How to Repair a Door
Strong and impregnable metal doors under the influence of various loads lose their performance characteristics and original appearance. Metal door repair will help to restore them and extend their service life.
1. Weaknesses of iron doors
- Locks of all kinds and installation methods because they are repeatedly opened throughout the day.
- The door frame can become overpainted for several reasons.
- The hardware along with handles and hinges.
- A door leaf that has lost its respectable appearance or has been subjected to burglary.
- The moldings or exterior trim may be scratched or broken.
2. Rules for repairing entrance doors with your own hands
To avoid unpleasant situations and embarrassing mistakes when repairing entrance doors, you should familiarize yourself with the basic rules of such work.
Repair work is carried out according to a certain principle, which depends on the design and material of the entrance group. The most common breakdowns have a common character for all types of doors. In any case, everything begins with an external inspection, which will help to identify and assess the degree of complexity of the malfunction. Based on this, the best method of elimination is chosen, and the list of necessary tools and materials is determined.
Before using power tools, you need to check their serviceability and grounding presence. Malfunctions in operation become the cause of incorrect actions and pose a threat in terms of safety. For each operation, you should use the tool intended for that purpose, not improvised means. To replace broken parts, similar technical, geometric and functional characteristics should be selected.
After troubleshooting, preventive measures and regular maintenance should be taken care of to avoid similar failures in the future. For example, regularly lubricate and tighten the hinges or install a door closer, which will smoothly close the door and reduce the load on the structure.
3. Pros and cons of self-repair
When it is necessary to repair entrance doors, you need to make a decision: do it yourself or invite a master. There are arguments for and against, especially since almost all breakdowns can be eliminated.
The pros include:
- budget savings, because you will not have to pay for the work and departure of the master;
- acquiring new experience and skills;
- no need to invite a stranger into the house and worry about the safety of the property;
- the opportunity to make independent decisions on the choice of fittings or new finishes;
- the owners make their improvements and repairs, which increases the value of the home;
- you can plan your time and fix the problem when it is convenient;
- for skillful hands, such work is a pleasure.
We can not leave without attention and minuses:
- lack of experience and professionalism. If you do not have the necessary knowledge and skills, then in the end you can have to change the whole door;
- the surprise factor. In the process of repair, new circumstances arise, something breaks at the wrong moment, there is no suitable tool at hand, and the repair comes to a dead end;
- lack of time. For busy people who spend all day at work and do not keep a set of tools, it is better not to engage in repair, and call a specialist;
- the risk of ruining the door. If we are talking about a new and expensive door, careless actions can damage it, and the costs will be much higher.
4. Advantages and disadvantages of calling professionals
- The cost of work in the repair service is not so high, because you need to withstand the competition.
- Rates for services are available for review, and the final price is negotiated and depends on the complexity and volume of work.
- You can order different types of service, including repair of locks, replacement of hardware and trim, and lubrication of hinges and mechanisms.
- Requests for repair of doors are accepted at any time, and the visit of the master is coordinated as convenient for the owners. You will not have to adjust and change your plans.
- You can ask for help for urgent opening of locks.
- If there is no interest and time to engage in repair work on your own, specialized companies are a salvation.
- Convenient form of payment and promotional offers.
- However, there is a risk of falling for unscrupulous masters.
- You will have to pay for services, the quality of which may be low.
- It may turn out that the final amount will be more.
- It is necessary to accept strangers in your home, who will stomp and litter.
5. What can be repaired in iron doors and how
The type and frequency of breakdowns depends on the construction of the door, quality and place of installation. Doors in urban apartments are less exposed to the negative effects of weather factors, so there are fewer problems with them.
Repair of locks
Locks are the most vulnerable part of the entrance door. There are 5 types of locking mechanisms, but the most commonly used are cylinder and suvald locks.
Cylinder locks are easier to repair because the keyhole, which provides opening and closing, is removable, and problems arise with it.
How to change the thunderbolt:
- On the end side of the door is the lock bar. On it, the head of the locking screw is noticeable, which must be unscrewed with a screwdriver.
- After removing the locking screw, the key is inserted into the keyhole. Now you need to turn the key slightly and try to pull out the cylinder.
- When the tongue of the mechanism is hidden, the core will come out freely.
- According to the old larva you need to pick up in the construction store similar in profile and length.
- It remains to insert the cylinder into the lock and fix it.
Suvald locks have a complex design, and in case of breakage, the whole mechanism is changed. Repair of locks on entrance doors begins with the dismantling of the handle together with the overlays and the inner square. To do this, the fasteners or screw ties are unscrewed. From the end of the door on the mechanism bar, the screws are removed. The mortise lock is picked and removed.
To remove internal installation or crab-type models, the trim panel must be removed to gain access. If it is a matter of code mechanisms, then if the key is lost, it is not necessary to change the entire lock. It is enough to recode a new set of keys.
Door frame misalignment
The skew can be detected by the tight closing of the door, and the presence of rubbing on the upper or lower edge. The cause is a weak fastening of a solid door or shrinkage of the house, which happens in new buildings.
Eliminate the malfunction can be corrected in several ways:
If there are no deformations of the box, but the door sagged under its weight, then it is necessary to tighten and adjust the hinges. It is also recommended to put an additional canopy to reduce the load.
In older constructions, sagging occurs due to the wear and tear of the hinges. To begin with, they need to be adjusted, and if nothing has changed – replace them.
Levelling the deformation of the box will help a couple of wedges that are hammered into the gap of the doorway. To fix the position, additionally drive 2-3 anchors near the old fasteners.
Loss of appearance
The unsightly appearance and wear of the door leaf depends on the finish. Budget option – a layer of paint, which over time is erased and scratched. A decorative paint finish has several alternatives:
- Laminate – a flooring option with moisture-resistant characteristics that is suitable for lining a metal door. This method is applicable for doors to the apartment, but not to the street.
- Leather – for these purposes is suitable for inexpensive dermantine or more elite eco-leather.
- MDF – laminated panel completely covers the door leaf, looks spectacular and is easy to install. You can choose an overlay for any operating conditions, for indoors and outdoors. The disadvantage of this solution is the high price and weighting of the construction.
- Solid wood – natural wood gives the door a presentable look, and does not limit the choice of color and design. After quality impregnation and varnishing, the finish will last for several years. Disadvantage – expensive and requires care.
Eaves on metal entrance doors are not often used, but if installed, they gradually wear out. If damage is detected, they are subject to replacement.
What tools are used in the repair of metal doors
The choice of tools for repairing the entrance metal door depends on the type of breakage, the features of the upcoming work and the complexity of the operation. In addition, a standard set of construction and measuring tools consisting of a tape measure, metal ruler, hammer, screwdrivers, pliers, angle and various fasteners, and pencil for marking will always come in handy. For levelling and alignment of the door frame, you need a construction level and a few wedges. Electric tools are a faithful assistant to the home master. When restoring the finish, you can only do it with glue, a sharp knife and clamps.
6. Restoration of the front door: how to deal with metal corrosion
Painting the steel leaf
Painting allows you to get rid of rusty dots that affect the metal. Most often the lower part of the door leaf and box is damaged. Preliminarily it is necessary to remove the hardware and sealant.
To restore the coating, it is desirable to remove all the old paint. With localized restoration, the foci of defeat are scraped to white metal. To do this, a hand brush, a Bulgarian with a special attachment and sandpaper will be suitable. Then the surface is cleaned of dust and degreased with a solvent. First, a primer composition is applied. Then the coloring is carried out in 2 stages. Paint should be for outdoor work and better with a “hammer effect”. It is applied with a roller or with a sprayer.
Repairing an iron door: how to repair the leaf panelling
According to the measurements of the door leaf, you need to prepare the material. This can be lathed, an overlay of MDF or an assembled shield of laminate. Put the sash and remove the hardware. For fixation, liquid nails or special glue will be suitable. For reliability, you can add self-tapping screws around the perimeter. Press the cover in several places with a weight and leave it for 6-12 hours. Cut holes for the handle, lock, and overlays and put the hardware back in place. Hinge the cover.
Other variants of cladding
In this case, ready-made sets of upholstery are used, which can be selected by colour, texture and price. A quick and cheap way to restore the entrance iron door – a self-adhesive film with imitation wood, stone or monochrome pattern. The quality coating can last on the outside for several years. However, this is exclusively an apartment option. Finishing with a veneer will look more beautiful. The work is not difficult to perform with your own hands, because the strips already have glue applied to them. It is heated with an iron or construction hair dryer directly on the cloth. First, cover the central part of the door, and the surface should be clean and even.
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