The $3 strike plate fix

You will need

• Lipstick or eyeshadow (any colour) · Already in your bathroom cupboard — or grab a cheap one at Woolies for ~$3
• Flat-head screwdriver · Standard household tool
• Sharp chisel or utility knife · Bunnings, ~$8–$15
• Hammer · Standard household tool
• Wood filler or matchsticks + PVA glue · Bunnings, ~$5 for a small tube of wood filler

Step 1

Find exactly where the latch is missing

Rub lipstick or eyeshadow onto the tip of the latch bolt (the little spring-loaded tongue). Close the door slowly so the latch presses against the strike plate and leaves a colour mark. Open the door and look at the strike plate — the mark tells you whether the latch is hitting too high, too low, or to one side.

Step 2

Check if it's just loose screws first

Tighten the screws on both the strike plate (door frame) and the hinge plates. A sagging door from loose hinges is the most common reason a latch stops reaching its hole. Try the door again — you might be done already.

Step 3

Reposition the strike plate if screws didn't fix it

If the lipstick mark is only slightly off (less than 5 mm), you can file the strike plate hole a little larger with a flat-head screwdriver edge or a small metal file. If it's more than 5 mm out, unscrew the strike plate and chisel the mortise (the shallow recess) in the direction you need to move it.

Step 4

Fill the old screw holes

Once the plate is in the right spot the old screw holes will be exposed. Dip matchsticks in PVA glue, pack them into the old holes, snap them off flush and let dry for an hour. Then screw the strike plate into the new position — the matchsticks give the screws solid timber to grip.

Step 5

Test and done

Click the door shut a few times without the handle to confirm the latch drops cleanly into the hole. Adjust by another millimetre if needed before the PVA fully cures. Wipe off any leftover lipstick with a damp cloth.

The stop point

If the door frame is visibly twisted, cracked, or the gap around the door is uneven all the way around → stop, you need a carpenter or builder, as this may indicate structural movement.

If that is where you are, it is a job for a handyman pro. See handyman costs.

Mendy calls tradies for you. Your first booking is free, then $3.50 a booking.

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