DIY GUIDE · HOME REPAIRS & HANDYMAN

How to adjust and fix a uPVC door yourself
An hour. £5–£50 in lubricant, seals or a handle set.

Find where it binds, adjust the hinges and keeps, lubricate the lock, renew handles and seals — and stop at the gearbox and the glass.

DIFFICULTY
Easy
part of the job only
TIME
About an hour
a quarter of an hour to diagnose, the rest adjusting, lubricating and testing
MATERIALS
£5–£50
lubricant and cleaner, or a handle set or gasket if one has failed
A PRO CHARGES
£60–£280
typically £120
  • Every step, start to finish
  • Checked October 2026 — sources at the end
  • Honest about when to call a pro

FIRST, THE HONEST ANSWER

Do it yourself, or get a repairer?

Do it yourself if…

  • The handle has to be lifted hard before the door locks
  • The door drags on the threshold or catches the frame on the lock side
  • There is a draught round the door when it is locked
  • A handle is loose, droops, or has a cracked backplate

Get a pro if…

  • The handle spins freely or the key turns without throwing the bolts — the gearbox has failed
  • The double-glazed panel has misted between the panes
  • The frame or the door slab is cracked, or the door is locked shut and will not open
  • You rent the property and the door belongs to the landlord

Safety first

  • Work with the door open and wedged wherever you can, so you cannot be locked in or out by a mechanism that fails mid-repair.
  • uPVC doors with glass are heavy. If you need to lift the door off, do it with a helper; HSE's lifting filter puts the guide figure for a close lift at 25 kg for men and 16 kg for women.
  • Do not remove or try to repair a glazed panel; broken or loose glass cuts badly.
  • Use a step-ladder for the top hinge and keeps if you cannot reach them standing, set up square to the door.
  • If the door will not unlock and it is your only exit, call a specialist rather than forcing it, and keep another way out open.

Stop here: The gearbox, the sealed glass unit, and replacing the door

A failed multipoint gearbox means removing the whole locking strip from the door edge and matching a replacement exactly; done wrong, the door may lock and not open, which is a fire-escape risk. A misted sealed unit is glazing work, and replacement glass in a door must be safety glass under the building regulations' safety glazing rules. Replacing the whole door is building work: in England and Wales it must meet the Building Regulations, usually certified by a competent person scheme installer, and Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own building standards. How to hire a double glazing repairer →

MATERIALCOVERAGEFOR THIS JOB
Lock lubricantLight spray or graphite for the cylinderOne can or tube
Replacement handle setMatched to screw centres and spindle-to-cylinder distanceOne pair, only if needed
Replacement gasketMatched profileA length to go round the door, only if perished

Is the door square in its frame?

With the door shut, measure the gap between door and frame at the top and bottom of the lock side, and at the top of the door at each corner. A door with a 3 mm gap at the top of the lock side and 7 mm at the bottom has dropped 4 mm on that side: raise it at the hinges by about half that difference at a time, testing after each adjustment, until the gaps are even.

Check your door maker's instructions for the adjustment range of your hinges; there is a limit to how far each will move.

Find where it binds first

Close the door slowly and watch it meet the frame: rubbing on the lock side at the top means it has dropped; rubbing at the bottom on the hinge side means the hinges have shifted the other way; a gap you can see daylight through means the compression is too loose. Lifting the handle stiffly but the door sitting square means the keeps need moving, not the hinges.

Know your hinges

Most uPVC doors hang on flag hinges, with screw adjusters under small cover caps for lateral, height and compression adjustment; some have butt-style hinges with fewer adjustments. Hinge makers' ranges for uPVC and composite doors show both. Prise the caps off gently with a thin flat blade to see what you have and which size of hex key it takes.

Keeps and compression

The keeps on the frame — one for each hook, roller or bolt — often have a cam or a slot that moves the door in or out when it is locked. Turning them tighter pulls the door harder onto its gaskets for a better seal, and looser makes it easier to lock. Seasonal expansion means a door that locked easily in winter can stiffen in summer.

Lubricant, the right one

Multipoint locks have moving hooks, rollers and a gearbox inside the door edge. A light lock lubricant or a silicone spray on the moving parts, with the door open, keeps them free. For the cylinder itself, one cylinder maker recommends graphite powder rather than oil.

Replacement parts

Handles, gaskets and keeps are sold by measurement. Measure a handle's screw centres — the distance between its fixing screws — and the distance from the spindle to the cylinder, and match both. Replacement gaskets come in profiles; take a sample to match. Replace a cylinder with one of the same length and at least the same security rating.

Cleaning before anything else

Grit in the keeps and hooks makes a lock stiff all on its own. Wash the frame and the door edge with a uPVC cleaner or mild soapy water, clear the drainage slots in the bottom of the frame, and look again before adjusting anything.

Make one adjustment at a time and test it, so you know what each turn did.
Write down how many turns you make on each adjuster, so you can go back if it gets worse.

THE PART THAT DECIDES THE FINISH

Before you start — the door and the problem

Find what the door is doing. Every case starts with the door cleaned and the problem pinned down with the door open, then closed.

Handle stiff to lift before locking

The classic dropped door.

  1. Open the door and lift the handle: smooth means the mechanism is fine and the door is out of line
  2. Close it slowly and watch which hook or roller catches its keep
  3. Look at the keeps for shiny wear marks showing where they rub
  4. Plan to adjust the hinges first, then the keeps
Door dragging or catching

Scuffs on the threshold or the frame.

  1. Look for the scuff marks on the frame and the door edge
  2. Lift the door slightly by the handle side and see if it clears
  3. Check the hinge screws into the frame are tight
  4. Find and lift off the hinge cover caps
Draught round a locked door

Cold air or whistling round the edges.

  1. Close the door on a sheet of paper at several points and pull — it should grip
  2. Look at the gaskets for flattening, splits or gaps at the corners
  3. Check the keeps' compression setting
  4. Clear any debris from the frame rebate
Loose or drooping handle

The handle wobbles or does not spring back level.

  1. Check the two fixing screws through the backplate are tight
  2. Check the handle springs back with the door open
  3. Measure the screw centres and the spindle-to-cylinder distance
  4. If the handle does nothing at all, suspect the gearbox and stop
Misted or cracked glass

Condensation between the panes, or a crack.

  1. Wipe both sides; if the mist is between the panes, the seal has failed
  2. Note the size and any marks in the spacer bar between the panes
  3. Do not try to drill or vent the unit
  4. A replacement sealed unit is a glazier's job
Water at the bottom of the frame

Puddles inside the threshold.

  1. Find the drainage slots on the outside of the bottom frame
  2. Clear them of dirt and leaves with a thin brush
  3. Pour a little water along the frame and watch it drain out
  4. Check the bottom gasket is in place

THE JOB

How to adjust and fix a uPVC door, in order

  1. Clean the door, frame and keeps

    15 min

    Wash the door edge, the frame and every keep with a uPVC cleaner or mild soapy water and a soft cloth. Brush out grit from the keeps and the hooks with an old toothbrush. Clear the drainage slots in the bottom of the frame. Dry it all. Then open and close the door and try the handle and key again: a surprising number of stiff doors loosen up here. Read the case above for your fault.

    • Never use abrasive pads or solvent cleaners on uPVC
    • Clean the gaskets gently; they mark easily
    • Keep a towel under the door edge to catch the dirt

    Mistake to avoid: Adjusting the hinges straight away on a door full of grit. You move everything out of line to compensate for dirt.

  2. Lubricate the multipoint lock

    15 min

    With the door open, lift the handle and turn the key so the hooks, rollers and bolts are thrown. Spray a little lock lubricant onto each moving part along the door edge and work the handle up and down several times. Put graphite powder or a lock lubricant on the key and work it in and out of the cylinder. Wipe off the excess.

    • Lubricate the gearbox through the face plate gaps by the handle, sparingly
    • Do the keeps too, where the hooks enter
    • Do this twice a year from now on

    Mistake to avoid: Spraying a heavy oil or grease into the mechanism. It collects grit, and in a year the lock is stiffer than before.

  3. Adjust the hinges for height

    15 min

    Prise off the cover caps on the hinges. Find the height adjuster — usually on the top or bottom of the hinge body — and with the door open and supported, turn it a quarter turn at a time on every hinge equally to lift the door. Close the door and check the gap at the top of the lock side. Repeat until the gaps are even and the door clears the threshold.

    • Adjust all the hinges by the same amount for height
    • Lift the door slightly by its handle side as you turn, to take the weight off the adjuster
    • Count the turns

    Mistake to avoid: Adjusting only the top hinge. The door twists, the hinges strain, and the lower hinge wears out.

  4. Adjust the hinges sideways and for compression

    15 min

    The lateral adjuster moves the door towards or away from the hinge side. If the door rubs on the lock side, move the top towards the hinge side a little. The compression adjuster, on hinges that have one, moves the door in or out of the frame on the hinge side, to tighten or loosen its seal against the gaskets. Make small adjustments and test the lock each time.

    • Lateral adjustment on the top hinge alone can tilt a door back square
    • Too much compression makes the handle hard to lift
    • Refit the cover caps once you are done

    Mistake to avoid: Turning the compression up to stop a draught without checking the gaskets. If the gasket is perished, compression only makes the door hard to lock.

  5. Adjust the keeps

    15 min

    With the door shut and the hinges set, lift the handle and note which hook or roller still drags. Loosen that keep's screws, or turn its adjustment cam, and move it a millimetre towards where the hook meets it. Retighten and test. For a draught on the lock side, turn the keep cams to pull the door tighter onto its seals, a little at a time, until a sheet of paper grips but the handle still lifts easily.

    • Adjust keeps the same way along the door so it closes evenly
    • Look for the wear mark that shows where each hook touches
    • Check the door still locks easily after every change

    Mistake to avoid: Moving one keep a long way to make the handle lift. The door then locks unevenly and the gaskets leak at the other end.

  6. Replace a loose or broken handle

    15 min

    With the door open, undo the two fixing screws on the inside handle's backplate and pull both handles off, keeping the spindle in place. Measure the screw centres and the distance from the spindle to the cylinder, and buy a replacement pair that matches both. Fit the new handles over the spindle, line up the screws and tighten them evenly. Test that the handle springs back level and lifts the lock smoothly.

    • Check whether the handle is lever-lever or lever-pad
    • A spindle that is too long can be cut; too short will slip out
    • Fit the new handle with the door open, never shut

    Mistake to avoid: Changing a handle with the door shut and the mechanism engaged. If the spindle drops out, you may not get the door open again.

  7. Replace a perished gasket

    20 min

    Pull the old gasket out of its groove, starting at a corner, and take a length to match the profile. Clean the groove. Press the new gasket into the groove with your thumbs, working round the door or frame without stretching it, and cut it so the ends meet tightly at a corner. Close the door on a sheet of paper all round to check it grips.

    • Do not stretch the gasket as you fit it; it shrinks back and opens a gap
    • A little soapy water helps it slide into the groove
    • Cut ends square and butt them tight

    Mistake to avoid: Fitting a gasket of the wrong profile. It either stops the door closing or leaves the draught you were trying to cure.

  8. Test, and know when to stop

    15 min

    Lock and unlock the door several times from inside, with the door shut, then from outside with someone indoors. The handle should lift easily and the key should turn without force. If the handle spins, the key turns without throwing the bolts, or the door will not unlock at all, the gearbox inside the door has failed, and replacing it means removing the whole lock strip. That, and a misted glass panel, is where this guide stops.

    • Never force a stiff handle; that is what breaks gearboxes
    • Note how many turns you made for next time
    • Check again after a cold spell and a hot one

    Mistake to avoid: Forcing a stiff handle every day instead of adjusting the door. Each forced lift wears the gearbox until it fails, often with the door locked.

The mistakes that break uPVC doors

  • Forcing a stiff handle instead of adjusting the door
  • Oiling the mechanism with a heavy grease
  • Adjusting only one hinge for height
  • Working on a handle with the door shut
  • Trying to fix a misted sealed unit

Stop here and get a uPVC repair specialist

  • The handle spins, the key turns without effect, or the door is locked shut
  • A sealed glass unit has misted or cracked
  • The frame or the door slab is cracked or out of shape
  • The hinges have reached the end of their adjustment and the door still drops
How to hire a double glazing repairer →

uPVC door handle hard to liftThe door has dropped or the keeps are out of line. Lubricate, raise the door at the hinges, then adjust the keeps.
uPVC door dropped and catchingHeight adjustment on the hinges. Raise all hinges by the same amount, a quarter turn at a time.
Draught round a locked doorPerished gasket or loose compression. Replace the gasket, then tighten the keeps or hinge compression a little.
Handle spins and does nothingThe gearbox has failed. Do not keep trying; call a specialist before the door locks you out.
Key turns but the door will not lockHandle not fully lifted, the cylinder cam not engaging, or a failing gearbox. Lift the handle fully; if it still fails, call a specialist.
Condensation between the glass panesThe sealed unit has failed. Replace the unit; the frame is usually fine.
Water inside at the bottom of the doorBlocked drainage slots or a missing bottom gasket. Clear the slots and refit the gasket.
uPVC door stiff in summer, fine in winterExpansion in heat. Ease the keep compression slightly in summer, tighten again in winter.

WHAT YOU SAVE

What it costs to do it yourself

Lock lubricant£4–£8
uPVC cleaner£6–£7
Replacement door or window seal£8–£9
Replacement handle set£20–£43
Total, a typical adjustment or repair£5–£50
DIY total£5–£50
A double glazing repairer charges per job
LOW
£60
TYPICAL
£120
HIGH
£280
UPVC Repair price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

Most uPVC door faults are an hour with a hex key. A specialist's price is for gearboxes, sealed units and doors that will not open.

RATHER NOT?

Double glazing repairers near you, with prices shown

The ones who cover your area, nearest first, with one score from every review. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

Look after it twice a year

Clean the frame and gaskets, clear the drainage slots, and lubricate the lock and hinges in spring and autumn.

Do not force it

If the handle gets stiff again, adjust — do not lift harder. Stiffness is the early warning of a gearbox failure.

Dispose of old parts

Old handles and hinges go to the metal skip at the household waste recycling centre. Old gaskets and packaging go in the general waste. A whole uPVC door or frame is bulky waste; your council collects it or takes it at the recycling centre.

Keep a record

Note the hinge type, the hex key size and the cylinder size on the inside of a cupboard door.

Adjusting and fixing a uPVC door: questions people ask

The door has usually dropped, so the hooks no longer line up with the keeps. Lubricate the lock, raise the door at the hinges, then adjust the keeps. Do not keep forcing it.

Lift off the cover caps and use a hex key on the adjusters: height, lateral and, on many hinges, compression. A quarter turn at a time, all hinges equally for height.

A light lock lubricant or silicone spray on the moving parts, and graphite or a lock lubricant in the cylinder. Avoid heavy grease and cooking oil.

The seal of the double-glazed unit has failed. The unit needs replacing; the door itself is usually fine.

It is possible, but a mistake can leave the door locked shut, so it is best left to a specialist.

On the Locufy UK price guide uPVC repair costs £60–£280 per job, typically £120. Gearboxes and sealed units sit at the top.

MORE GUIDES

More DIY guides

Fixing a stiff lock or changing a Euro cylinderFixing a window that sticks, drops or will not lockHanging an internal door or fixing one that sticksResealing a bath, shower or sinkRegrouting tilesPainting a roomHanging wallpaperSpray painting small items outdoors
All 90 DIY guides →How to hire a double glazing repairer →UPVC Repair price guide →Double glazing repairers on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. Mila — door hinges for uPVC and composite doors (flag and butt hinge ranges)
  2. Avocet Hardware — cylinder and lock FAQs (graphite for a stiff key)
  3. HSE — manual handling at work, a brief guide (INDG143)
  4. HSE — types of ladder and using them safely
  5. GOV.UK — building regulations approval: replacing windows and doors
  6. FENSA — homeowners: replacement doors and windows against the Building Regulations
  7. GOV.UK — dispose of household waste
  8. Wickes — lock lubricants, price check October 2026
  9. Wickes — uPVC cleaners, price check October 2026
  10. Wickes — replacement window and door seals, price check October 2026
  11. Wickes — uPVC window and door handles, price check October 2026