door that sticks after winter?+
Yes. Wisconsin's cold, dry winters shrink wood and shift framing, and the freeze-thaw cycle moves doors in their frames. We plane or sand the sticking edge, re-hang the door, and adjust the hinges so it swings freely and latches cleanly.
Why are my doors drafty every winter?+
Weatherstripping wears out and doors settle out of square over time, leaving gaps that let cold air in. We replace the weatherstripping, adjust the door sweep, and re-seat the door in its frame to close those gaps.
Do you install new door knobs and locks?+
Yes. We replace worn or sticky knob and locksets, install new hardware, and adjust the strike plate so the latch catches cleanly. If you've upgraded to a new lockset we can set it in your existing door.
Can you hang a brand-new door in an existing opening?+
Yes. We hang interior and exterior doors in an existing frame, trim them to fit, set the hinges, and install the knob or lockset so the door swings and latches the way it should.
How is a door repair estimated?+
Most door problems can be estimated from a photo and a quick description. Send a picture of the door, the gap or stick point, and the hardware, and we can usually give you an initial estimate by phone or email without a visit.
Serving Dane County Homeowners
Residential service across Madison and the surrounding communities. Find your town:
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