How to Stop Door Hinges From Rusting
Introduction
Overhead garage doors are not sealed airtight, so in damp climates or areas where it rains a lot, they rust out if you don’t take care of them. The metal frames and hinges that support the door begin to corrode and can become badly rusted to the point where the door is tough to open and close – sometimes impossible. In this article, I’m going to discuss how to stop door hinges from rusting. So let us get started.
Reasons Behind Door HInges Rusting
Many Reasons Cause Door Hinges to Rust. However, Some of the Common Causes Are as Follows :
The most common reason behind door hinges rusting is moisture in the air. Moisture enters into the hinges when they are not properly painted or treated with any coating. This water may be present due to trapped dust, dirt, or oil on the surface of the hinge, which acts as a natural barrier for air and thus allows mildew formation inside it.
Lack of Proper Lubrication:
Since regular lubrication is needed to prevent metal from rusting, lubricating makes sure that no two metal parts come directly in contact with each other. This prevents friction, which leads to wear and corrosion (rust). So if you never lubricate the hinges, the metal parts will start to rust.
Grime & Dirt:
Hinges are used indoors, and other metal parts are associated with door movement. Therefore they accumulate grime over time. This grime collects moisture and traps it when combined with rusting metal, thus causing more damage to the hinge, i.e., it leads to faster formation of rust spots on the door hinges. Another problem is that if you try cleaning these dirty joints by hand (instead of using a low power wire brush), then your hands will get dirty from all the accumulated dirt; thus leaving oils on hinges which is another reason behind door hinges rusting besides their old age or usage for a too long period of time, i.e., it leads to faster formation of rust spots on the door hinges.
Rear Clearance:
If there is a lot of clearance between the cabinet and its door, then air can easily circulate inside the cabinet through this opening; thus becoming heated up since lower temperatures lead to condensation, i.e., forming moisture which in turn forms mildew due to trapped dirt/dust particles or oil residue as mentioned earlier (leading to faster rusting of metal surfaces). This situation is more likely in places with high humidity like bathrooms where mold forms very quickly and causes stains & odors that are hard to remove, e.g. if you leave your towels in the bathroom for too long, they will start smelling bad after few days because of mildew growth inside them.
Step-wise Guide on How to Stop Door Hinges From Rusting:
If you want to prevent your door hinges from rusting, you should avoid using water. If you clean them with a damp cloth, they will get rusty again soon. You can try some of the following steps to help keep them from rusting:
Step 1: Keep your Door Hinges Well-Oiled
The first thing is to lubricate the hinge every week or so. Next, gently brush off any dirt and use an oil-soaked rag to rub it down. This will protect them from moisture and thus prevent their corrosion. It’s very important to also get rid of any dirt that gets trapped in the hinges as soon as possible. This can cause the hinges to bind, making it difficult to open and close the door.
Step 2: Remove Excess Moisture From Your Bathroom Regularly
There can be some problems with the plumbing in bathroom rooms that can cause the air to be more humid and the temperature to be higher. This can cause water droplets to form and cling to things like the hinges on doors, and over time this can cause them to rust.
You need to check out all these issues and repair them as soon as possible because if you do not fix these problems, then there is no use in oiling your hinges regularly. The dampness will still be there in your bathroom. For this reason, you should fix the issues that are causing dampness in your bathroom and stop oiling hinges to make them work properly.
Step 3: Fix Leaks In Your Home
Make sure that you inspect any leakages around your home so that they can be repaired or sealed properly. For example, check out the alignment of window seals around windows, doors, or other residential units as they may have moved off their bases, causing unwanted moisture and temperature disturbances. You need to find or fix these leaks as soon as possible because otherwise, the rusting will not stop.
Step 4: Waterproof Your Hinges
You can also waterproof your hinges by using clear topcoat spray paint, available in plenty of hardware stores and online. This will add an extra layer on your door hinges so that moisture cannot get trapped easily inside your hinges over time, due to which they get rusted, thus saving you from the hassles of repairing them again and again.
Step 5: Use Rust Proof Hinges
If you want to be totally sure of preventing rusting, then go for some solid brass stainless steel hinges with a protective coating. These are known never to rust ever. So this is a sure-shot way of making your hinges rust-free. You can easily find many online stores as well where you can buy such hinges at reasonable prices.
Step 6: Have Your Hinges Cleaned Regularly If You Use Them Frequently
If you use the door very frequently, it may not be possible to clean or oil them regularly since they will get rusty in between, and hence you need to make some arrangements for their cleaning and maintenance. Take help from experts if you do not know how to go about it properly because certain techniques have to be followed when cleaning these hinges so that they do not get rusted again.
Precautions While Learning How to Stop Door Hinges From Rusting
- Keeping the hinges oiled is not enough to prevent them from becoming rusty. A chemical coating on the hinge shafts themselves helps prevent rusting in humid environments.
- When you have a new door with old hinges, install new hinge screws and remove the old ones. This gives you a solid foundation for your new door and prevents accidents later from rattling and misaligned doors.
- If your home or business has high humidity levels during the winter months, then it may be wise to spray some silicone on screws before they are installed as well as when you are replacing an existing screw that was previously coated with silicon spray or Teflon tape.
- Avoid any unnecessary drilling when you are installing your new door. For example, if the hinge already has a hole (a common design), then don’t drill down through the wood on the outer side of the hinge for another screw, particularly on engineered or composite doors and frames. Do not use structural screws either, as they will cause damage to your door frame in time.
- The best practice is to install at least two screws per hinge, but four is even better: Two for each side of the wood piece connected to the top of the door frame. In other words, one screw from both sides going into each side of the wood portion attached to the top of the door frame.
Conclusion
So the next time you plan on how to stop door hinges from rusting, keep these steps in mind and let them guide you through every step of fixing your rusted doors. Ensure the steps properly and also follow the safety precautions. Thank you and have a nice day!
You may read – How to Stop Your Roommate From Slamming Doors
Angela Ervin
Angela is the executive editor of DIY quickly. She began her career as an interior designer before applying her strategic and creative passion to lifestyle and home. She has close to 15 years of experience in creative writing and online content strategy for housekeeping, home decorations as well as other niche efforts. She loves her job and has the privilege of working with an extraordinary team. She lives with her husband, two sons, and daughter in Petersburg. When she's not busy working she spent time with her family.
