How to Fix a Sagging Cabinet Door in 10 Minutes

Say Goodbye to Crooked Cabinets

Few things make a kitchen or bathroom look tired faster than crooked, sagging, or overlapping cabinet doors. Over time, the daily opening and closing of cabinets loosens the hardware, causing the doors to shift. Fortunately, you don't need to replace the cabinets or hire a carpenter. Most modern cabinets use European-style concealed hinges, which are specifically designed to be easily adjusted in three dimensions with nothing more than a simple screwdriver.

What You'll Need

• A standard Phillips-head screwdriver
• A flashlight (optional, for seeing inside dark cabinets)

Step 1: Locate the Three Adjustment Screws

Open your sagging cabinet door and look closely at the hinge attached to the cabinet wall. You will see several screws. On a standard European hinge, there are three primary adjustment points:

• The Side-to-Side Screw: Located closest to the cabinet door. This adjusts the gap between doors or the door and the frame.
• The Depth Screw: Located furthest back toward the cabinet wall. This adjusts how flush the door sits against the cabinet.
• The Height Screws: Located on the mounting plate that anchors the hinge to the cabinet body (one above and one below the hinge arm). These slide the door up and down.

Step 2: Fix the Sag (Height Adjustment)

If your door is hanging too low or rubbing against the cabinet bottom, you need to adjust its height.

• Slightly loosen the height screws on both the top and bottom hinges. Turn them counter-clockwise just enough so the hinge can slide.
• Manually lift the cabinet door to your desired height. (Using a small book or wedge underneath can help hold it in place).
• Tighten the screws back down securely. Close the door to check the alignment.

Step 3: Straighten a Crooked Door (Side-to-Side Adjustment)

If the door is tilted, or if double doors are overlapping in the middle, you need to adjust the lateral angle.

• Locate the side-to-side screw (the front-most screw on the hinge arm).
• If the door is sagging down on the outer edge, turn the side-to-side screw on the top hinge clockwise to pull the top of the door closer to the hinge side.
• Alternatively, turn the side-to-side screw on the bottom hinge counter-clockwise to push the bottom of the door away from the hinge side.
• Make small adjustments (quarter-turns) and test the door after each turn.

Step 4: Align Flush with the Cabinet (Depth Adjustment)

If the door doesn't close all the way, or if there is a wide gap between the closed door and the cabinet face, adjust the depth.

• Slightly loosen the depth screw (the screw furthest back).
• Push the door in toward the cabinet or pull it slightly out.
• Retighten the screw and check if the door closes flush without binding.

Bonus: Quick Fix for Loose Traditional Hinges

If you have older, traditional hinges and the screws are spinning because the wood holes are stripped, try the toothpick trick:

• Remove the loose screw entirely.
• Dip one or two wooden toothpicks in wood glue and insert them into the stripped screw hole.
• Snap off the excess toothpick flush with the wood.
• Reinstall the hinge and drive the screw back into the hole. The toothpicks will provide the wood fibers needed for the screw to bite securely.