How to Loosen Door Hinges

Loosening the Hinges to Remove the Door

• 1

  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.

• 2

  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.

• 3

  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.

• 4

  Loosen the screws in the bottom hinge. Remove the door-side screws first and then the screws in the door-casing side.

• 5

  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

• 6

  Open the door.

• 7

  Squirt anti-seize corrosion solvent spray in the grooves of each hinge where the hinge pin holds the hinge together.

• 8

  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.