How to Repair Entry Door Hardware: Squeaky Hinges

Entry door hardware, involving doors and hinges, tends to get squeaky over time. Although the problem may seem annoying and cumbersome to deal with initially, rest assured that you can fix the problem yourself. Mostly, a rusty hinge pin or hinges that are out of alignment can be the cause of squeaky hinges. You can easily repair these parts of the entry door hardware yourself by following the step-by-step process below. The tools and materials required are also listed.

Pull out the Hinge Pin

The first step is to pull out the hinge pin from one of the squeaky hinges. Do this by first tapping a nail into the hole under the hinge pin so it comes out a little. When it does, slide a screwdriver’s tip underneath the hinge pin’s head and tap it downwards with your palm. This will loosen the pin enough for you to pull it out.

Dust and Lubricate

Use the steel wool and scrub the hinge pin rigorously to remove any dirt, rust, or dust that may have accumulated over the hinge pin. After you’re done cleaning the pin, use a spray lubricant like WD-40 to thoroughly lubricate the hinge pin. This is usually enough repair involving entry door hardware to stop hinges from being squeaky for a while.

Reinstall the Hinge and Check the Door

Reinstall the hinge pin into the hinge, tapping it with a hammer. Repeat for all the hinge pins you may have removed. After you’re done, check the door to see if it’s still squeaky. If it is still squeaky, proceed to Step 4.

Remove Door and Check for Misalignment

Remove all the hinge pins like instructed earlier and remove the door, but work on the hinge pins from bottom to top. Once the door is off, place it next to the hinges and check if any of the hinges are misaligned. Misalignment is another major cause of squeaky entry door hardware.

Alignment and Reinstallation

According to the misalignment, tap the hinge leaf with a hammer up or down to bring it into perfect alignment with the leaf on the door. Tap the leaf on the door too when you tap its corresponding hinge leaf. You don’t want only the hinge leaf to be moving. Both should be moved and aligned. When aligned, reinstall the door by tapping in the hinge pins like previously done, with a hammer.

Alignment in Extreme Cases

If the misalignment is severe and cannot be fixed by tapping, fill up the previous screw holes with wood filler using a putty knife. When the filler is dry, use the drill and bit to make new holes for the hinges. Attach the hinges and if required, apply additional filler around the hinges. Mask the hinges with masking tape. Your entry door hardware repair is done.