Over time, the hinges that hold your entry doors and cabinet doors in place can become loose. They can sag or stop closing properly unless you slam them, which actually causes further hinge warping and door damage. So, as professional remodelers who deal with these issues all the time, we thought we’d share some insider knowledge and tricks of the trade on how to tighten a door hinge.
We’re going to address the kitchen cabinet door stop issue first, followed by how to tighten regular door hinges.
Adjusting Kitchen Cabinet Door Hinges
If you notice that one or more of your cabinet doors won’t shut properly, try the following:
1. Close the door in question gently and check visually whether the door is more open at the top or bottom. Once you’ve determined which hinge is closing better than the other, take a piece of cardboard or a matchbook cover and place it between the side of the door and just above the hinge that closes more tightly. Now close the door all the way.
2. Remove the piece of cardboard and try closing the door without anything inserted. If the door still doesn’t close properly, fold the piece of cardboard in half and repeat the process in Step 1 above.
3. Repeat steps one and two until you eventually bend the properly closing hinge ever so slightly so that it matches the other hinge.
Note that these steps are for flush-mount hinges. For other types of hinges, such as internal spring hinges, it’s best to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
How to Tighten Door Hinges
A loose door hinge is highly aggravating. It can cause a door to stick or even scrape along the ground. So here are some easy-to-follow steps that should have your door operating properly again in no time:
1. Check that all the hinge screws are tightened properly. Be careful not to overtighten or strip the heads off of cross-head screws.
2. Insert a wood plug or match dipped in carpenter’s glue into the appropriate screw hole. Let the glue set and then insert the screw. If a screw won’t tighten, it’s usually because it has been moved around so much by the hinge plate’s movement that the screw hole has become too large for the screw to get a grip.
3. Repeat step two for as many of the hinge screws that won’t tighten and, if your hinges aren’t damaged, you’ll have a properly operating door once again.
Consult With Brothers Aluminum Today
Working on your home should bring you a certain amount of pride and confidence. Of course, for any job that you’re not comfortable with, it’s a good idea to consult a home repair and remodeling specialist. That’s why, for over 40 years, Brothers Aluminum has been proud to serve the home improvement needs of our customers in Long Island, the five boroughs, and Westchester County.
For all the answers to your remodeling and home improvement questions, simply contact us today.
