How to Adjust the Top of Hollow Core Doors

Measure the distance between the bottom of the hollow core door and the floor. If this distance is greater than 1/2 inch, solve the problem of a sticking top edge by lowering the door. Remove the door and its hinges from the frame by unscrewing the screws that hold the hinges to the frame. Extend the notch in the frame where the hinges go by 1/4 inch on the bottom using a hammer and chisel. Re-hang the door with the bottoms of the hinges aligned with the bottoms of the new notches you just cut.

Reduce the height of the top of the door without moving the hinges by planing off some material from the top. Remove the pins from the hinges by tapping a finish nail up into the center of the hinge barrel and popping the pin out the top. Lay the door flat on a solid surface. Make a pencil mark on the face of the door 1/8 inch below the top. Plane down to this mark with a hand plane.

Fix a rattle in the door top by adjusting the door horizontally. Remove the hinges from the door frame in the same way that is described in Step 1. Extend the top hinge notch in the door frame horizontally by removing 1/8 inch of wood with a hammer and chisel. Remount the door, being sure that the top hinge butts up against the new edge that you created. This will make the door close more tightly.