Door Hinge Repair Cambridge Door hinges are a small detail that can have a big impact on the function and look of your doors Replacing the hinges that sound squeaky is a quick and inexpensive upgrade that can improve your home's curb appeal Bar soap or petroleum jelly is a common way to fix squeaky hinges Simply rub the item on the hinges until it's coated Replacement Hinges Hinges are a small component that can cause a substantial amount of damage if they break or wear out The good news is that hinges are simple to replace and don't require any special tools It's crucial to choose the proper hinge for your home This will help ensure that your door closes and opens smoothly If the hinges on your door aren't working properly, call an expert immediately to repair them A faulty door hinge can result in the door becoming bent or pulled away from the frame's base This is often caused by improper use or weight too much Lubricating your hinges is crucial to prevent this This will prevent the hinge from getting scratchy or rusty and will extend the life of your door There are many different kinds of hinges, and each comes with its own advantages and disadvantages The most common hinge is the butt joint, which is secured to the door using pins on each side This kind of hinge is perfect for use on doors with light frames as it doesn't need much strength to open and close However, the butt joint is more susceptible to damage than other hinges For heavier doors it is recommended to choose a continuous piano hinge This type of hinge is mounted on the door and extends the entire length of the door and allows it to close and open easily The advantage of this type of hinge is that it doesn't require a center support and is more sturdy than other hinges Another common type of hinge is the storefront door pivot hinge, which allows a door to be pivoted from one place at the top and bottom of the door These are usually found in commercial locations and can be a challenge to repair if damaged A professional can help to fix this issue by mounting an entirely new pivot hinge or replacing the existing one The cost of hinges will differ according to the type Loose Hinges When hinges aren't tightened the door will hang unevenly and can even scratch the floor This can be very irritating With a few tools, anyone can fix hinges that are loose Often, simply tightening the hinge screws will fix the problem, but in some cases, the screw holes might have been stripped and will not stay tight If the screws are stripped, you will have to drill the holes and plug them with wooden dowels, or glue-coated wooden matches To prevent your door hinges from getting loose, it's important to ensure that they are lubricated and tightened regularly It is also crucial to look for signs of damage to the hinges If you see cracks or chips in the metal, this can be a sign that it's time to replace the hinge It's also a good idea to replace the hinges if you notice that they're beginning to become stuck or bind when you close and open the door The most common reason door hinges become loose is due to wear and tear resulting from constant use without proper lubrication and tightening This is particularly the case for doors frequented by children as they might hang from the door handles or even swing the door around on the hinges This puts an unnecessary strain on the hinges, which can result in them becoming loose and eventually falling out completely If the hinges have been loose for a brief period of time, you may just tighten them using an screwdriver However, when they're loose for a longer time, the constant movement of the hinge plate and screws will eventually enlarge the holes that the screws enter This can make it impossible for the screws to stay in place and they will eventually be stripped, rendering them useless To stop this from happening you need to dip the uncoated end of a wooden match in some regular carpenter glue, then tap it a little using a Hammer This will push the glue as far into the hole as you can It's likely that you'll have to insert several matches coated with glue to fill the hole Rusty Hinges Rust is a frequent issue for hinges used on doors, especially on doors that are older It can make them appear poor, but most importantly it can cause the hinge to fail and break and pose a risk to people who use the door Fortunately, it's possible to save a rusted hinge with a little work The first step is to remove the hinges from the door, and then clean them of any gunk Once the hinges are clean, they can be oiled and used again In days gone by hinges of poor quality were constructed of steel and iron that were prone to rust, but modern doors are often made with brass or metal alloys that don't get rusty as easily Some people choose to use hinges from the past because of their beauty and long-lasting However, they are more likely than modern hinges to rust The best way to prevent this is by preventing the hinge from rusting in first place The simplest method to accomplish this is by regularly cleaning the hinges with a steel wool and a little water, particularly when they are wet If you keep doing this regularly the rust will not be as problematic for the hinges on your door If you want to go further, try using stainless steel for your hinges As opposed to iron, stainless steel won't rust and can give your home a more modern aesthetic If you're unable to replace your hinges the best thing to do is periodically clean them and then apply lubrication It is recommended to take the hinges off completely to scrub any rust that has accumulated Once the hinges are clean and dry, you can apply an oil-based mixture with vinegar to further lubricate them and help keep them safe from corrosion This is a cheap and easy solution that can be easily found in the majority of homes and is worth a shot before you consider replacing hinges Doors that won't shut Sometimes doors will become out of alignment in time due to the normal expansion and contraction of wood When this occurs, the door could get caught on the edges of the frame or snag on the latch when trying to close it A little effort can often resolve these issues If you can tighten the hinges and correct the issue then your door will close properly again Check the hinges to see whether there are loose screws A loose screw can cause the hinge leaf to move and create an opening between it and the jamb This can cause the latch to miss the strike plate and cause a jammed door To fix this, take off the hinge screw and slide a piece of cardboard we use the back of old legal pads as a reference between the hinges and the door jamb Then, screw the hinge back into place This will increase the gap on the hinge's side, and narrow it on the latch side, allowing the latch to clear the strike plate If this resolves the issue then repeat the process on the remaining hinges If tightening the hinges, and using longer screws to correct the alignment of your strike plate holes still doesn't solve the problem You may have to hammer or shim the strike plate to force it to align with the hole for latching If this is the situation you're in, a small amount paint or wood filler will usually be enough to hide the changes Long-term use or physical damage can cause the strikeplate to be bent or warped that can cause it to touch the edge but not extend far enough into the hole to keep the door shut https//wwwrepairmywindowsanddoorscouk/cambridge-windowrepair/ to the latch, and then adhere an edging strip to the strike plate Close the door and open it The lipstick should leave a mark on the tape where the latch contacts the strike plate's hole If the mark is below the hole, then your latch should be moved upwards