February 21, 2023

How to fix squeaky door hinge

An irritating squeak from your door is dealt with by cleaning and lubricating the hinges. However, if the door is not level, you may still have ongoing problems with squeaky hinges. If you put undue weight on the hinges, it makes noise.ย 

Check the door frame to ensure it is square and secure. A temporary fix will not remove the squeaking sound. It may be a result of misaligned framing or softened. Fix the problem to avoid noise and wear on the door and hinges. This article will give you more tips and solutions.ย 

Gather the necessary tools and materials

Screwdriver

Use the screwdriver to secure the hinge. Drive a screw or two into the door jamb using a screwdriver. Tighten up the latch-side door jamb using brass screws or any screw that blends into the door jamb.

Small brush or cloth

As you clean the pin up and coat it with the lubricant you have chosen, use a paper towel or rag to clean the grime and grease from the plates. Use the rag to apply a diluted household cleaner to help remove tough dirt or rust spots on hinges.

Lubricantย 

Use a spray lubricant such as oil or graphite. Cooking oils also lubricate hinges, such as olive and coconut oil.

Steel wool

Use steel wool to clean the hinges if they are too dirty. Maximum effectiveness is what you get from steel wool (Cleanipedia.com).ย 

Pliers

Some hinges have a bottom cap that needs to be removed with pliers before you can access the hinge pin. To remove the cap, grip both sides with the pliers and wiggle it back and forth while pulling it down from the hinge. That gives you access to the hinge pin with the nail and hammer to remove the hinge pin from the hinge.

Identify the cause of the squeak.

Before you fix the door hinge, inspect the hinges for dirt, rust, or paint. Any signs of a contaminating substance could be restricting movement. Clean dirt, dust, and grime. Remove the hinge pins and scrub them with steel wool before lubricating and reinstalling them.

If you have a squeaky door hinge, it can be wood rubbing up against wood, or it is the hinges. Friction in the hinge may result from a build-up of dirt or dust or a lack of lubrication between the metal surfaces of the hinge and the hinge pin. This friction and rubbing of metal on metal cause the squeaking sound.

It is the hinges where you will need to oil the door. To fix a squeaky hinge, lubricate the hinge. You do not have to take anything apart. You might need to remove the hinge pin using a hammer to tap on the bottom of the hinge pin with a nail.

Rust can be the culprit if your hinges are not opening and closing correctly. Use a lubricating solution like WD-40 and steel wool to remove rust from the door hinges if the problem is paint, cut through the layers of paint to loosen the hinges using a utility knife.

Squeaky doors show that the door is not hanging well in the frame due to misaligned framing or even rotted or softened wood. Spraying some lubricating oil on the hinges might silence the squeak, but fix or replace the door frame to solve the issue if the door frame is falling apart.

Tighten or align the hinge

  1. Sometimes lubrication does not work, and you need to tighten the misaligned hinges. If the door is misaligned and the top scrapes against the door jambโ€™s side near the top, the doorโ€™s top hinge screws need tightening. Use the Phillips screwdriver, and tighten the three screws holding the hinge to the jamb and the three screws holding the hinge to the door. You can turn the screws a little, but this might be enough to draw in the hinge tighter.
  2. Replace hinge screws. Note that hinge screws are 1 inch long or even shorter because the screws protrude through the jamb of pre-hung doors. Replace those short screws with longer screws.
  3. Drive a screw or two into the door jamb. Tighten up the latch-side door jamb using brass screws or any screw that blends into the door jamb. Identify the points on the door jamb that conflict with the door. Mark with a pencil and make a pilot hole. Switch to the fluted countersink bit. Drive the screw into the pilot hole.
  4. Adjust the position of the hinge if necessary.

Clean and lubricate the hinge.

Treat the hinges with a spray lubricant if the hinges are not dirty, rusty, or coated in paint. That allows the lubricating spray to penetrate through the gaps to the hinge pin, giving enough lubrication to fix the squeaking door. Some spray lubricants have a small straw or tube that carries the lubricant into tiny crevices and cracks for better seepage into the hinged interior.

  1. Buy a suitable lubricant. It has to penetrate the dirt and grime covering the hinge and the space where the hinge is. Get a lubricant that comes in a container with a thin nozzle to reach the hinge area. WD-40 Multi-Use-Product is an excellent and affordable choice with a movable straw (Wd40.com). You can also use Lithium grease. as well as other situations. Cooking oils like coconut, canola, and olive oil can also lubricate hinges.
  2. Locate the hinge pin. The hinge pin holds the two hinge components together and secures the door with the wall. Find the cylindrical pin located between the two plates of the hinge.ย 
  3. Remove the pin to lubricate the hinge. Take a pair of pliers, grip the pin and rotate it counterclockwise to pull it out. If the hinge pin is rusty, use a hammer and screwdriver with some WD-40 to loosen the pin-up.
  4. Clean the pin up and coat it with the lubricant that you have chosen. Use a paper towel or rag to clean the grime and grease from the plates and the pin or sandpaper for maximum effectiveness.ย 
  5. Reassemble the hinge. Put the pin back into its space and secure it.
  6. Check your door.
  7. Clean up all the grime and dust. Wipe away the lubricant that may have dripped.

Test the door and adjust as needed

Testing the door after the hinge has been fixed assures you that the problem is solved. This hinge will work under regular conditions while opening and closing the door.ย 

Open and shut the door to ensure that the lubricant properly seeps into the mechanism and the inner side of the hinges. If the squeak has not gone away, apply the process on each door hinge until the squeak has been eliminated.

Conclusion

In summation, there are multiple reasons for a squeaky door hinge that can be fixed by lubrication and tightening screws. Follow these steps above to fix a squeaky door hinge, or seek professional help if you have any doubts or difficulties.

David D. Hughes

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