Do you live in an older home? Do you have an interior door that gets harder to open and close as the seasons pass? You are not alone if you do. Home that are exposed to extreme temperature and humidity changes tend to expand and contract. This is not normally a problem. Homes are supposed to move a little. The problem arises when homes move too much.
It isn't necessary to call in a general contractor to fix a sticky door. With just a few minutes of your own time, a hammer, 16d finish nail or two, a nail set, and your own skills, you can repair it. Doing it yourself will save you the hassle of having to find a contractor. It will also save you money. Most house calls, from reputable building professionals, will average over $50.00 just to have them walk through your door. The fix for this problem is so easy. Let me tell you how to do it.
It is important to know how a door is installed. When your home was originally built the, first the framing went up. Then the electrical, plumbing, and insulation were put in place. Once these utilities were finished, the framing of the interior walls were covered with lath and plaster or drywall. Last, the interior doors were installed.
When the door was installed, or hung, the hinge side of the door casing was placed directly against the framing or stud. With the hinge side of the casing against a stud, nails were driven through it to secure it in place. Once in place, the latch side of the casing was made level and plumb and secured to the framing as well. Shims would have been used to make up any gaps and keep the door casing in proper place. The door could now be attached to the casing using the hinges provided. If all was done correctly, the door would be plumb (perpendicular to the plane of the earth) and an even gap, or reveal, could be seen all the way around the door.
Problems arise when contractors hurry the installation of a door or do it improperly. Problems can start when the door casing is not secured to the framing solidly. If the door casing was nailed to the header, the natural expanding and contracting of the header can throw the door completely out of alignment. There are other installation errors as well, but the end result is always the same. Someday the door isn't going to open and close properly. It isn't always the contractors fault. Homes, just like people, tend to get a little out of alignment with age.
The solution is simple and will take less time to fix than it did for you to read this article. Doors stick because the door casing has moved out of being square. Over time the opening becomes more trapezoidal. To fix the problem, you don't try to make the door square again. This takes too long and involves removing the door and trim to get to the root problem. Just look at the door and casing. Find the surfaces that are touching. (They will be easy to find.) They will be the ones where the paint or stain has been rubbed off.
Once you have found the rubbing surfaces, take a 16d nail and gently drive it through the casing where the rubbing occurs. Try to place the nail as close to the center of the door frame as possible to keep the wood from splitting. Drive the nail until it is almost seated. Then use the nail set to set the nail. You will want to use light blows. As you drive the nail into the framing, it will apply force to the door casing and cause it to move away from the door. Strike the nail with the hammer and nail set then check the door. It may take a few strikes, but eventually, the casing will be pulled far enough away from the door to stop the two from rubbing together. When you are done, all you will have is a single hole to fill with wood putty!
In summary, to fix a squeaky door you must first locate where the door and the door casing are rubbing together. Using a finish nail, drive the casing away from the door until the two stop rubbing together. When finished, depending on how good you are with your hammer, you will only have a single nail hole to patch. This is a very simple solution to a very common problem.
If you have questions about interior doors in your home contact a general contractor. If you are located in the Sacramento area please visit www.caladditions.com for all your repair needs. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephen_Nightingale |
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