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How to adjust hinges to straighten doors?

Coaster

Hi Team. In the past I’ve straightened doors by taking the pin out of the hinge and bending the hinge in or out depending on where I needed the door to move to. Easy! I now need to do the same to the hinge in the picture and am wanting to know if the things at the ends are just caps or something else. I don’t want to start mangling the hinges! Is the one on the bottom something that just pops off and you can then knock the pin out?

Cheers,

Coaster

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EricL

Hello @Coaster

Thank you for sharing your question about your hinges. It is difficult to tell if you have a sealed hinge or that it just has a cover cap on it. I suggest pinching the top or bottom of the hinge and see if you can remove either side by hand. You can also try using a small screwdriver with a fine edge and see if you can lift the pin out.

However, if neither technique works then it is likely that the hinge is sealed. My best advice is to be careful when trying to lift the pin out to prevent scratching the finish.

Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1, @Nailbag, @JoeAzza and @Noyade for their recommendations.

Eric

Nailbag

Hi @Coaster

The cap doesn't come off as this is a sealed, heavy duty fixed pin hinge typically used on heavier taller and/or wider doors and often 3 are used.

Whats not square about the door fitment as bending hinges wouldn't be the normal fix?

Nailbag

Dave-1

Good morning @Coaster

Those hinges look like they are sealed. I must admit I haven't heard of bending the hinge before so thats a new one on me. I would be loosening the screws off the door or the door jamb and aligning the door vertical and then tightening the door. Thats what I have done before.

Dave

Coaster

Thanks for the responses guys. Interesting comments @Nailbag as it’s a standard internal door and has 4 hinges. Got to love a bit of over engineering! Basically there’s been a bit of movement so the door is rubbing at the bottom against the frame (not floor). How on earth do you adjust a sealed hinge.

Noyade

G'day @Coaster

"door is rubbing at the bottom against the frame"

I'm with @Dave-1 and @Nailbag - I've never bent hinges as a solution. I usually plane a binding area or re-pack/trench hinges. Any chance of a photo? All screws are tight? How much clearance at the top?

Cheers.

JacobZ

Hi @Coaster,

Is it possible to get a photo of the door while it is closed showing the gaps on all four sides?

If the gap on the hinge side has widened causing the door to rub, I would be looking at the attachment of the bottom hinge and whether the gap on the hinge side is consistent from top to bottom.

Is the photo you've uploaded of the bottom hinge? If so, the hinge plate on the left looks to be sitting proud of the rebate. Is that on the door side or the jamb side?

Either way, the hinge should not be sitting proud of the rebate in that way and is likely contributing to the issue. My suggestion would be to unscrew the side that is sitting proud of the rebate and remove a bit of extra material. This can be done quite easily using a chisel.

If the hinge is sitting as it should and the photo is just a trick of the eye, then the answer would be to plane or trim the lock side of the door as the door is too wide for the opening. This can be done with a hand plane or powered plane, or even a circular saw or track saw. Usually, you would only need to take a millimetre or two.

Have a look at chiselling out the rebate for the bottom hinge first, as I think it will be the simplest solution. If the hinge plate is flush with the surface of the jamb/door, as long as the door was cut to size correctly, it should fix the issue. If not, then I can certainly assist further with trimming the door.

Jacob

Coaster

Hi People. Firstly thanks for all the responses.

So I’ve attached three photos. The bottom hinge, the closed door at the top and then the door closed at the bottom. It is definitely rubbing long the bottom 80 or 100mm.

Nailbag

Hi @Coaster

The use of 4-hinges could be because the door is solid, or a tall one over 2040mm to keep it square over time? Or as you said over-engineered. The bottom line is it's the door jamb that's out at the bottom.

The way I would fix this, is to use a planer along the edge of the door matching (within reason) the widest gap starting just below the door handle latch rebate.

1. Position a long straight edge against the door with it closed. Align it with it at the very edge and move it inward so that it matches the same door gap at the bottom. Again within reason and then run a pencil line.

2. Use either a hand or powered planer with a fence fitted to keep the passes square to the door face.

3. Light sand the surface and both back and front edges.

4. Prime coat the base timber, then paint in colour.

If you decide you want to just deal with the affected area of the door with either a planer or sander, then ensure you remove enough material to allow for a few coats of paint (3mm).

Nailbag

JacobZ

Hi @Coaster,

@Nailbag's advice is spot on, I would follow his recommendations closely.

Let us know if there is anything that you are not sure about and we'd be happy to clarify or assist further.

Jacob

Coaster

thanks @Nailbag and time. Looks like a job for today!

MitchellMc

Hi @Coaster,

How did you go? Any luck resolving it?

Let us know if you need any further assistance.

Mitchell

Coaster

Hi @MitchellMc. Worked a treat! I followed the suggested fix by @Nailbag and had it all done in about 60 mins. Works perfectly. Thanks for everyone help!

MitchellMc

That's great to hear, @Coaster! Many thanks for the update.

Mitchell