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Why Doors Stick in Memphis: When Humidity Loads the Wood and the House Shifts
Local Handyman Mid-South
December 6, 2025
At Local Handyman Mid-South, we see sticking doors across Memphis because moisture swells door components while the home subtly moves on loess soil. It’s a house-behavior issue more than a door defect.
Memphis air carries moisture deep into door slabs, jambs, and casings, but it doesn’t do it evenly, which twists clearances just enough to cause rubbing. Beneath the house, loess soil responds quickly to rain saturation, then tightens again during dry spells, gently nudging framing out of square. Doors show this first because they have tighter tolerances than walls or trim. After strong storm fronts, pressure shifts and saturated ground often make a door that worked fine yesterday suddenly drag or refuse to latch. We correct this by tuning hinges, resetting strike plates, and setting clearances that allow for how Memphis homes actually move through the seasons.
Common Door-Sticking Causes & Fixes (Memphis)
| Symptom | What’s Happening | Typical Adjustment |
|---|---|---|
| Door rubs at top corner | Frame drift from soil movement | Hinge-side tuning |
| Door won’t latch | Jamb swelling from humidity | Strike plate reset |
| Seasonal sticking | Moisture-loaded slab | Edge relief |
| Door pops back open | Pressure imbalance | Latch alignment |
| Worse after storms | Saturated ground | Frame correction |
| Interior-only issue | HVAC humidity swing | Clearance balancing |
The prices provided are intended as general guidance only, as every job is different and actual costs may vary. We recommend obtaining a detailed estimate—ideally from multiple professionals—before setting your project budget. For accurate pricing, please reach out to us and we’ll create a custom estimate for your project.
In Memphis, sticky doors are usually telling you how the house is reacting to weather and soil, not that the door itself is failing. Once humidity and frame movement are factored in, the behavior makes sense. That’s the kind of pattern our team at Local Handyman Mid-South deals with every week working on Memphis homes.
Why Doors Stick in Memphis — FAQs
Why do doors stick more in Memphis than other cities?
Memphis has high humidity and loess soil that shifts with rain cycles, which causes door frames to move slightly and wood components to swell more often than in drier regions.
Can humidity alone cause a door to stick?
Yes. In Memphis, humid air can swell door slabs and jambs unevenly, reducing clearance even if the frame itself hasn’t moved much.
Why do doors stick worse after heavy rain or storms?
After storms, saturated loess soil compresses under the home, subtly shifting the frame while pressure changes affect interior air balance. Doors often show the problem first.
Is a sticking door a structural problem?
Usually no. Most sticking doors we see at Local Handyman Mid-South are alignment and clearance issues caused by seasonal movement, not structural failure.
Do older Memphis homes have more door problems?
Yes. Older homes often have original framing with less tolerance for movement, so humidity and soil shifts affect doors more noticeably.
How are sticking doors typically fixed in Memphis homes?
Common fixes include hinge adjustments, strike plate resets, minor edge planing, and clearance corrections that account for local humidity and soil movement patterns.
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