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 standard duty (SD), heavy duty (HD), lead lined (LL) extra heavy duty hinges. Standard duty hinges are generally for medium frequency doors up to 200 lb. Heavy duty hinges are for high frequency or heavy medium frequency doors up to 450 lb. Lead lined (LL) or extra heavy duty hinges are also available for lead lined doors up to 1,000 lb. or extra wide doors.