Place a pump air wedge under the door and inflate in small increments to lift and align without removing the door.

For a low-effort approach start with the pump air wedge because it lets you raise the door in controlled small steps while watching the gap at the hinge and latch. Slide the deflated wedge near the hinge side or under the latch side depending on which gap you need to change then pump slowly until the strike lines up with the latch bolt. If you do not have a wedge use stiff thin shims or folded hard cards inserted at the hinge side between the door and frame to hold a slight lift while you tighten screws or adjust hinges. When tightening hinge screws drive into solid wood by first inserting longer screws through the hinge into the jamb and stud, which permanently corrects sag without relying on temporary props. For fine adjustments you can combine the wedge with a mallet tapped gently on hinge pins to reseat them or with a screwdriver to move the strike plate slightly; always support the door so it does not drop when you change hardware. Work in small increments and check the door swing and latch engagement repeatedly so you avoid overcorrection.

Common mistakes include inflating the wedge too fast which can force hardware out of alignment and stress the door so inflate slowly and monitor the gaps; relying on thin cards alone without securing screws which lets the fix slip so swap to longer hinge screws while the door is held up; and working only at the top hinge when the problem is middle or bottom sag so check all three hinge positions and support the door at the point where the gap is largest. For each issue hold the door steady before making hardware changes and test the latch after every small adjustment so you can backtrack easily.

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