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How to adjust a uPVC door

HOW TO ADJUST A UPVC DOOR

Our guide tells you how to adjust a uPVC door and hinges to stop draughts or stop it catching on the floor.

How to adjust a uPVC door How to adjust a uPVC door

Do you want to know how to adjust a uPVC door height so that it doesn't catch on the floor or how to adjust a uPVC door to stop draughts?

Before you get your screwdriver ready, check if you have a manufacturer's or installer's warranty or guarantee on the door. If you start making changes or adjustments yourself, it can invalidate any claims. We recommend checking with your supplier or installer before you do anything - they may be able to help you to get a better fit on your uPVC door.

If you have checked warranties and still want to go ahead yourself to adjust your uPVC door then follow our guide below.

How to adjust a uPVC door and hinges

How to check door alignment

How to check if your door is out of alignment

First of all, check where your door is misaligned.

  1. Look at the corners of the door, are the mitres lined up with the mitres of the door frame?
  2. Check the level of the door, use a spirit level on the top of the door.
  3. Check the gap between the door and the frame - open the door slightly and at the lock side, see if the gap is consistent all the way up and down the door and frame.

Is the door out of alignment or warped?

Cheap uPVC doors can warp. If your door meets at the top and bottom of the frame but not in the middle, your door is most likely to be warped and needs replacing.

If your door meets at the top but there is a gap at the bottom then it could just need an adjustment to the hinge to pull it back into shape.

If your uPVC door is old and warped is it time for an upgrade? See our range of uPVC doors and find a better fit…

What type of hinge does my uPVC door have?

After you've looked at the alignment of the door, the next step is to identify what style of hinges you have on the door.

Types of door hinges

Butt hinges

These are the oldest style of hinge found on older uPVC doors but still common today. Depending on the age of the hinge it might have just a lateral adjustment, lateral and vertical or no adjustment at all.

T-hinges

This style of hinge is similar to a flag hinge and can usually be adjusted laterally and vertically.

Flag hinges

Usually found on modern uPVC doors, this style of hinge allows you the most control over making adjustments to the door. Laterally, vertically and compression (moving the door closer and further to the door jamb).

What tools do I need to adjust a uPVC door?

  • A flat head screwdriver
  • A Philips head screwdriver
  • Allen keys (also known as a hex key) - usually a 5mm

How to adjust uPVC door hinges

Door butt hinge

How to adjust Butt hinges on a uPVC door

  1. Some butt hinges can be adjusted laterally by up to 2mm, if there are two Phillips screws on the side of the hinge, turn the bottom or the top screw to get sideways movement.
  2. Adjust the butt hinge up and down with the adjustment on the top of the hinge using an Allen key - you will need to pop the cap on the top to expose the screw.
  3. If there's a grub screw in the centre of the hinge (face-on), this must loosen before you adjust the pin as it holds the pin in place.

How to adjust Flag hinges on a uPVC door

To access the adjustment screws:

  1. On a flag hinge, the lateral adjustment screw might be hidden behind the plastic cap over the hinge.
  2. To remove this loosen the two Phillips screws on the inside of the hinge.
  3. Then pop the cap with a flat head screwdriver.
  4. You might need to remove caps on the top and bottom of the hinge to access the door height and compression screws.

Note: The screws that make adjustments might be ordered in a different way by different manufacturers. Always check as you adjust to see which screw makes which adjustment. Not every flag hinge has a compression adjustment screw.

Door flag hinge
Flag hinge

To adjust the screws:

  1. The screw at the top of the hinge is usually to adjust the height of the door with a tolerance of 4.5mm.
  2. The screw at the side is to adjust the door laterally with a tolerance of 5mm.
  3. The screw at the bottom of the hinge is usually to adjust the compression with a tolerance of 2mm.

Use an Allen key and start by turning 1-2 full rotations, test the difference of the adjustment and then continue to turn in increments until the correct position is reached.

How to adjust T-Flag hinges on a uPVC door

A T-Flag hinge and a flag hinge are very similar except a T hinge might not have a compression adjustment. Follow the instructions above for a flag hinge.

Door t-flag hinge

How to adjust uPVC door height

If the door has dropped or needs to be higher (or lower) in the frame you can adjust the screw that controls the vertical movement of the hinge.

Use an Allen key and start with a 1-2 full rotation and then tweak from there.

How to adjust the compression

If the door is set away from the frame in the top or bottom corner you can tighten the fit by turning the compression adjustment screw.

Select the compression adjustment screw, usually the bottom screw, and use an Allen key to make adjustments.

Use an Allen key and start with a 1-2 full rotation and then tweak from there.

How to adjust uPVC doors to stop draughts

The main cause of draughts is when the uPVC door is loose and 'rattles' in the frame. To fix this, you need to adjust the latching of the door by reducing the gap between the door and the door frame.

Doing this will tighten the seal on your door to stop draughts.

Alternatively, if your door shuts in the frame but won't catch in the latch, you might need to reduce the compression of the door by increasing the gap between the door and the frame.

There are two ways to do this.

  1. You can adjust the strike plate by loosening the screws in the plate, in the door frame, and sliding towards the entrance of the door to tighten the fit.
  2. Or, sliding towards the inside of the house, to loosen the fit so the latch can catch in the strike plate.

Test and fine-tune to get a perfect fit by tweaking the screws and shutting the door to try the fit.

The other way is to adjust the compression screw as shown above.

How to adjust a dropped uPVC door that drags on the floor

This adjustment works best for a door that has dropped towards the handle side and not the hinge side.

  • Use an Allen key on the screw at the door side of the hinge.
  • Start by adjusting with the door closed.
  • Turn 1-2 rotations clockwise and then test to see if it still drags.
  • Tweak the hinges until you get a smooth open and close.

Test and fine-tune to get a perfect fit by tweaking the screws and shutting the door to try the fit.

The other way is to adjust the compression screw as shown above.

I adjusted the hinges but the door is still not aligned

If you have tweaked the hinges but can't get the door to fit then it there might be a problem with the hinges. In this case, you can either try to replace the hinges or contact your original supplier to see if the door is still under warranty.

We would recommend only using the original supplier to replace your hinges to get a perfect fit.

It's worth noting that a badly aligned or badly fitted door will reduce the life of the door through additional wear.

Aside from that, a badly fitted door will have draughts and reduce the energy efficiency of your home.

Checking the front door and all external doors in your home on a regular basis will help keep your doors in tip-top condition and you can do minor adjustments as needed before they turn into a much bigger job.

If you can learn how to adjust a uPVC door, you can prolong the life of your uPVC door.

Is it time to think about a new uPVC door?

We have a wide range of doors that are hard-wearing, durable and secure.

Our uPVC doors have a 10-year guarantee that covers the installation and a lifetime guarantee for the discolouration of white uPVC profiles.

See what uPVC door you could have…