Q&A for How to Unstick a Door

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  • Question
    My front door is metal and the door frame is also metal. In the winter time when it gets colder, the deadbolt is hard to lock. Is there something I can buy to spray on the frame/door/lock to help?
    Mark Spelman
    Construction Professional
    Mark Spelman is a General Contractor based in Austin, Texas. With over 30 years of construction experience, Mark specializes in constructing interiors, project management, and project estimation. He has been a construction professional since 1987.
    Construction Professional
    Expert Answer
    If you file out the deadbolt hole a little bigger, it should be a lot easier to lock and unlock your door.
  • Question
    I closed my bedroom closet door and it is now stuck closed and swollen at the top. How can I get it open?
    Mark Spelman
    Construction Professional
    Mark Spelman is a General Contractor based in Austin, Texas. With over 30 years of construction experience, Mark specializes in constructing interiors, project management, and project estimation. He has been a construction professional since 1987.
    Construction Professional
    Expert Answer
    If the door opens away from you, try getting it open by placing a block of wood on the door where it's sticking. Then use a rubber mallet to hit at the block and it should come free.
  • Question
    How do I fix a sticking door hinge?
    Gino Colucci
    Home Improvement Specialist
    Gino Colucci is a Home Improvement Specialist and the Owner of Crackerjacks Handyman Services (not a licensed contractor) in Chandler, Arizona. Crackerjacks Handyman Services offers an effective cost-saving solution for commercial and residential repair and maintenance needs, specializing in smaller projects. Crackerjacks Handyman Services carries liability insurance and all technicians go through a background check.
    Home Improvement Specialist
    Expert Answer
    First, try tightening all of the screws on the hinge in a clockwise direction, both on the door and the frame side. Another trick is to identify where it's rubbing and use longer screws to make an adjustment. If that doesn't work, remove the hinge pin and use a wrench to slightly bend the hinge knuckles back so when you reinsert the pin it pulls back the door juste nough.
  • Question
    Why does my door stick in rainy weather?
    Gino Colucci
    Home Improvement Specialist
    Gino Colucci is a Home Improvement Specialist and the Owner of Crackerjacks Handyman Services (not a licensed contractor) in Chandler, Arizona. Crackerjacks Handyman Services offers an effective cost-saving solution for commercial and residential repair and maintenance needs, specializing in smaller projects. Crackerjacks Handyman Services carries liability insurance and all technicians go through a background check.
    Home Improvement Specialist
    Expert Answer
    Too much humidity can cause the doors to swell. Sometimes fixing that is as simple as getting the humidity to proper levels. Pick up an inexpensive humidity gauge to see where you are at.
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