Repair of metal doors - in which cases it is possible

Metal doors are safer than wooden, but if necessary, to repair them - metal doors often require the intervention of an experienced master. However, in some cases, you can handle yourself. First you need to find the defect or malfunction, because of which the door began to work poorly.

• Wear door.
• Poor quality of the door unit or its installation.
• Attempt to open the door without a key.
• Faulty lock.

In addition, the reason for the repair may be the desire to update the appearance of the front door.

When door repair is possible

Sometimes you can cope with repairs yourself, but if the problem is serious and professional tools such as a welding machine are needed to restore the functionality of the door, you will have to rely on the master.

It is also worth noting that repair is not possible at all in general - it is sometimes easier to completely replace metal doors than repair them.

If the lock broke

A failed lock is the most common cause of a metal door failure (see Repair of locks in metal doors).

Its complete replacement is possible if you find a lock of the same size and design as the former. But for this, it is often necessary to dismantle the inner lining of the door.

If the cylinder lock has broken, first try to replace only its larva. It is removed quite simply - you need to unscrew the locking screw on the end of the door.

If the reason is more serious, or if a complicated safe lock or lock with vertical bolts is in your door - it is better not to risk and call a specialist.

If the door is twisted

The distortion of the door is noticeable immediately: it ceases to close well, scratches the threshold, its heat and sound insulating properties deteriorate (see Soundproofing of the entrance doors).

Что может стать причиной перекоса, и в каких случаях потребуется metal door repair:

1. Very heavy door. The door of multi-layer thick steel is difficult to hold in the desired position even the highest quality hinges. After several years of operation, it sags and stops closing. It is very difficult to fix such a breakdown. You can try to cut the hinges and re-install the door to new ones. But after a couple of years you will again have to wait for the repair of the metal door.
2. Loosening the loops. Occurs naturally due to mechanical wear. It is easy to replace the hinges, if they are not welded, but screwed into specially made holes. The main thing is to find the holes so that the holes in the cards coincide with the holes in the box and on the door itself.

   Council You can try not to change the hinges, but pick up the washers of the desired diameter and attach them to the pin of the upper hinge. Before this, all parts must be lubricated with grease or a lubricant vehicle.

3. Repair the door will be much more difficult if its bias was the result of shrinkage at home, as often happens in block and monolithic new buildings. In such cases, the door frame itself is warped, so the door has to be changed. But in a private house, you can try to drive a wedge under the base of the door frame.

If the door is rusted

If the door has not been painted or if the paint has long since peeled off, it will rust and rot, especially at the bottom. In this case, the repair of metal doors will not consist in simple painting, but in a number of activities.

Prepare materials and tools for repair:

• medium and fine abrasive skin
• brush for metal
• solvent
• putty knife
• putty for metal
• primer and paint in cans.

Process:

1. Prepare your metal doors - the repair should begin with the dismantling of fittings and gaskets and the protection of the interior plating, it needs to be covered with foil.
2. Use a metal brush to peel paint and rust from the door. Sand the surface first with coarse sandpaper and then fine. If there are forging or imitation panels on the door, use a special nozzle on a drill instead of a hand brush.
3. Degrease the surface of the door with a solvent and wait until it dries.
4. Apply putty on damaged areas (it is best to use automotive). And wait for it to dry again. Then again sand the surface of the door, perfectly aligning it.
5. Aerosol primer primed the entire door.
6. After the primer has dried, apply the first coat of paint, ensuring that it lays down without smudges. For this door leaf is better to put horizontally.

   Council If you repair the doors in the apartment without removing the door from the hinges, protect the walls and floors with cardboard so that paint does not get on them.

7. After drying the first layer of paint, if necessary, coat the smudges and apply a second layer.
8. When the repaired door is dry, replace the handle and locks and attach the new seal.

If facing is worn out

When the appearance of the front door ceases to please you, you should not change it to a new one. This is the case when an independent repair will really help you out - the metal doors after it will look like new.

As a rule, replacement of finishing materials is made on similar materials, but sometimes it is possible to dream up. For example, remove the outer skin of leatherette and trim the door with laminate or MDF (see. Finishing metal doors).

Or vice versa - to warm the door and at the same time give it a new look, upholstered with beautiful vinyl leather or PVC film. There are many options, all of which are described in detail in other articles of this resource.