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Lubbock Foundation

Serving Lubbock and nearby areas

Sticking Doors and Windows in Lubbock, TX

When several doors or windows start to stick at once, the frame around them may have shifted with the foundation, and a free inspection tells you which it is before you pay for a fix.

Call now: (806) 855-8140 or book your free inspection online

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Why houses move in Lubbock

Lubbock soils hold clay that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, with a hard caliche layer a few feet down. Rain comes in heavy bursts after long dry spells, and the city drains to playa lakes. That mix moves both the older pier-and-beam homes near Texas Tech and the newer slab homes in south Lubbock.

  • Soil that changes with the weather

    USDA soil surveys show a clay subsoil under common Lubbock area soils. It swells when wet and shrinks when dry, and the door frames above it shift as it does.

  • Dry years, then storms

    Lubbock averages about 18.6 inches of rain a year, according to the National Weather Service, but got only 5.86 inches in 2011. Big swings like that move clay the most.

  • Frost is a small factor

    Lubbock County is in a 12 inch frost line zone, according to a Texas housing agency notice. Doors that bind here are more often about clay and water than freezing ground.

What it costs

Typical ranges from published cost guides, not quotes. Every job starts with a free inspection and a written price, so you see the number before any work begins.

WorkTypical range
Inspection and written estimate Free
Most foundation repairs, U.S. $2,200 to $8,200
Piers $1,000 to $3,000each
Pier and beam foundation repair, most jobs $2,000 to $15,000

See typical foundation repair prices in Lubbock

What you will notice

A door or window that sticks is one of the earliest signs a house has moved. It often shows up before any big crack. Here is what to look for:

A door that drags

On the floor or the top of the frame.

A latch that will not catch

Unless you lift or push the door.

A door that swings open or closed

By itself.

A gap at the top

Of a closed door that is wide on one side and tight on the other.

A deadbolt that no longer lines up

With the hole in the frame.

Double doors or closet doors

That no longer meet in the middle.

A window that binds

Halfway up or will not lock.

A small crack

Running from the top corner of the door or window frame.

Why doors and windows stick

A door frame is a rectangle. A door only swings freely when that rectangle stays square. When the floor under one side drops or lifts, even a small amount, the frame leans. The door rubs on one corner and leaves a gap on the other.

In Lubbock, the most common reason the floor moves is the soil. USDA soil surveys show that common soils around the city have a clay subsoil. Clay swells when it gets wet and shrinks when it dries. The house sits on top, and different parts of it ride up and down as the soil changes.

The weather here makes those swings big. Lubbock averages about 18.6 inches of rain a year, according to the National Weather Service, but the total can drop far below that. In 2011, the city got only 5.86 inches, its driest year on record. Long dry spells pull water out of the clay. Then heavy storms soak it again.

Frost is a smaller factor than in northern cities. Lubbock County is in a 12 inch frost line zone, according to a Texas housing agency notice. When doors bind here, it is usually about clay and water, not frozen ground.

Is it the door or the house?

Not every sticking door is a foundation problem. Here is how to tell.

More likely the door:

  • Only one door sticks, and the gap around it is even.
  • The hinge screws are loose. Tighten them and see if it helps.
  • The door was just painted, or the weatherstrip is new.
  • A window sticks because of old paint or a worn track.

More likely the house:

  • Several doors stick, all on the same side or in the same part of the house.
  • The gap at the top of the door is shaped like a wedge.
  • It started sticking at the same time as new drywall or brick cracks.
  • The floor near the door slopes. A marble rolls away from it.
  • It sticks in one season and works fine in another, year after year.

Cosmetic or urgent?

One door that sticks a little is not an emergency. Still, keep an eye on it. Have the house checked soon if:

  • Several doors went out of line in a few weeks or months.
  • An outside door will not lock.
  • A window will not open, especially in a bedroom where it is an exit.
  • The sticking comes with cracks wider than about a quarter inch.

What the fix usually is

The inspector takes floor level readings across the whole house. If the floor near the sticking doors is out of level, the frames are just following it.

If the house moved, the fix is at the foundation. Slab homes usually get piers under the part that dropped, then that section is lifted back toward level. Pier-and-beam homes are usually re-leveled from the crawl space by resetting supports and replacing worn shims. Once the floor comes back, many doors start working again on their own.

After the lift, some doors still need a small hinge or strike plate adjustment. That is normal. Ask if it is part of the price.

If the floor is level, the problem is the door or window itself. That is a carpentry fix, not a foundation fix, and the inspector should tell you so.

What it costs

These are typical ranges from published cost guides, not quotes. If only the door needs work, the cost is small. If the foundation moved, the number of piers drives the price. Your price comes in writing after the free inspection.

Before the inspection

  1. Make a list of every door and window that sticks, and where it is.
  2. Write down when each one started, and if it changes with the seasons.
  3. Take photos of the gap at the top of each sticking door.
  4. Look for cracks above the door frames, inside and outside.
  5. Do not plane or trim doors yet. The inspector can read a lot from how they bind.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if a sticking door is a foundation problem or just the door?

Look at the gap around the closed door. If it is even all around, the door itself may be the issue. If the gap is wide at one top corner and tight at the other, the frame has gone out of square, which often means the house moved.

Should I just plane the door so it closes?

Planing makes the door close today. If the house is still moving, it can stick again, or end up with a big gap when the ground swings back the other way. Find out why it changed first.

Why do my doors stick in summer and close fine in winter?

Clay soil under many Lubbock homes swells when wet and shrinks when dry. As it changes through the year, the frame shifts a little, and doors that bind in one season can work fine in another.

My front door will not latch unless I push hard. Is that serious?

One latch that is a little off is often a loose strike plate or hinge screw. If the latch keeps drifting and other doors are doing the same, have the house checked.

Can a door that swings open on its own mean a foundation problem?

Yes. A door that drifts open or shut by itself is often hanging in a frame that is no longer plumb. That can happen when the floor under it slopes.

Find out why your doors stick

Call (806) 855-8140 or send the short form. A local foundation crew will measure your floors, check the frames and tell you in writing whether it is a door fix or a foundation fix. Homes across Lubbock and nearby towns are covered.

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Common foundation repair problems in Lubbock

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