Door Won't Stay Fully Closed
 

I have a door in a downstairs bathroom in a 40 year old 4 level split.

The problem I have is that the door won't stay open. After you open
it, it always swings closed about 4-6" - which is not much, but since
it is a small bathroom, it is just enough to jam the door into your
hip as you turn around.

What can I do with the pins or hinges to make the door stay in the
fully open position?

Door Won't Stay Fully Closed
 

On Dec 2, 1:33*pm, Commish wrote:
I have a door in a downstairs bathroom in a 40 year old 4 level split.

The problem I have is that the door won't stay open. After you open
it, it always swings closed about 4-6" - which is not much, but since
it is a small bathroom, it is just enough to jam the door into your
hip as you turn around.

What can I do with the pins or hinges to make the door stay in the
fully open position?

How come your subject says "Door Won't Stay Fully Closed" but your
body-text says "the door won't stay open"?

In any case...

Some suggest bending a hinge pin to introduce friction.

Some suggest shimming a hinge to balance/plumb the door.

Few suggest checking the wall/jamb for plumb and fixing it if
possible.

One (glenn) suggests "An elegant solution is to replace one of the
hinge pins with a shoulder bolt the same diameter and use a nut on the
other side and with proper torque, you can squeeze the loops together
just enough to keep the door in one place. Cheap solution is to use a
machine bolt instead."

Door Won't Stay Fully Closed
 

Commish wrote:
I have a door in a downstairs bathroom in a 40 year old 4 level split.

The problem I have is that the door won't stay open. After you open
it, it always swings closed about 4-6" - which is not much, but since
it is a small bathroom, it is just enough to jam the door into your
hip as you turn around.

What can I do with the pins or hinges to make the door stay in the
fully open position?

You could...
1. Rehang the door so it is plumb
2. Put a kick down door stop on it

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

Door Won't Stay Fully Closed
 

Commish wrote:

I have a door in a downstairs bathroom in a 40 year old 4 level split.

The problem I have is that the door won't stay open. After you open
it, it always swings closed about 4-6" - which is not much, but since
it is a small bathroom, it is just enough to jam the door into your
hip as you turn around.

What can I do with the pins or hinges to make the door stay in the
fully open position?


Don't screw around with bending the hinge pins and other hack fixes.

They sell magnetic (and mechanical) door holders pretty cheaply:

http://www.amazon.com/SOSS-Magnetic-.../dp/B0006LA2TC

Those are easier to use than the kind you have to flip up and down with
your foot. Just fully open the door and it'll stay there until you give
it a little tug.

I've had one on my office door ever since we moved in. I installed it
because the door frame was out of plumb and the door wouldn't stay open.

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10^12 furlongs per fortnight.

Door Won't Stay Fully Closed
 

On Dec 2, 2:52*pm, Jeff Wisnia wrote:
Commish wrote:
I have a door in a downstairs bathroom in a 40 year old 4 level split.

The problem I have is that the door won't stay open. After you open
it, it always swings closed about 4-6" - which is not much, but since
it is a small bathroom, it is just enough to jam the door into your
hip as you turn around.

What can I do with the pins or hinges to make the door stay in the
fully open position?

Don't screw around with bending the hinge pins and other hack fixes.

They sell magnetic (and mechanical) door holders pretty cheaply:

http://www.amazon.com/SOSS-Magnetic-.../dp/B0006LA2TC

Those are easier to use than the kind you have to flip up and down with
your foot. Just fully open the door and it'll stay there until you give
it a little tug.

I've had one on my office door ever since we moved in. I installed it
because the door frame was out of plumb and the door wouldn't stay open.

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10^12 furlongs per fortnight.

Don't screw around with bending the hinge pins and other hack
fixes

Do you consider shimming a hinge to make the door plumb a hack fix?

Door Won't Stay Fully Closed
 

Commish wrote:
I have a door in a downstairs bathroom in a 40 year old 4 level split.

The problem I have is that the door won't stay open. After you open
it, it always swings closed about 4-6" - which is not much, but since
it is a small bathroom, it is just enough to jam the door into your
hip as you turn around.

What can I do with the pins or hinges to make the door stay in the
fully open position?

Did it ever maintain the correct position? If yes, the screws are probably
loose.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

Door Won't Stay Fully Closed
 

On Dec 2, 3:12*pm, DerbyDad03 wrote:

Do you consider shimming a hinge to make the door plumb a hack fix?

On the old Hack-O-Meter scale of 1 to 10, it's about a 2. 0 being to
structurally level and straighten the house itself, and 1 being to
plumb the door frame.

Shimming the hinge may cause the door to sit crooked in the frame. Not
a problem if the frame is already racked, but if the wall settled as a
whole, it'll look bad. It may also cause door-on-frame contact and the
door may wedge on the frame if things are enough out of plumb already.

Just for the record, a 10 on the Hack-O-Meter would be any solution
involving bubble gum, Scotch tape, paper, and/or string. 9 would be
any solution involving a feminine product or any object used as a door
stop that is not a purpose-built door stop. 8 would be any solution
involving duct tape. 7 would be an actual door stop. 6 would be one of
those flip-down door stops. 5 would be a magnetic or mechanical door
holder. 4 would be bending the hinge pin or replacing the hinge pin
with a bolt. 3 would be installing a spring loaded hinge to hold the
door open.

Door Won't Stay Fully Closed
 

pull the pin out of the top and middle hinge and let the door sit on the
floor.

OR

take the door off

OR

use a door stop

OR

take the pins out of the hinges and bend them slightly, sometimes this will
serve the purpose you are looking for.

s

"Commish" wrote in message
...
I have a door in a downstairs bathroom in a 40 year old 4 level split.

The problem I have is that the door won't stay open. After you open
it, it always swings closed about 4-6" - which is not much, but since
it is a small bathroom, it is just enough to jam the door into your
hip as you turn around.

What can I do with the pins or hinges to make the door stay in the
fully open position?

Door Won't Stay Fully Closed
 

DerbyDad03 wrote:

On Dec 2, 2:52 pm, Jeff Wisnia wrote:

Commish wrote:

I have a door in a downstairs bathroom in a 40 year old 4 level split.

The problem I have is that the door won't stay open. After you open
it, it always swings closed about 4-6" - which is not much, but since
it is a small bathroom, it is just enough to jam the door into your
hip as you turn around.

What can I do with the pins or hinges to make the door stay in the
fully open position?

Don't screw around with bending the hinge pins and other hack fixes.

They sell magnetic (and mechanical) door holders pretty cheaply:

http://www.amazon.com/SOSS-Magnetic-.../dp/B0006LA2TC

Those are easier to use than the kind you have to flip up and down with
your foot. Just fully open the door and it'll stay there until you give
it a little tug.

I've had one on my office door ever since we moved in. I installed it
because the door frame was out of plumb and the door wouldn't stay open.

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10^12 furlongs per fortnight.


Don't screw around with bending the hinge pins and other hack
fixes

Do you consider shimming a hinge to make the door plumb a hack fix?

Shimming a hinge won't always work. It depends on which direction the
out of plumbness points.

Picture holding something like a cigar box in one hand and tilting it in
various directions. Some directions will make the lid stay closed,
others will cause it to open.

I still believe that a positive door stop provides the quickest and most
reliable fix for haunted doors that move by themselves.

Peace

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10^12 furlongs per fortnight.

Door Won't Stay Fully Closed
 

On Dec 2, 4:09*pm, "dadiOH" wrote:
Commish wrote:
I have a door in a downstairs bathroom in a 40 year old 4 level split.

The problem I have is that the door won't stay open. After you open
it, it always swings closed about 4-6" - which is not much, but since
it is a small bathroom, it is just enough to jam the door into your
hip as you turn around.

What can I do with the pins or hinges to make the door stay in the
fully open position?

Did it ever maintain the correct position? *If yes, the screws are probably
loose.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it athttp://mysite.verizon.net/xico

I've been in the house about 2.5 yrs and I don't remember it staying
fully open....

I'm off to the local Home Depot to see if they have any of those
magnetic door stops, that looks like it would do the trick.

As for hack fixes.... bending a pin sounds like a hack to me, shimming
the hinge does not seem like a hack.

Door Won't Stay Fully Closed
 

you know, a particular type of fix is not a hack if it works.

s


"Commish" wrote in message
...


As for hack fixes.... bending a pin sounds like a hack to me, shimming
the hinge does not seem like a hack.

Door Won't Stay Fully Closed
 

On Dec 2, 12:33*pm, Commish wrote:
I have a door in a downstairs bathroom in a 40 year old 4 level split.

The problem I have is that the door won't stay open. After you open
it, it always swings closed about 4-6" - which is not much, but since
it is a small bathroom, it is just enough to jam the door into your
hip as you turn around.

What can I do with the pins or hinges to make the door stay in the
fully open position?

I prefer that the door close except for the last couple of inches.
That way you don't see the bathroom as you walk past, but you can
tellthat it is empty if you need to use it.

Door Won't Stay Fully Closed
 

dadiOH wrote:

Commish wrote:

I have a door in a downstairs bathroom in a 40 year old 4 level split.

The problem I have is that the door won't stay open. After you open
it, it always swings closed about 4-6" - which is not much, but since
it is a small bathroom, it is just enough to jam the door into your
hip as you turn around.

What can I do with the pins or hinges to make the door stay in the
fully open position?


Did it ever maintain the correct position? If yes, the screws are probably
loose.



Or the house has settled...G

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10^12 furlongs per fortnight.

Door Won't Stay Fully Closed
 

Commish wrote:

On Dec 2, 4:09 pm, "dadiOH" wrote:

Commish wrote:

I have a door in a downstairs bathroom in a 40 year old 4 level split.

The problem I have is that the door won't stay open. After you open
it, it always swings closed about 4-6" - which is not much, but since
it is a small bathroom, it is just enough to jam the door into your
hip as you turn around.

What can I do with the pins or hinges to make the door stay in the
fully open position?

Did it ever maintain the correct position? If yes, the screws are probably
loose.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it athttp://mysite.verizon.net/xico


I've been in the house about 2.5 yrs and I don't remember it staying
fully open....

I'm off to the local Home Depot to see if they have any of those
magnetic door stops, that looks like it would do the trick.

If they don't have them....

I got mine at a locksmith's shop.



As for hack fixes.... bending a pin sounds like a hack to me, shimming
the hinge does not seem like a hack.

Hey, watch it, "Hack" is a sacred word to me.....G

http://mitpress.mit.edu/catalog/item...ype=2&tid=9559


Good Luck,

Jeff
--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10^12 furlongs per fortnight.

Door Won't Stay Fully Closed
 

On Dec 2, 6:52*pm, "Steve Barker DLT"
wrote:
you know, a particular type of fix is not a hack if it works.

s

"Commish" wrote in message

...

As for hack fixes.... bending a pin sounds like a hack to me, shimming
the hinge does not seem like a hack.

Corollary:

It's only temporary...unless it works.