DIY Household Fixes You Can Easily Tackle Yourself

The perks of homeownership come with their fair share of annoyances: doors that refuse to cooperate, windows that stick, and cracks in the walls. While these minor issues can be frustrating, they’re also easy enough to address yourself in just a weekend. Here are nine common household fixes that are simple and achievable, even without prior experience.

We’ve previously discussed various home improvement projects, from electrical and plumbing fixes to outdoor repairs. Now, let’s focus on general household issues. These tasks involve fixing things like scratched furniture, misaligned doors, and more. They’re mostly beginner-friendly and can save you a considerable amount of money if you handle them yourself.

How to Fix a Door That Won’t Close Properly

We’ve all encountered a door that sticks or requires a bit of force to shut properly. As highlighted in the video above from MonkeySee, a door that won’t close smoothly typically results from one of three issues:

• The strike plate might need some adjustment. The latch could be missing the strike plate or not fitting properly into it. Begin by checking if the latch plate is loose, and see if tightening the screws resolves the issue. If not, you may have to replace the strike plate with one that fits better, or gently file down the existing one with a metal file or rotary tool.

• The stop molding might be warped or misaligned. This molding is the trim the door rests against when it’s closed. If it’s deformed or off-center, the door won’t close properly. You can try tapping it back into place with a hammer, or if that doesn’t work, sanding and refinishing the part of the molding that the door touches might be necessary.

• The fit between the jamb and the door is too tight. If there’s not enough space between the door jamb and the door’s edge (by the hinges), the door won’t close correctly. A simple fix is to place a small shim under the hinges to adjust the door’s position.

With the proper tools in hand, you should be able to resolve this quickly and easily.

Tools/materials required:

• Phillips screwdriver

• Metal file or rotary tool like a Dremel (if strike plate needs adjustment)

• Hammer and block of wood (if stop molding needs adjustment)

How to Fix a Door That Won’t Close Properly

The video above, also from MonkeySee, demonstrates how to address the opposite issue: a door that’s too sticky. The most frequent cause of a sticky door is loose hinge screws. If this is the case, simply tighten them up and see if the door moves more freely. If a screw hole is stripped (the screw spins but won’t tighten), you can use a longer screw or solve it by inserting toothpicks or a golf tee into the hole.

If the hinge screws aren’t causing the issue, close the door and check where it’s rubbing against the jamb. You can fix this by adjusting the door hinges or by sanding and refinishing the door’s edge where it makes contact with the jamb.

Tools/materials required:

• Phillips screwdriver

• Power drill (optional)

• Sandpaper and refinishing materials (if needed)

How to Fix a Sliding Door That Won’t Slide Properly

If your sliding door isn’t moving smoothly, the first step is to lubricate the track and rollers with a quality silicone spray, which is ideal since it won’t attract dirt. This might be enough to get the door sliding again. However, if that doesn’t work, you’ll probably need to remove the door, thoroughly clean the track and rollers, and then lubricate them, as shown in the video above from doublewide6.

Tools/materials you will need:

• Phillips or flat-head screwdriver

• Silicone spray lubricant

How to Fix or Replace a Screen on a Window or Door

If your screen has a small tear or hole, it’s best to repair it immediately before the damage worsens. Whether you’re patching it up or replacing the entire screen, the video above from doitbest shows you exactly how to do it.

Before you begin fixing your screen, determine if it’s made from fiberglass or metal. Small holes or tears in a metal screen can be patched with household cement, while fiberglass screens can be repaired by simply sewing up the tear.

For a hole or tear up to about three inches in a metal screen, a patching kit will work well. Kits usually contain precut shapes or a sheet of screening that you can cut to size yourself. To apply the patch, cut it slightly larger than the hole, bend the edges so you can insert it into the screen, and then fold the edges into the existing screen to secure the patch.

If the hole in a metal screen is larger than three inches or if you have a significant tear in a fiberglass screen, you'll need to replace the screen entirely. Purchase a roll of screen that matches the material of your current screen. You’ll also need spline (a vinyl, foam, or rubber cording) that holds the screen in place, and don’t hesitate to bring your old screen, spline, or even the window to the hardware store to get the correct materials. You’ll also need a spline tool (or screen roller) to fit the spline into the channel.

Remove the old spline, take out the damaged screen, measure and cut the new screen, stretch it over the window, and use the spline tool to press the new spline into place. You can watch the detailed process in the video.

Tools/materials you will need:

• Phillips or flat-head screwdriver

• Household cement or superglue (for minor repairs on metal screens)

• Sewing kit (for small repairs on fiberglass screens)

• Utility knife

• Tape measure

• Screen patches (for holes up to three inches in diameter)

• Needle-nose pliers

• Roll of screen (if replacing the screen)

• Spline (if replacing the screen)

• Spline tool (if replacing the screen)

How to Fix a Stuck Sliding Window

If you have a sliding window that’s stuck, it’s usually an easy fix. The key is not to use excessive force, as this can damage the window or break the glass. A stuck window is often caused by paint sealing the window to the frame, or swollen wood in the frame or window that’s rubbing too tightly.

As shown in the video above from expertvillage, use a thin flat blade, such as a putty knife, to work your way around the frame. This will loosen any paint that may be holding the window shut and will also help you identify areas where the window and frame are too tight. After you’ve gone around the entire window, you should be able to open it. It may take a few attempts, but if it still won’t budge, you may need to call a professional.

If the window opens, use sandpaper to smooth down the frame where it was catching and causing the window to stick. Afterward, lubricate the frame with paraffin or candle wax to keep it sliding smoothly in the future.

Materials and tools you will need:

• Putty knife or any other thin, flat blade

• Sandpaper

• Paraffin or candle wax

How to Fix a Casement (Crank) Window That Won’t Close Properly

If you have casement windows, you’re probably familiar with a common issue: the window won’t close completely when you turn the crank, leaving you to push the window shut from the outside while someone locks it from the inside. It’s a bit of a hassle.

This issue typically arises when something goes wrong with the casement window operator, the mechanism that closes the window when you crank it. Fortunately, it’s not as difficult to fix or replace as it may seem. Begin by opening the window far enough to remove the arm from the track. You can see the process in detail in the video above from swisco.

First, remove the handle by unscrewing the small flathead screw usually located underneath. Afterward, take off the crank cover, which should come off easily. Next, you’ll need to remove the trim at the bottom of the window. It may seem intimidating, but it’s not difficult. Just carefully use a pry bar to loosen and then detach the trim.

Once you’ve taken everything apart, it’s easy to see how to replace the operator. Typically, it involves removing a few screws, taking out the old operator, and installing the new one in its place.

Materials and tools you’ll need:

• Screwdriver (both Phillips and flat)

• Utility knife

• Hammer

• Pry bar

• Replacement window operator

How to Fix a Sticking Wooden Drawer

Just like with doors and windows, wooden drawers often stick due to paint or wood rubbing against wood. If you can remove the drawer, it's usually not too hard to identify the issue, as demonstrated in the video above from Ron Hazelton:

• If there's paint around the drawer's edge that’s causing friction, you’ll need to remove it. The most effective method, especially with latex paint, is to use a heat gun along with a putty knife or a similar stripping tool. If you don’t have a heat gun, a hair dryer might help soften the paint, but you’ll still need to work with a scraper and sandpaper to finish the job.

• If the sides of the drawer are scraping against the frame, sand them down with coarse sandpaper (around 60-grit) where the friction occurs.

• Wooden drawers typically have a groove that slides along a wood runner in the frame. This friction point can also cause sticking. Inspect the groove and runner for any damage and try smoothing them out with sanding. After that, apply a lubricant like paraffin, candle wax, or even a bar of soap to help things slide easily.

Required Tools/Materials:

• Heat gun (optional, for removing paint)

• Putty knife or flat blade (for scraping paint)

• Coarse (60-grit) sandpaper

• Paraffin, candle wax, or a bar of soap

Repair Small Holes, Dents, or Cracks in Drywall

Fixing small imperfections like holes, dents, and cracks in drywall is a straightforward task. All you usually need is a putty knife, some spackle, possibly some drywall joint tape or patches, and paint to touch things up when you're finished, as demonstrated in the video above from The Home Depot.

For a small hole, like a nail hole, just apply some spackle, let it dry, and then touch it up with paint. It's that easy. For slightly larger holes (up to about 2 inches), fill the hole more thoroughly with spackle, then scrape off any excess with your putty knife to make the surface smooth. After it dries, sand it down, brush away the dust, and paint. You can fix scratches and small cracks the same way, but you might need to widen the scratch slightly so the spackle can stick better to the drywall.

For larger holes (up to about 3 inches) and cracks, you’ll need to use drywall joint tape or patches, which provide a mesh surface for the spackle to adhere to. For more extensive damage, you may need to cut out a section of the drywall and replace it with a new piece.

Required Tools/Materials:

• Putty knife

• Spackling

• Drywall joint tape or patches

• Replacement section of drywall (for larger repairs)

Fixing minor scratches on wooden furniture is an easy task, as shown in the video above from ehowathomechannel. Simply apply a stain that matches the wood to the scratch, wipe off the excess with a towel, and finish by adding a layer of matching finish (such as polyurethane). The key is to make sure you remove any extra stain thoroughly to avoid affecting the rest of the piece's finish.

Remember, this method is designed for minor scratches. Unless you find a perfectly matching stain, the scratch will still be noticeable if you look closely. If the furniture is valuable or holds significant sentimental value, it may be worth consulting a professional for the repair.

Required Tools/Materials:

Repair Minor Scratches on Wood Furniture

Image courtesy of VoodooDot (Shutterstock) and David Sawyer.