The 5 most common causes: worn door closer (adjust or replace), sagging hinges (tighten or replace), spread frame (straighten), shifted threshold (realign), or misaligned strike plate (reposition). Most fixes cost $95-$400 and take 30-90 minutes. Don't ignore it. A door that won't close is a security and fire code liability.
Why Won't My Commercial Door Close?
Five things cause 95% of commercial door closing problems. We've been fixing commercial doors for over 20 years. Almost every call boils down to one of these five causes. Here's how to figure out which one you have.
Cause 1: The Door Closer Is Failing
Most common cause. Check for oil leaks. Look at the door closer body (the metal cylinder at the top of the door). If you see dark oil residue, the closer is leaking hydraulic fluid and losing its ability to control closing speed. It'll either slam or not close at all.
Even without a visible leak, the closer might just be worn out. According to the Door and Hardware Institute, commercial closers in high-traffic locations (80-100 cycles per day) last 7-10 years. If yours is older than that, it's probably past its useful life. Replacement runs $200-$400.
Cause 2: The Hinges Are Worn
Sagging door? Check the hinges. Commercial doors are heavy. Over years of use, the hinge pins wear, the knuckles loosen, and the door drops. Even 1/8 inch of drop can make the bottom rail drag on the threshold and prevent the door from swinging shut.
Test this by lifting the door slightly at the latch side. If it lifts easily and the gap at the top hinge side closes, the hinges are worn. Hinge replacement runs $75-$250 per door and fixes the problem immediately.
Cause 3: The Frame Has Spread
Look at the gap between the door and frame at the top. If the gap is wider at the top than at the bottom (or wider at the latch side than the hinge side), the frame has spread. Building settlement, temperature cycling, and repeated impact cause commercial door frames to bow outward over time.
When the frame spreads, the latch can't reach the strike plate. The door closes but doesn't latch. Frame repair involves straightening the frame with a porta-power tool and reinforcing it. Costs $175-$400.
Cause 4: The Threshold Shifted
Less common but we see it in older buildings. The threshold (the metal strip at the bottom of the door frame) can shift from building settlement or impact. When it shifts, the door bottoms out against it before reaching the fully closed position.
Check by watching the bottom of the door as it closes. If it hits the threshold before the latch engages the strike, the threshold needs repositioning. Adjustment runs $95-$175.
Cause 5: The Strike Plate Is Misaligned
The latch can't find the strike pocket. This happens when the door or frame has shifted enough that the latch bolt no longer lines up with the hole in the strike plate. The door closes but the latch slides across the face of the strike instead of clicking into the pocket.
Fix is usually straightforward. We reposition the strike plate or file the pocket opening slightly larger. Cost: $95-$150. If the frame has spread (Cause 3), we fix the frame first, then the strike alignment follows.
Don't Ignore a Door That Won't Close
It's not just annoying. It's a security breach and a fire code violation. An unlatched commercial door is an open invitation. And if it's a rated fire door that doesn't latch, you'll fail your next fire inspection under NFPA 80. The fine is more expensive than the repair.
Call us at (561) 524-8500. We diagnose the cause on-site and fix it the same visit. Most commercial door repairs take 30-90 minutes.