DO-IT-YOURSELF : How to Silence the Squeaker of the House

Annoying squeaks and other door problems may come from the door itself, or from the hinges, latch, jambs or even the doorknob. Here are some tips for solving door problems:

* Silencing a squeak is easy because it is almost always caused by dry metal hinge parts rubbing together. Remove each hinge pin one at a time by tapping it upward with a hammer and an old screwdriver pressed against the top of the pin. Drip some oil down the well. Replace the pin and swing the door back and forth to work the oil into the hinge pivots. Wipe off excess oil.

* When a door refuses to stay open, check the hinges. If one has shifted or a hinge screw has pulled loose, reset the hinge in its original position and tighten the screws. If you cannot tighten a screw because its hole has been stripped or enlarged, plug the hole with a glue-coated wood golf tee, matchsticks, toothpicks or wood dowel. When the glue is dry, trim the plug flush. Drill a pilot hole and insert the screw.

* To quiet a door that always slams, put a piece of foam rubber on the edge of the doorstop molding. Peel-and-stick foam weather-stripping works well. A short length of foam rubber near the top and bottom of the molding will often suffice. You can also try a narrow strip of cork or leather.

* The self-closing hinges on many kitchen cabinet doors make them slam shut. Muffle the noise with small bumpers made of silicone caulk, available in tubes at hardware stores. Put two small dollops of caulk--each about the size of a pencil eraser--on the inside corners of each door’s leading edge, one at the top and the other at the bottom.

Place strips of cellophane tape on the cabinet where the silicone will make contact. Smear each strip of tape with a thin film of petroleum jelly to keep the caulk from sticking when the door is closed.

Then tape a small piece of one-eighth-inch thick cardboard to the cabinet between the strips to act as a spacer. Close the door. Let the silicone dry overnight, then peel off the tape and the cardboard. Wipe off any petroleum jelly residue.

* If a door sticks in humid weather, it’s likely that the wood under the paint has swelled, making the door tight. Lightly sand the door edges and jambs at the spots where the rubbing occurs; if necessary, sand down to bare wood, prime and repaint with one coat of finish. If the problem is severe, you may have to remove the door, strip the paint and plane the wood.

A door may also stick because the house has settled, pulling the jamb out of square and plumb, or the door itself may have warped. In either case, the solution is to remove the door and plane as needed.

* When removing a door to plane it, pull the pin from the bottom hinge first. When reinstalling it, seat the top pin first. Because it’s easier to reset hinges than reset locks, always plane the door’s hinge side. Remove the hinge leaves and strip paint from the door’s edge before planing. Check the door’s fit often, so that you don’t remove too much wood.

To plane a door, prop it in a corner for support. Use a block plane on the top or bottom edge of the door, from the outer edge toward the center. Use a jack or bench plane on the side. Always plane with the grain.

After planing, deepen the hinge mortises with a wood chisel as needed. Finish the planed edge with a clear wood sealer to keep the door from absorbing moisture.

* If a door doesn’t latch properly, it may be hitting the stop before the latch bolt engages the strike plate. To correct this, remove the strike plate, plug the screw holes and redrill the holes. Correct any misalignment between the latch bolt and strike plate, and screw the plate back in place. Minor mistakes can sometimes be fixed by enlarging the strike plate’s opening with a file.