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What makes a rubbing door hinge problem keep coming back?
A door that starts rubbing or won’t latch can look like a simple hardware issue, but repeated tightening or lubrication might only hide a loose fastener or a change in alignment. What do you check first to tell those apart?
I’d be interested in how hinge type affects adjustment and lubricant choice, and what signs point beyond the hinge itself, such as recurring screw looseness, rubbing marks, or a latch that no longer lines up with the strike. When would you stop treating it as routine hardware maintenance and have the frame or installation assessed?
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Hinge type changes what “adjustment” means. An adjustable hinge is meant to be aligned with its designated screws, following the manufacturer’s instructions. With a standard butt hinge, tightening can secure a loose leaf, but it usually won’t correct a changed door position; that generally means repositioning the hinge or shimming it. So I’d qualify the idea that tightening alone can sort out alignment: first identify which kind of hinge you have.
A useful first distinction is whether the hinge screws actually stay tight. If a screw turns without firming up, or keeps loosening, the hinge leaf may not be held securely. If the fasteners remain snug but the door still rubs or misses the strike, alignment is the more relevant thing to investigate. Either clue can narrow it down, but neither by itself proves the frame is at fault. Do the rubbing marks or latch misalignment come back in the same place after the fasteners stay put?
The gaps around the door can show where the misalignment is most noticeable, but they don’t by themselves tell you whether the hinge or frame is responsible. Compare the gap at the top, along both sides, and at the latch edge, and look at the frame separately. If the frame appears out of square or shifted, repeated hinge adjustments may only mask the problem; that’s a reason to have the frame or installation assessed.