A perennial problem with solid-core doors is that they are so heavy that they pull away from the jamb at the top hinge. To prevent this, I replace the two screws closest to the door stop with two 2-1/2-in. or 3-in. wood screws, as shown. (Drywall screws aren’t a good choice, since they aren’t plated to match and will eventually work loose because they aren’t tapered.) It is important to get the screws as close as possible to the center of the jamb, or you run the risk of missing the trimmer stud. I hang new doors with the extra-long wood screws as a matter of course, and I find that it saves me a lot of planing on old doors that “don’t fit any more.”
Sam Yoder, Cambridge, MA
