Door hinge problem

[Kingfisher101]

Hi, Could anyone help with this please. the bathroom door has always stuck a bit and now the hinge where the screws are is very loose and the bottom of the door is scraping the bathroom floor. I've tried tightening the hinge with the philips screwdriver but it wont really do mush because the holes I think have become rounded. So what do I do please? I'm having a carpet down in January at some point after I've decorated and could ask the joiner then, but is there anything I can do in the meantime. Would loctite or something help? The electricians are back on Thursday so I can ask them if need be. Thanks

 

[Profpointy]

Have you tried the matchstick trick ?

If you're unfamiliar with it, when the hole for a wood-screw wears and enlarges you stuff a couple of matchsticks in. With a bit of care you can usually raise the level by a couple of mil if it's a hinge or similar. You tap them in with a hammer and cut off the extra length.

Another useful hint is to make sure you use a pozidrive screwdriver on posi screws a d philips on phillips screws. They are NOT the same. Posi are much more common in the UK for general purpose (eg carpentry) use, but phillips are common on electronic equipment.

Let's not worry about JIS for now, unless you are fiddling with derailleur screws or Jap motorbikes.

PS don't leave the phosphorus end on the match 😀

 

[Spiderweb]

For a quick fix, remove the screws and push one or two wooden match sticks into the screw holes thus reducing the size of the screw hole.

 

[Psamathe]

If the upper hinge screws are lose but can't be tightened because the heads are rounded then you can replace the screws.

As you have a carpenter and other works soon I'd not ne making one-way adjustments (eg not resetting upper hinges). But maybe pack out under the lower hinge (bit of card or plastic)?

Ian

 

[MichaelW2]

If the matchsticks secure the door, but it still tilts down at the non hinge side, pack out the bottom hinge with one or more pieces of card .

 

[si_c]

For the hinges being loose, sounds like matchsticks (or toothpicks) will work to secure it. Also worth seeing if the screws you are using now are Hinge screws or just regular wood screws - the latter do work and are most often used in place of proper hinge screws and using the right kind of screw can make a big difference. Also using a thicker screw if needed to bite into the wood that is available.

Once you've sorted out the hinge, it's worth identifying where the door is binding - if it's at the top or bottom then using a chisel to rebate the hinge a little bit at the opposite side of the door will usually sort that out - but if you're not sure and have a joiner coming in anyway later then it might be worth asking them, it usually takes me a half hour or so to fix so a joiner should be less than that.

 

[Profpointy]

This is a handy gadget and cheap enough for a DIY'er. I've only used mine maybe twice but glad to have it

https://www.axminstertools.com/ujk-...4996?queryID=7a315a470679f985e5d6c1c08ff446a9

Alternatively I have a bag of these which get occasionally used too. Mainly for kitchen fitters and the like, and I gave away 3/4 of the bag to a tradie in our street but handy to keep a few

https://www.axminstertools.com/broa...6087?queryID=69b87c05d1e6dad6fe315aeabf65a28a

 

[presta]

This is a handy gadget and cheap enough for a DIY'er. I've only used mine maybe twice ?

https://www.axminstertools.com/ujk-...4996?queryID=7a315a470679f985e5d6c1c08ff446a9

For holding the door at the right height whilst I get the first screw in, I lay a fulcrum on the floor, place a lever over it, put the door on the end of the lever, then operate it with my foot. Another way that's useful for when you're leaning out of an upstairs window or up a ladder refitting the opener into the frame is to put a headless screw into one of the holes so that it'll locate the hinge in position and take some of the weight whilst you get the first screw in.

 

[DRM]

also with the matchstick trick, put a bit of wood glue in the hole as well

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Another useful hint is to make sure you use a pozidrive screwdriver on posi screws a d philips on phillips screws. They are NOT the same. Posi are much more common in the UK for general purpose (eg carpentry) use, but phillips are common on electronic equipment.

Let's not worry about JIS for now, unless you are fiddling with derailleur screws or Jap motorbikes.

😀

OK, you are hired. Come and tell your story to the two dozen people who work with me. They just don't get it. I even once made them sit through a 15-minutye PPT presentation on Pozi vs Philips (not even daring to bring in JIS) but still....no comprehendo.

My only moment of satisfaction came when one of them attempted to impact-drive a slotted screw in and discovered the hard and bleedy way that you need something that keeps the bit centered in the screw for it not to go through your hand.

 

[mistyoptic]

Alternatively I have a bag of these which get occasionally used too. Mainly for kitchen fitters and the like, and I gave away 3/4 of the bag to a tradie in our street but handy to keep a few

https://www.axminstertools.com/broa...6087?queryID=69b87c05d1e6dad6fe315aeabf65a28a

worth their weight in gold. Screwfix sell them too

 

[si_c]

worth their weight in gold. Screwfix sell them too

I got some cheap ones on Amazon for about a fiver - on the basis that I won't use them more than once or twice so durability isn't an issue. They've held up quite well though and I ended up using them for mounting a pair of side gates which are much heavier than an average door.

 

[Electric_Andy]

worth their weight in gold. Screwfix sell them too

I've never seen them (well, I haven't looked), but that's a very handy bag. I wish I'd had something like this when fixing my doors, instead of trying to find an appropriately fitting table mat or folder piece of card.

OP - there are many ways to fix the door and many reasons why it happens. Don't be afraid to take the door off and fill the holes - glue and homeade dowells are a good and if you use a decent glue they will be pretty strong. Just make sure the butchered/repaired hole is sanded back flush, else any protruding bits will space the hinge out again and add to the misalignment. You should also check the door hinge recess in case someone hasn't recessed it out enough. Many homeowners or fitters can't be bothered. Like our previous owner who didn't do anything properly so there are bodges and dodgy doors all over the place.

The door or door frame may also have swollen, or split. With the weight of the door, a split at the top can let the whole door sag inwards. That's a bit more tricky to fix as you need to fix the split and have clamps/straps big enough to clamp the split shut again whilst it cures

 

[presta]

I planed a double bend on the door in my French window to match the warp on the frame, which made it look straight unlike planing it straight, which made it look a dog's dinner. That was ~20 years ago, the frame's warped some more since then....

 

[Kingfisher101]

Thank you everyone. The electricians fixed it, apparently it needed some longer screws he said it would be o.k but may need a new frame at some point. Its great to be able to go in the bathroom without the door dragging on the floor.