In an older home, due to layers of paint, I have several doors that close too tight to the stop molding. If left closed the paint binds up and "pops" (it must be left closed for two or three hours for the pop to happen).
While I could sand the inside edge of the stop molding, the bottom layer is lead paint, and it's not my first choice to manage the dust. Moving the stop molding also impacts the lead paint layer.
Where can I find a tutorial on adjusting the hinges out a small distance?
What else might work on an older house with layers and layers of lead paint on each door and jamb?
The brown stuff in the photo is paint that apparently stuck during a repainting covered with wax that kinda sorta fixed the problem for a while. See also Why doesn't my freshly painted door fit back in the frame? and the classic Doors are sticky and noisy when opened?
Best Answer
Moving hinges are not an easy task.
Moving the hinges 1/8 of a inch will require repairing the old screw holes first.
To repair the old holes you will need to fill them with suitable filler that will hold the screws. My preference is to wood dowels and wood glue. With a thin layer of glue o the dowel, tap it in the old screw hole. Let cure (look on glue bottle for cure time, usually 24 hours). Once cured, use a chisel to flush the dowel to the door jam. Taper and mark the dowel to minimize chances of splitting the wood:
Once the old screw holes are filled, you can now remount the hinge. Hold the hinge up to the jam where it will go back, shift it 1/8 of a inch and mark the new hole positions. Pre drill the holes since a screw will not go in cleanly with the repairs.