How to Make a Closet Door Close by Itself

Spring-Loaded Hinges

• 1

  Remove the existing door hinges by taking out the screws with a screwdriver. Be careful to avoid damaging the wood of the door and frame or you will need to repair it before installing new the hinges. This may also leave the wood weakened and unable to support the new hinges.

• 2

  Install spring-loaded door hinges to replace all of the existing hinges. You may prefer to have the hinges located inside the door, but this is only possible if you can get into the closet to make the necessary adjustments once the door is closed.

• 3

  Screw the hinges into the door and frame at or close to the locations of the previous hinges. Position each hinge with the adjustment section at the top. Close the door and rotate the adjustment mechanism clockwise with a hex wrench until it feels tight.

• 4

  Insert the tension pin into the tension hole. Remove the hex wrench and test the door to see if it closes adequately from the open position. Continue adjusting the tension of the spring to tighten or loosen it, depending on how well it closes.

Magnetic Door Catch

• 5

  Keep the closet doors closed tightly in between uses by installing a magnetic ball door catch. This makes the catch “grab” the door as it closes, and the magnetic field keeps it closed.

• 6

  Remove the old catches from the door and the frame. Fill the holes with wood filler and paint over them to blend in their appearance with the door.

• 7

  Cut an 11/16-inch hole in the door frame at the point where you want to install the catch with a handheld drill. Screw the catch onto the frame, by positioning the indentation over the hole. Screw the remaining section of the door catch with the magnetic ball onto the edge of the door.

• 8

  Test the door by opening it as wide as possible and releasing it. The spring-loaded hinge should close almost all the way while the door catch should close the door completely and keep it closed until you open it.