How do I fix a squeaky door?

A squeak is metal moving against metal with dirt in between. Spraying penetrating lubricant onto the outside of a hinge floods it temporarily and washes some dirt further in, which is why the squeak comes back within weeks. Removing the pin takes two extra minutes and fixes it properly.

What you'll need

• Hammer and a nail or thin punch
• Cloth
• Grease or light machine oil
• Wire wool (optional)

Step by step

1. Open the door and support its weight — a wedge or a book under the outer edge.You're only removing one pin at a time, but the door will still shift slightly.
2. Tap the first hinge pin upwards from below with a nail and hammer.From below, so gravity helps once it starts moving. Some pins have a small head that lifts out by hand.
3. Wipe the pin clean, and clean the inside of the knuckle with a cloth.You'll usually find black grease and grit. That grit is the actual noise.
4. Apply a thin coat of grease, or a few drops of light oil, to the pin.Grease lasts far longer than oil. Petroleum jelly works acceptably if it's what you have.
5. Refit the pin and tap it home, then do the next hinge.One at a time keeps the door aligned throughout.
6. Open and close the door several times to distribute the lubricant.Wipe off anything that squeezes out before it reaches the paintwork.
7. If it still squeaks or catches, check whether the door is binding rather than the hinge squeaking.Look for a rub mark on the frame. Binding is a different problem — usually loose hinge screws or a dropped door.

Tips

• If the hinge screws are loose in the frame, remove one, push a wooden matchstick or two with a little wood glue into the hole, snap them flush and refit. It gives the screw fresh timber to bite into.
• Avoid using WD-40-type penetrating sprays as a long-term lubricant — they're excellent at freeing things and poor at staying put. Follow with a proper grease or oil.
• Squeaks that start suddenly across several doors in a house often follow a change in humidity, which moves the frames slightly.
• Check the hinges on a door that catches before planing anything. Nine times out of ten it's a loose screw, not an oversized door.

Common mistakes

• Spraying lubricant without removing the pin — The dirt causing the noise stays in place, so the squeak returns.
• Removing all the pins at once — The door falls. One hinge at a time.
• Using penetrating spray as the final lubricant — It evaporates and leaves the joint dry within weeks.

Questions people ask