How To Keep A Door From Closing

How to prepare doors that won't stay put

(iStock)

Q: Iii interior doors are out of plumb. One swings closed unless it'southward more than halfway open and has been that way since we bought the business firm; information technology may be the business firm that'due south out of plumb, as it's about lxxx years old. A second went out of truthful after I placed folded paper towels between the door and the jamb and so closed it after I oiled the hinges, so that oil wouldn't drip onto the floor. Since then, it won't stay closed unless it's securely latched. Last, at that place is the bedroom door, which slowly swings airtight unless nosotros open up it fully. Can yous suggest a fix that a couple of senior citizens might attempt without removing the doors?

Alexandria

A: When a door won't stay put, it's a sign that the hinges practise not line upwardly.

To pinpoint the trouble, bank check how the door looks when it fills the doorway. A gap at the acme on the handle side of the door means that the top hinge sticks out more, which causes the door to swing closed. A gap at the bottom on the handle side ways that the lower hinge sticks out more than; this keeps the door from staying shut.

You can fix these problems by moving i hinge in or out in relation to the other. To move a swivel outward, loosen the screws and stuff thin shims, such as strips of cereal box cardboard, under the hinge, and then tighten the screws.

A reader wants to know what to do about iii interior doors that are out of plumb. (Reader Photo)

To move a swivel in, sometimes you simply need to tighten loose screws. If they are in the top swivel, accept someone lift up on the handle as you lot piece of work, or provide a little up pressure level by stuffing a stack of tapered shims under the door border on the side with the handle. If you can't tighten a screw considering it spins in its pigsty, remove the spiral, stuff the hole with toothpicks swathed in wood glue, then interruption off the backlog wood. Once the mucilage dries, reinsert the spiral. Even ameliorate, switch to a slightly longer screw — but make certain that the screw head is the aforementioned size, or it won't seat in the swivel properly.

A hinge that sticks out too much might also be bent — the nearly likely scenario for the door that began misbehaving after you inserted those paper towels. To fix a bent swivel, open the door and shim underneath to support its weight. Remove the hinge and close it, noting the spacing between the leaves (the hinge'due south plates). Open the hinge and fold the leaves back every bit far equally they'll go. Step on them, then shut the hinge and check whether the gap is gone or most gone. If so, reinstall the swivel. Otherwise, fold the leaves back and step on them again, and so reinstall.

If gaps around the door appear even, the top hinge might be more to the left or right as you lot stand in the doorway and await at the side doorway trim. To cut a deeper recess for 1 of the hinges so they line up requires taking down the door, which isn't easy if the door is heavy. But this quick fix sometimes works:

Remove the hinge pin from the bottom hinge. If it doesn't sideslip out easily, tap a nail in from below. Identify the pivot on a hard surface with a shim most an eighth of an inch thick nether one end and hammer the pin at the center, causing the pin to bend slightly. Then reinsert it into the swivel, tapping down to seat it. This often adds plenty friction to keep the door from moving on its own.

Q: I have wallpaper in my kitchen that I simply honey. I'd repaper it if I could find it once again, but I have searched and have had no luck. Information technology is in fantabulous condition, but I suspect that information technology is very dirty because I haven't done it in the 25 years since I put it upwardly. I've decided to wash information technology and paint the woodwork to freshen up the room, but I don't know what the all-time cleaning solution for wallpaper is. Whatsoever advice?

Alexandria

A: Luckily, wallpaper used in kitchens is more often than not washable. But just to exist certain, test your cleaning procedure in a small, inconspicuous place offset. If you have whatever leftover wallpaper, the cleaning instructions might be printed on the back. Bold a quarter-century has left you without that option, follow advice from the Wallcovering Installers Association (wallcoveringinstallers.org), a trade group.

Employ warm water with a little mild detergent, such as a clear hand dishwashing liquid. Dampen a sponge, wring it out fairly well and wipe in the direction of the seams. Start at the lesser of the wall and work up; this reduces the take chances of getting streaks. As y'all end cleaning an area, rinse the sponge in make clean water, squeeze out most of the water and wipe off the cleaning residual. Absorb the wall dry with a soft, lint-free cloth.

If yous find stubborn stains, the Wallcoverings Association (wallcoverings.org), a trade group focused more than on manufacturers and distributors, suggests trying a stronger detergent, but only if you lot first exam a small expanse and if you follow up past rinsing well. Exercise not use abrasive cleaners, scrub pads or solvent cleaners.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Plan, an affiliate advertising plan designed to provide a ways for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/home/how-to-fix-doors-that-wont-stay-put/2017/08/18/e2f362ec-7ecc-11e7-9d08-b79f191668ed_story.html