Door Won't Stay Open

[Bird]

When we bought this place about three and a half years ago, the hinges on one bathroom door squeaked. A little shot of WD-40 fixed that. But it's never stayed open since then without a door stop.

It swings almost, but not quite, shut. It stayed open before I fixed the squeak. The door fits into the frame very well, latch works fine, etc. I might be able to adjust a hinge; put a shim under the bottom and center hinge (3 hinges). It seems that the best solution would be if I could find something just very slightly sticky to put in the hinges.

It wouldn't take much to get that door to stay in whatever position you leave it, as all the other doors in the house do. So what solutions would you recommend?

 

[LMTC]

Open it all the way and nail it to the wall behind it. If that's too subtle, put a level to it in all three planes and see what you get. Is it possible some of the screw holes in the frame have enlarged, allowing one hinge to move forward/backward from the plane of the door? Your shims would compensate in a different plane.

 

[texbaylea]

When we bought this place about three and a half years ago, the hinges on one bathroom door squeaked. A little shot of WD-40 fixed that. But it's never stayed open since then without a door stop.

It swings almost, but not quite, shut. It stayed open before I fixed the squeak. The door fits into the frame very well, latch works fine, etc. I might be able to adjust a hinge; put a shim under the bottom and center hinge (3 hinges). It seems that the best solution would be if I could find something just very slightly sticky to put in the hinges.

It wouldn't take much to get that door to stay in whatever position you leave it, as all the other doors in the house do. So what solutions would you recommend?

Put a level on the hinge side door jamb, checking the vertical in two orthogonal directions, then shim the hinges to compensate. The only other solution that I can think of is to pull the trim and shim behind the hinge side jamb. That is why I use screws to install door frames, to make future adjustments easier when needed. I use trim head square drive screws for this application and find it is easier to dig the paint out of the recess than Phillips head.

Vernon

 

[Bird]

Put a level on the hinge side door jamb, checking the vertical in two orthogonal directions, then shim the hinges to compensate.

Vernon, that's exactly the problem. I just discovered that the door jamb is not exactly vertical. I shimmed the middle and bottom hinges with thin cardboard just now, but that was not enough to do the job. The opposite door jamb is also off by about the same amount, so I'm not sure yet whether I can shim the hinges enough or not and still be able to close the door. And before I mess with it anymore, I want to get some slightly longer screws. Eeverything looks good now, so I'm sure not going to pull the trim and shim behind it. It ain't that important. If you open the door and walk away, it will slooowly swing around until it's open about 12" and stop there.

 

[reb]

A trick used by mobile home builders is to slightly bend a hinge pin. The door won't swing freely then; it stays open when you want.

 

[2manyrocks]

Buy a pair of rusty hinges.

 

[gotrocks]

Hello Bird,
Long time since we "talked". Hope all is well with you and family.

I found a "spring" gizmo that fits on the hinge by removing the pin and then using a "included" spanner type wrench tool to adjust the tension.

We've had one on the backdoor for years and it slowly closes the door.

If this explanation is "clear as mud" let me know and I'll take a pic and post it.

Edit: Duh, you said "stay open". I don't know if it can be set to keep open.
OK then tack a small piece of foam to the bottom that just touches the floor.

 

[Lasgambler]

A trick used by mobile home builders is to slightly bend a hinge pin. The door won't swing freely then; it stays open when you want.

Hello Bird, ^^^ That will work for you. Just pull a pin, lay on the concrete, smack it in the middle with hammer, reinstall and the door will stay open. Terry

 

[Bird]

A trick used by mobile home builders is to slightly bend a hinge pin. The door won't swing freely then; it stays open when you want.

Thanks to everyone. Reb, we (or at least I) sometimes overlook the obvious. I posted this question on Countrybynet, also, and the bent hinge pin is what Egon said to do, so I did it and that seems to have fixed it.

 

[jdbower]

I've got an issue when the windows are open with a breeze blowing the door shut. I'm planning on replacing all the doorstops with something like this to help out. Could also help you if the bent hinge pin doesn't fix things.

 

[Bird]

Yep, Jeff, that looks like a pretty good idea.

 

[carpenter383]

I was also gonna suggest bending the hinge pin, but others beat me to it. I'm a trim carpenter and sometimes when the painters take the door slabs down to paint them they don't put'em back up correctly. So I run into this on a regular basis and bending the pin almost always does the trick. Soild core doors are more finicky about swinging on there own if out of plumb than hollow core ones.

 

[Bird]

Soild core doors are more finicky about swinging on there own if out of plumb than hollow core ones.

Is that just because the solid core doors are heavier? Or is there some other reason that I don't know about?

 

[carpenter383]

Is that just because the solid core doors are heavier? Or is there some other reason that I don't know about?

Yes because they're heavier. Also I like to use screws through the hinge and into the cripple with solid core doors. Those little short hinge screws just don't always cut it.

 

[czechsonofagun]

Did you check for poltergeists lately

 

[jdbower]

Did you check for poltergeists lately

That's a good idea. Ever since I moved into my house I put the chicken in the middle shelf of my fridge. When I'd wake up in the morning for some reason it would be on the top shelf. Took me forever but I finally figured out that I had a poultrygeist.

 

[Bird]

Did you check for poltergeists lately

I knew I had gremlins in my shop down in the country that were always moving things around and hiding my tools, but I didn't think about poltergeists here in town.

 

[2manyrocks]

I think I need to install a video camera in the shop so I can replay the tape and find my tools.

 

[dmccarty]

I am so glad Bird asked how to fix this problem!

I took out one of the original door hinge pins and put in a replacement that has a door stop attached. As soon as I did this the door has trouble staying open. I will pull the pin out and bend it. The problem got worse when I oiled the hinges to stop squeeks.

Thanks!
Dan

 

[Bird]

Dan, our bathroom door stayed open until I lubricated the hinges to stop the squeak. So I bought one of those little rubber door stops (wedge type) to keep it open. Don't know why I never thought about bending hinge pins a bit, but it worked.

Just no end to the kinds of information and help you can get on TBN, tractor related or not.