How to Loosen Door Hinges
A door hinge is made up of a few pieces that all work together to allow a door to open and close. Two hinge pieces are held together by a hinge pin. The hinge is then fastened to a door and door casing with three to four screws. There can be two to four hinges holding a door in place. Loosening the door hinges to remove the door is done using a screwdriver, but if the hinge pin itself is bound in the hinges an anti-seize lubricant is used to loosen the corrosion or rust binding it.
Loosening the Hinges to Remove the Door

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Open the door until the screws holding the hinge to the door and door casing are fully exposed. The door should be at a 45-degree angle to the door casing.
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Slide door shims beneath the door until the door is braced up at three points. One point will be beneath the latch-side of the door, another point beneath the middle of the door, and the third point beneath the hinge-side of the door. Use a hammer to drive the shims under the door.
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Loosen the screws in the middle hinges. Unscrew the screws on the door-side hinges first, and then the screws on the door-casing side.
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Loosen the screws in the bottom hinge. Remove the door-side screws first and then the screws in the door-casing side.
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Ask someone to hold the door while you loosen and remove the screws in the top hinge.
Loosening a A Door Hinge for Easy Movement
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Open the door.
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Squirt anti-seize corrosion solvent spray in the grooves of each hinge where the hinge pin holds the hinge together.
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Open and close the door several times to allow the solvent to work into the hinge shaft pin housing. Clean grime out of the hinges with paper towels.
Tips
- It may take a few hours for the anti-seize corrosion solvent spray to loosen the door hinges. This will depend on how badly corroded the hinges and hinge pin are.
Photo Credits
- Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
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