My French Doors Do Not Line Up

Settling or Natural Disasters

• The earth can sometimes cause French and other styles of doors to become dislodged, or to not align properly. Houses settle over time; they move slightly, which can cause cracking or can shift a door frame so doors do not align. This is more common in older houses and in houses with poorly built foundations. Natural disasters, such as earthquakes and hurricanes, also can alter a house's foundation and door frames, causing French doors to not line up properly.

Other Damage

• Unnatural damage to the doors can also cause them to not line up correctly. For example, slamming the doors or colliding with them can rattle the hinges and cause them to not line up properly. Also, doors can become damaged over time from daily use. Periodically check the hinges to ensure all connections are secure; a loose hinge might bend, which can also cause French doors to become dislodged or not line up properly.

Professional Installation

• If a professional door installation person installed your French doors and they do not line up properly, call the company that installed the doors or the company that sold you the doors. Most doors come with a warranty, and installation should be guaranteed to work properly for a certain amount of time. If it has only been a few weeks or months, the installation company should be able to come repair the issue, often for free. However, wear and tear might eventually lead to the doors not aligning correctly. If that is the case, you might have to pay a professional to fix the issue.

Self-Installation

• It is possible to install your own French doors, but if you do not have experience doing so, there is more room for error that can cause the doors to not line up perfectly. The hinges for both doors need to be exactly symmetrical, both in height and depth. Also, if one hinge is slightly crooked, it can affect the angle of one of the French doors so the two do not line up properly. Use careful measurements and precision when installing the French doors. The initial installation might take longer because you are being meticulous, but it will save time in the long run by getting it right the first time.