Door Installation and Repair in Winnipeg — Handy Hour

Doors are one of the more versatile carpentry jobs in a home — a sticking interior door is a quick afternoon fix; a new pre-hung exterior door with a lockset and weatherstripping is a half-day job that makes a meaningful difference to the house.

What I install:

• Interior pre-hung doors — hollow-core or solid-core, into existing openings of the correct size
• Bifold doors — laundry room, closet, pantry
• Barn door hardware and door on a track (no wall framing changes)
• New locksets, deadbolts, and door handles on existing doors
• Door closers and stoppers

What I repair:

• Doors that stick, bind, or drag on the floor from seasonal swelling or hinge sag
• Hinges that are loose or have stripped screws in the jamb
• Latches that do not catch properly
• Split or damaged door casings and jambs from impact damage
• Pocket door hardware that has come off track

For exterior entry doors, I can hang a pre-hung unit into an existing rough opening of the right dimensions. If the rough opening needs to be resized or new structural framing is involved, that is a contractor-scale job beyond handyman scope.

Back to Carpentry Services.

For new installations: tell me the door type, the rough opening dimensions (or the existing door size if replacing like-for-like), and whether the door is already purchased.

For repairs: a short description of the problem and a photo of the door and frame. For a sticking door, note which season it sticks in and where it catches.

What affects the quote: door type, opening condition, hardware included, and whether casing removal and replacement is needed.

Call (888) 906-0022 or email [email protected] to get started.

Door problems are more common in Winnipeg than in milder climates because of the wide seasonal temperature swing. Wood expands and contracts with humidity changes — a door that hangs perfectly in September may stick noticeably in a humid July, or in a dry January when the furnace has been running for two months.

Most sticking doors can be fixed by planing a small amount off the sticking edge, adjusting hinges, or tightening loose hinge screws with longer replacement screws. Loose hinge screws are the single most common cause of doors dragging at the bottom — the top hinge pulls away from the jamb under the door's weight, tilting the door so the bottom corner catches on the threshold or floor.

The seasonal twist is a different problem. If a door sticks in summer but fits fine in winter, the door itself may be swelling in humidity. Sealing the door edges (top and bottom) with paint or sealant can reduce seasonal movement.

For new door installs: trim and baseboard installation is typically done after the door is hung to finish the casing, and window and screen repair is a common paired job in the same visit. Also see preparing for winter for weatherstripping and air sealing around door frames.

To be clear about scope: I do not do structural framing, I do not resize rough openings, and I do not install door frames where there is no opening yet. These involve removing wall framing, headers, and potentially load-bearing structure — that is general contractor work.

I also do not install French doors or exterior sliding doors that require a new threshold cut into the floor or wall-to-ceiling framing. Those jobs need more than a single person with a tool belt.

If you are not sure whether your door project is within handyman scope, describe it to me and I will give you an honest answer — and a referral to a general contractor if the job is beyond what I do.

A photo of the door and the opening, plus a description of what you need, is all I need to start. Call (888) 906-0022 or email [email protected] to get started.