Are you struggling to remove a door hinge? Maybe you want to take down the door so that you move a large piece of furniture through the doorway, or perhaps you want to reposition the hinge. Fortunately, door hinges are removable. As long as you have some basic tools, including a screwdriver, you should be able to remove a standard door hinge.
Step #1) Open the Door
Before you can remove the hinge, you’ll need to open the door. Opening the door will give you access to the leafs. Door hinges typically have two leafs. One of the leafs is mounted to the door, whereas the other is mounted to the adjacent frame. You’ll need to open the door to access these leafs.
Step #2) Support the Door
You’ll also need to place something underneath the door to support it. Most doors feature one hinge per 30 inches of height, which translates into three total hinges. When you remove a hinge, the load will increase on the remaining hinges. The two other hinges will have to bear the weight of the now-removed hinge. To protect them from damage, place some magazines, newspapers or even a towel underneath the door.
Step #3) Remove the Pin
With the door open and supported, you can now remove the hinge pin. Whether it’s a surface-mounted or mortise door hinge, it will likely feature a pin. Pins are smooth, cylindrical pieces of metal that hold the two leafs together. To remove the hinge’s pin, place a nail under it and gently tap upwards on the nail head. The pin should pop out of the top of the hinge, at which point you can remove it.
Because they are rarely, if ever, removed, pins can get stuck. Now matter how many times you strike the nail head with a hammer, the pin may not budge. If you’re struggling to remove the pin, though, a little lubricant may help. Spray a small amount of lubricant on top of the pin and allow it to drip down. With the pin well-lubricated, it will be easier to pop out.
Step #4) Remove the Leafs
Now it’s time to remove the leafs. When inspecting the leads, you should notice that they are held in place with screws. Some door hinges feature three screws per leaf. Others feature four screws per leaf. Using a screwdriver with the appropriate drive type — typically a Phillips head drive type — remove the screws and pull out the leafs.