Problems & Solutions

Problem: My door won’t lock/latch.

Solution: This is usually caused by failure of the pivot or top butt hinge due to high traffic and/or abuse. Installation of a full surface geared continuous hinge will salvage the door and allow correction of misalignment for years to come. A concealed or a half surface hinge may also be used if you have enough clearance.

Problem: My door is dragging on the threshold.

Solution: This usually is a symptom of hinge failure due to underestimating the weight of the door or amount of traffic through the opening. Half or full surface geared continuous hinges can correct the dragging door and will provide a higher tolerance for traffic and abuse than butt hinges.

Problem: The door sticks in the frame.

Solution: Weather stripping, door selection, measurements or hot weather can cause the metal to expand. If the hinge has failed, you can replace it with a full surface geared continuous hinge.

Problem: How do I know whether a hinge will be strong enough for the opening?

Solution: The geared continuous hinge will distribute the weight of the door along the full height of the doorframe. This eliminates focused stress that typically is associated with butt and pivot hinges. The weight and traffic of the door and opening are factors in deciding use of heavy duty 300 (HD300), heavy duty 600 (HD600), or heavy duty 600 hinges with extra fastener holes (LL) . HD300 hinges are generally for high-frequency doors up to 300 lb136.08 kg. HD600 hinges are generally for high-frequency doors up to 600 lb272.16 kg. LL hinges are for low- to medium-frequency doors up to 1,000 lb.,453.59 kg., including most lead-lined doors.