How to Fix Creaking Doors
In horror movies, doors creak whenever something spine-tingling is about happen. In real life, creaky doors are a nuisance and distraction that irritates people. If you think your door creaks too much and you need to put a stop to it, don’t fret; here are a few methods you can try.
What You’ll Need:
Petroleum-based lubricant
Candle stubs
Soap
Paraffin wax
Grease agent (like WD-40)
Baby powder
Use A Petroleum-Based Lubricant
creaking doorPetroleum lubricants are useful around the home tasks and sometimes even for health. It’s no surprise that these can quickly and effectively solve your creaky dilemma. Here’s what to do.
Open the door and spray the petroleum-based lubricant all over the door hinges.
Close the door then open it again. Do this a couple of times. If you hear the door still squeaking, spray some more lubricant on the hinges, this time while it’s closed or partially closed.
Open and close it again, listening for the squeaking noise. It should be gone by now.
Try Other Kinds of Lubricant
Unfortunately for you, there’s no petroleum-based lubricant available around your home that you can use. Don’t worry, though, because there are lubricant alternatives that will work their magic on your problem. Some examples are:
Candle stubs
Paraffin wax
A bar of soap
Choose any of these and rub it in the hinges, working the door back and forth so the lubricant will be distributed. If you hear squeaking coming from areas where wood rubs against another wooden surface, these can also work great.
Use A Grease Agent
A grease agent, like WD-40 works just like a petroleum lubricant, providing easy movement for the door hinges. Apply it all over the hinges the same way you did with the petroleum-based lubricant. Make sure you put in an ample amount, so the problem will be resolved quickly.
Try Baby Powder
If the sound is more like a squeak than a creak, maybe the problem comes from a wooden part of your door that comes in constant contact with another wood surface. To solve the problem, apply a thin layer of baby powder in the affected crevices. Test and see if the squeaking and creaking subsides. When it does, you’re all set. Make sure you clean any baby powder that fell on the floor, though, to prevent slips.
Use Some Elbow Grease
If the above tactics still don’t work, you might need to use a little elbow grease to solve the problem, and remove the hinge pins one at a time. Here’s how to do it.
Carefully remove the pins from the hinges.
With a clean cloth, clean the hinge and the pin. When you’re done, lubricate the hinge’s inside, then replace it.
Repeat this process for the other door hinges.
Open and close the door a few times, checking if the noise is gone.
Reset Or Replace The Hinge
The squeaking noise can also result from an improperly positioned door. To solve this problem, just remove the door, then reset its hinge. If you find out though, that the hinges are rusted all over, then it’s time to replace it. This might mean more work, but it’s a small price to pay for your peace of mind.
Some Tips:
Test and listen to the door first, before making any improvement. This will help you determine the problem areas.
Oil your door hinges every now and then to keep them in good shape.
Graphite also works great on creaking doors, working just like lubricants.
Creaking doors belong in horror films and not in your home. Try these tactics and get rid of this dilemma effectively.