Creaky/Squeaky door hinges; what to do when oil won't do?
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Creaky/Squeaky door hinges; what to do when oil won't do?
A couple of years ago I replaced the hinges on our bathroom door to match a new door lever we installed. The newly purchased hinges weren't as thick as the original hinges, so I had to shim them with thin cardboard (like from a matchbook).
I've messed around with them quite a bit. I recently made another attempt to properly shim the hinges to be flush with the wood. I've removed the pins and sanded them down to remove any "crusty" roughness. I oiled the hinges and the pins.
I think I succeeded in getting rid of the loud squeaks that would pierce the night, but now the hinges creak.
What more can I do to get rid of all noises my hinges like to make?
Thanks in advance.
I've messed around with them quite a bit. I recently made another attempt to properly shim the hinges to be flush with the wood. I've removed the pins and sanded them down to remove any "crusty" roughness. I oiled the hinges and the pins.
I think I succeeded in getting rid of the loud squeaks that would pierce the night, but now the hinges creak.
What more can I do to get rid of all noises my hinges like to make?
Thanks in advance.
#3
guess I "stumped the band"
My first thought is that you have cheap hinges OR that the singes are severely misaligned. Think about it, for the door to swing easily and not make noise all of the hinge pins need to be in alignment with each other in all planes. If they are not then binding will result and binding often means squeaks. Your use of shims under the hinges may be causing the problem rather than alleviating it. Try leaving out one hinge pin (assuming you have three hinges) and see if the noise goes away. Try this on all three hinges and if the noise goes away or changes significantly with any one of the three hinge pins pulled then it is almost guaranteed to be an alignment problem. This may also be evidenced by the need to use a tool to drive the pin into place rather than it simply dropping in from its own weight. If only one hinge seems to be the source of the noise, that is, the noise ONLY goes away when a specific hinge pin is pulled then it could be that particular hinge is severely out of alignment or perhaps even the hinge or pin is bent. In that case replacement of that particular hinge may be the cure.
One other thing to try is to thoroughly clean the hinge pins and the sockets in the hinge proper with solvent, let it dry and then use a dry lubricant containing silicone on the pins. This material is available in spray cans and usually leaves a white powder on whatever it is sprayed upon. Lay the pins on some papers and spray them on all sides. Wipe the silicone from the upper end of the pin, the part that shows after insertion into the hinge and then replace the pins. You may need to do this periodically as the coating wears away.
#4
Cardboard shims will crush. I use the thin plastic you find on blister packs which just about everything you buy these days is wrapped in some form of shaped plastic. Find a flat part of a blister pack, cut it out with a utility knife or scissors. Determine how many thicknesses of plastic you will need to correct your depth issue. You can drive the screws straight through the plastic when you reattach the hinges.
#5
Member
Thread Starter
Thanks Furd and czizzi and thanks to whomever moved this post from the "Doors, Skylights, Windows" topic within the "Interior Home Improvement" forum. This band seems to know the tune 
Unfortunately Furd, there are only two hinges on the cheap, hollow core, bathroom door. It's a bit odd that I can hear the squeaks and creaks coming from the top hinge, but the bottom hinge is the one that looks most suspect (the bottommost knuckle seems out of alignment). We had one of those door stops that you can add to the hinge pin. I have since removed it, but I think that thing kept the pin too high--allowing the bottom knuckle to bend.
I like the idea of the dry lube.
Also, when the door is closed, the gap between the face of the door and the doorstop is wider at the top than at the bottom
czizzi, I'm glad you recommended thin plastic. I was reluctant to use it, because I was concerned that the hinge wouldn't "bite" into the wood--allowing the hinge to loosen. But, if you've had good luck with it, I can give it a try.
Thanks again.

Unfortunately Furd, there are only two hinges on the cheap, hollow core, bathroom door. It's a bit odd that I can hear the squeaks and creaks coming from the top hinge, but the bottom hinge is the one that looks most suspect (the bottommost knuckle seems out of alignment). We had one of those door stops that you can add to the hinge pin. I have since removed it, but I think that thing kept the pin too high--allowing the bottom knuckle to bend.
I like the idea of the dry lube.
Also, when the door is closed, the gap between the face of the door and the doorstop is wider at the top than at the bottom
czizzi, I'm glad you recommended thin plastic. I was reluctant to use it, because I was concerned that the hinge wouldn't "bite" into the wood--allowing the hinge to loosen. But, if you've had good luck with it, I can give it a try.
Thanks again.