Metal doors how to repair trim. Repair of iron entrance doors. Restorations using different materials

The front door is the face of the house, so its appearance can tell a lot about the owner of the home. But it happens that an apartment has a good, solid metal or wooden door that has completely lost its visual appeal. It’s impossible to leave it like that, and it’s a shame to replace it. In this case, the entrance door is restored using ready-made sets of soft upholstery or cladding with other materials. The internal part facing the apartment can be finished in accordance with the design of the room, but certain requirements are imposed on the external decoration: it must not only be beautiful, but also vandal-proof.

Peculiarities

There are three main features that must be taken into account when repairing the entrance door in an apartment or a street door in a house, based on which you select materials for restoration:

the door must withstand physical impact. Withstand not only impacts from heavy objects, but also resist attempts to open its upholstery in order to get to the mortise lock. The presence of rust stains even at the bottom of the canvas is a good reason to start reconstructing it;
perform decorative functions, creating comfort and without spoiling the overall appearance of the entrance;
preservation of heat in the apartment, absence of drafts. The main percentage (about 80%) of heat loss in a room occurs due to improperly insulated doors.

When restoration of entrance doors is carried out, it is advisable to restore not only the door leaf, but also check the locks, fittings (hinges, handles, closers, clamps, etc.), trim, and seal.

If you want to strengthen the door with a metal sheet and then treat it with paint or veneer, then you should take into account the increase in the weight of the door leaf. Ignorance of this feature of reconstruction often becomes the reason that the door warps within a month after repair, the hinges become deformed and sag, and the leaf stops closing.

The solution to the problem is to buy and hang new hinges with a reinforced rod It is better not to use external overhead hinges. With a strong increase in the mass of the canvas, it is better to strengthen the box with spacers. If the door did not close well even before restoration, but there are no signs of deformation of the hinges and frame, then the seal must be replaced.

Materials

Due to the wide range of materials on the construction market, at first glance it is impossible to determine what it is made of. Under a thin and graceful tree there may be a sheet of steel 0.5 mm thick, or under an impressive metal frame you will find an old wooden door. The main materials that are most often used are laminate, MDF panels, self-adhesive film and veneer strips.

Laminate not only changes the appearance of an iron or wooden structure, but also significantly improves its sound insulation and insulation. If you put insulation under it, as well as on the floor, then the door does not need to be upholstered from the inside. Reconstruction of the door leaf with laminate is suitable for both iron and wooden doors. However, with all its advantages (speed of work, simplicity, low cost), this method has its drawbacks. Even a moisture-resistant laminate will not retain its appearance for long if the door faces the street and is exposed to precipitation. Laminate flooring can be easily damaged, scratched and punctured, especially if there is no combination lock at the entrance and teenagers often go there.

MDF panel It is distinguished by its durability, environmental friendliness (the adhesive of the slab is natural lingin), and the ability to create any relief on the slab. The solid slab meets the main task of the front door - it enhances its resistance to burglary. In addition, MDF easily tolerates fluctuations in temperature and humidity, which allows it to be used for outdoor decoration. The only drawback is the inability to make a solid panel at home.

Veneer- these are thin strips of wood that are glued to a base (cheaper coniferous wood or metal). A special feature of veneer is the ability to choose a noble material to imitate, for example, walnut, Karelian birch, mahogany, hornbeam, cherry and others. The disadvantage of this material is its high cost, difficult gluing work, and susceptibility to deterioration due to high humidity.

Self-adhesive film– a quick and cheap way to reconstruct metal doors. Convenient to stick on a flat door without texture or carving. A high-quality film can last for several years on the outside.

Is it possible to update it yourself?

In order to reconstruct doors, you don’t have to turn to professionals; you can do it yourself. Each method can be implemented at home if you have a minimum amount of tools and the desire to beautifully restore the covering of Chinese doors.

Things to remember:

preliminary preparation is always carried out. The old coating is removed, varnish, paint, traces of rust and corrosion are removed. Before packing the door in a new “wrapper”, you need to treat the wood with antibactericidal and antifungal compounds, and the metal should be primed with an anti-corrosion film;
If you plan to cover the door with laminated film or veneer, then the surface is first leveled with putty. These materials are very sensitive to unevenness - all bulges and depressions are very clearly visible;

It is worth remembering that gluing the film is done from the edge, followed by rolling out the roll. Air bubbles are expelled from the center of the glued area to the edges. They begin to glue the veneer from the end so that there are no noticeable joints, and the first strip is attached to the canvas itself in the center and the rest are aligned along it;
if a metal door requires replacement of the front panel, then in parallel with it it is better to insulate the structure with foam plastic, which is placed inside between the stiffeners.

Methods

The simplest and most durable way is to cover it with MDF panels inside and out. Entrance door trim panels are sold in standard sizes and in a variety of pattern embossing configurations. To apply it yourself, you only need liquid nails and a jigsaw to cut out holes for the fittings. The door needs to be removed from its hinges, the surface prepared for the adhesive (degreased), the panel glued on, pressed down with a weight and left until completely dry.

The laminate finishing method is a little more complicated, but it is suitable for doors of non-standard size. To update you will need laminate, liquid nails, slats, a hacksaw for sawing material, a weight and standard little things: a glue brush, a screwdriver for fittings, possibly a hammer or mallet.

Work algorithm:

We remove the door from its hinges, remove the fittings, place the panel in a convenient place with a good stop so that the laminate can be pressed to the surface;
slats to match the laminate (pre-painted or purchased ready-made) are cut exactly to the length and width of the door frame. The slats are needed to create a frame within which the laminate will be laid;
slats are attached to liquid nails around the perimeter of the door;
The shield is pre-assembled from the laminate. Laying laminate directly in the frame is impossible due to its design features. The boards must be tightly fitted to each other, sawn to the size of the door, so as not to crumble when placed in the frame;

holes for door locks and other fittings are cut out before the shield is attached to the door;
Using liquid nails we attach the shield to the door leaf. In this case, the canvas itself is lubricated with the adhesive composition, and not the laminate;
We press the shield against the door with a weight for several hours. It is best to distribute the load evenly;
we cut in the fittings and hang the door in place.

Finishing the door with dermantine is an option for the inside of the door, even if there are no pets in the house. A huge advantage is the aesthetic component and the practical one - noise and heat insulation. If exterior finishing is required, it is better to choose vinyl or amyliskin; they are more resistant to temperature changes. Eco-leather is also suitable, but it is more porous and not so resistant to stains.

As an internal filler, you can choose foam rubber, batting and isolon. Foam rubber will give a beautiful texture, but its insulating characteristics are average. Batting insulates well from noise and cold, but is very toxic in case of fire and sags over time. Izolon is the best option between aesthetic appearance and technical characteristics.

Does a rusty door leaf and a constantly jamming lock spoil your mood every time you return home? a cheap Chinese design, and you are ready to do anything just to get rid of the daily assault on your own home.

But don't rush. Most problems with the door leaf, frame and fittings can be fixed on their own. In addition to the restored door and saved money, you will receive joy and satisfaction from your own achievements when looking at the saved structure.

Problems that may arise

First, we carry out diagnostic procedures - we determine the causes and location of the breakdown. Only after this we begin.

Broken lock. Problems with constipation cannot be confused with damage to other parts of the metal structure:

The key is difficult to insert or turn.
When closing the door, it is necessary to press the door so that the bolt fits into the functional hole of the frame.
When slamming, the door is not locked in the closed position by latching the tongue.

There are several reasons for the appearance of breakdown symptoms. Often this is wear and tear. The internal part may be damaged due to regular entry of moisture into the hole and attempts to break into the structure.

A warped door. Signs of structural geometry violation:

When moving, the door leaf touches the frame.
To open (close) it requires some effort.
Gaps and cracks appeared between the sash and the frame.

Sagging or distortion of the door occurs due to long-term use, which has disrupted the strength and balance of the connecting fastening of the door block - the hinge. Less commonly, the cause is a manufacturing defect that appears immediately after installing the door. If we talk about interior wooden doors, then a malfunction can be caused by a wooden panel that has become deformed over time: from moisture, dryness, and temperature changes.

The appearance of rust. Destruction of a metal surface is manifested by unaesthetic dirty yellow or brown spots. The appearance of rust is caused by improper operation: the outer coating does not match the installation site, the use of low-quality finishing materials, etc.
Scuffs and damage to the lining. The door gives guests the first impression of your home. At a minimum, it should be neat and clean. A shabby, scratched door, decorated with dents and deformations, evokes not the most pleasant feelings: both among visitors and owners.

How to fix each problem

If the lock is broken, it can only be repaired if there is minor damage to the mechanism:

Adjustment of crossbars and corresponding holes on the outer lining and body (for crossbar devices).
In other cases, parts of the locking mechanism may fail. Changing an apartment is not difficult when it comes to cylinder mechanisms: they are easily dismantled, and repairs in most cases come down to replacing the cylinder. Then the restored lock is fixed in its original place.
To remove the cylinder lock cylinder, you must begin dismantling the mechanism from the end of the door.

You will have to tinker longer with constipation of the lever type:

For replacement, it is advisable to select a lock with similarly located fasteners. Otherwise, you cannot avoid drilling new mounting holes.
This also applies to the location of the crossbars: they must match, or new holes will need to be formed in the metal.

It is impossible to repair locks of more complex designs (crab, digital) on your own, without knowledge and experience. Even a repair team that arrives on call in many cases offers not repair, but replacement of the door block.

If the door is skewed, the deformation is often eliminated by adjusting the hinges. They will need to be replaced:

If the weight of the door leaf is too heavy and there are not enough connecting fasteners installed. But removing and completely replacing the hinges is a temporary measure for this type of breakdown. In a few years, the door will sag again under the weight of the steel sheets.
Hinges weakened by long-term use can be easily replaced if they are secured with a hinged fastening system. In this case, it is important to select new parts with fixing elements, the holes in which correspond to the failed hinges.

It is sometimes possible to repair or strengthen the hinges without reinstallation. To do this, select a washer that matches the diameter of the pin on which the door is hung. The washer is mounted in only one place - on the pin of the upper connecting fastening. All parts are pre-treated with machine oil or grease.

It is impossible to repair metal doors , when a violation of the geometric parameters of the structure occurred due to shrinkage of the house. Installing new hinges will not help, since the frame of the door block itself - the frame - has become deformed. is possible only in private houses: in some cases the problem is solved with the help of a wedge driven under the door block.
The visually noticeable appearance of rust indicates a violation of the integrity of the protective outer coating and destruction of the metal. Applying varnish or paint will not solve the problem: corrosion will spread underneath.

Restoration of metal doors consists of a set of measures:

At the preparatory stage, the fittings and insulating elastic seal are dismantled, and the internal coating is protected with film. When making repairs on a hinged door, do not forget to protect the walls and floor with cardboard.
Use a wire brush or drill with an abrasive attachment to remove paint residues and rust stains. Then the surface is leveled and polished with sandpaper: we start with coarse-grained sandpaper and finish with fine sandpaper.
Putty (automotive putty is suitable) is applied to the cleaned and polished area. After it dries, the surface is polished again.
We prime the surface. It is more convenient to do this with aerosol means.
Paint of the desired shade is applied to the dried primer. To ensure that it lies flat, the door is placed in a horizontal position. The paint is applied several times: each subsequent one after drying and polishing the previous one.
The final stage is the installation of fittings and seals.

A worn finish is not a reason to change the door structure. You can easily repair metal doors on site , transforming or completely changing the appearance of the canvas:

Cards made of MDF canvas, plywood or wood. The advantage of finishing is that the card is cut to the size of your door and, when finished, is fixed to the metal part of the leaf with self-tapping screws. The lock and handles are first removed, and upon completion of the work, the screws are masked with plugs.
The most resistant to adverse atmospheric conditions are those impregnated with preservative (including fire-fighting) solutions and laminated plywood cards.
Laminate is also used as finishing. But the aesthetic qualities of the material prevail over the operational ones: the coating will not last for a long time, especially if the door faces the street.
A simple “grandmother’s” way of finishing the canvas - using leatherette. This is an inexpensive and quick repair of an iron door. Modern materials and installation methods will give the door leaf a presentable look.

A significant drawback of the material is that the integrity is broken even with minor “contact” with sharp and hard objects.

Prevention

Regular maintenance (cleaning, lubrication) of moving, operated elements of the door block will prevent (or significantly delay) most breakdowns, and therefore repair of iron doors .

It is important to carry out preventive treatment regularly, selecting products for each working mechanism individually.

More than 70% of installed entrance doors are metal. This is logical, since 1-2 mm. metal will provide more reliable protection from intruders than wood or plastic. But despite the reliability of the design, sooner or later you will have to repair metal doors - their parts also become unusable, and this happens for many reasons.

Despite some differences, repairs of aluminum doors are done in approximately the same cases as iron ones. The main causes of breakdowns include:

Natural aging of the door leaf (metal rusts and oxidizes if you do not take care of it for a long time);
Buying a cheap door made from low-quality raw materials (Chinese ones are made from recycled materials at a cost of 2-3 thousand rubles);
Incorrect installation (distortions of the canvas, a stuck door lock and a loose seal - and this is only part of the problems that can arise if the hand position of the master is incorrect);
An attempt to break in from the outside using master keys or a heavy tool (damage depends on the success of the break-in);
Broken door lock;
Replacement of the door facade when it is worn out.

Any repair of aluminum doors varies in degree of complexity; in some cases, a screwdriver is enough for repair, but sometimes you cannot do without a welding machine and a hammer drill.

Let's take a closer look at the types of repairs to metal entrance doors.

Door lock failure

The door lock is designed for 7-15 thousand openings and closings, subject to careful operation and regular lubrication. However, in practice, the door lock is not lubricated at all, and the opening process occurs with a piercing squeak, which, of course, should not happen in any case. Thus, the entrance door lock completely exhausts its service life after 5-7 years of operation. The main types of door lock repair are as follows:

Cylinder lock. To replace the cylinder lock cylinder, you need to unscrew the support screw on the end of the door leaf. Then insert the key from the inside and turn it to remove the lock cylinder. The new cover must fully comply with the design features of the lock; it is installed as simply as it is removed. To replace the entire door lock, you simply need to unscrew it from the door fastening components and install a new lock in the same way; you may need to disassemble the casing, it all depends on the number of pins and the individual characteristics of the door;

Level castle. Replacing a lever lock occurs in the same way as a cylinder lock, except that in addition to removing the cylinder, it is possible to recode the levers for a new key.

Misalignment of entrance doors

Repair of steel doors is often required due to their misalignment, which creates a lot of inconvenience for residents in the apartment, because the door no longer fits tightly, and cold air, noise from the entrance, and even the installation of intruders pass through the gap.

Most often, misalignment is caused by incorrectly installed or worn hinges. It is the hinges that bear the entire load of the door leaf, which is approximately 50-100 kg. moving weight. The manufacturer can save on the quality of hinges by installing cheap analogues.

To fix the skew problem, just change the hinges. How to do it? It’s good if the hinges are simply screwed to the door leaf, then you just need to unscrew them and select new ones according to the diameter of the mounting hole. It’s not very good if the hinges are welded, then you need to remove the door from the hinges, cut off the old hinges with a grinder and weld on new, possibly more reliable hinges. It is worth paying attention to the calculations and geometry of the door, otherwise you will have to cut it off and weld it again many times in order to select the angle of inclination and the length of the new hinges.

Repair of aluminum doors, despite their lightness, may be necessary for the lucky owners of an apartment in a new building. Many of them noticed how their door gradually warped; it’s all about the shrinkage of the entire house, which takes place in the first 2-3 years after the building is commissioned. In this case, it is useless to change the hinges; a complete replacement of the door leaf or its manual adjustment will be required. In some cases, you can’t even do without a grinder and a welding machine.

Rust on the door leaf

Usually, during the production of metal entrance doors, their surface is coated with a special compound that reliably protects the metal from corrosion, however, the protective layer becomes thinner over time, and many manufacturers even consider the anti-corrosion coating unnecessary and provide the privilege of applying it to the buyer.

Door repairs are carried out in the following stages:

It is necessary to assemble a repair and abrasive kit (coarse-grained, medium-grained and fine-grained sandpaper, iron brush, solvent, spatula, metal putty, primer, coloring agent, be it a spray can or another form of paint);
First of all, all fittings are removed from the entrance doors, including its internal lining;
Then all large rust is removed with a metal brush, and the corrosion areas are rubbed alternately with coarse-grained, medium-grained and fine-grained sandpaper; you can use a grinding machine;
The canvas is degreased with a solvent;
Problem areas must be puttied with a special putty for metal, approximately the same putty is used in car body repair;
Then the door is coated with a primer and, after it has dried, sanded again with fine-grained sandpaper;
Finally, the door leaf is painted; it is advisable to cover the door with anti-corrosion paint in 2-4 layers, avoiding smudges and streaks.

How to fix installation defects in the following video:

Sheathing repair

Not only the metal wears out, but also its casing, and, often, the casing wears out much faster. How to solve this problem? It all depends on the type of cladding used:

Wear of iron sheet (the problem can be solved by painting);
Upholstery with artificial leather (beauty and enthusiastic sighs of envious people are guaranteed, but the material is not cheap, besides, leather wears out quickly and special skills are required to work with it;
Using laminate (practical and very beautiful, but the price of the issue may scare away the buyer);

Powder coating (special spraying up to 0.2 mm thick to create an insurmountable barrier between the external environment and the metal layer; it is impossible to apply such a coating at home);
MDF panels (MDF panels will last much longer than leather and ordinary wood, you can choose any color of your choice);
Covering an iron door with natural wood (carved valuable wood, treated with varnish and an anti-corrosion compound - this is an expensive and durable coating).

Metal doors must not only reliably protect the house from thieves, cold and extraneous sound, they must also have a beautiful appearance and work properly. Although metal structures are highly durable and reliable, nothing lasts forever and after a certain period of use, some of their elements may fail. Such doors are heavy, so the load on the hinges is high, which can cause them to break. In addition, the lock, handle, or other damage may occur. Most of these malfunctions can be fixed with your own hands, and we will look further at how to do this correctly.

What malfunctions of metal entrance doors can be eliminated yourself and how to do it

The concept of metal door repair is collective and includes not only the repair of hinges, locks or handles, but also the restoration of the surface of the door leaf and trim. If the doors were installed 10–15 years ago, then during their operation, some elements may wear out and stop performing their job correctly, so they need to be repaired or replaced. Fashion is constantly moving forward, and even if the door is in good condition, it may no longer fit into the modern interior. In order not to completely change the doors, you can perform decorative repairs and radically change the appearance of the old metal panel.

Although the structure of metal doors is much more complex than wooden ones, their reliability will be much higher. Most of the breakdowns that may occur can be fixed with your own hands; to do this, you need to have the necessary tools, determine the cause of the breakdown and eliminate it.

Even high-quality metal doors may require repairs after a certain time.

The main causes of breakdowns of metal doors:

long service life, so some parts have a lot of wear, which prevents them from working properly;
at the time of purchase, a cheap option was chosen, so the service life of such doors will be short;
The doors were installed incorrectly, making their normal operation impossible;
the door was tried or opened without a key, this may happen if the owners lost the keys or if strangers illegally entered the house;
The appearance of the door does not match the interior, and the owner decided to transform it.

The following elements can fail in a metal door:

lock;
accessories;
door frame, it can change its geometry or be poorly fixed;
platbands;
door leaf, it may lose its original appearance or have a violation of the integrity of the surface.

Necessary tool

To repair a metal door with your own hands, you will need the following tools:

a set of screwdrivers or a screwdriver for loosening and tightening fasteners;
a set of hex and socket wrenches;
an electric drill for drilling out the lock fastenings or creating new holes for its installation;
hammer;
marker, it is necessary to mark places for new holes;
sandpaper and a metal brush if the paintwork will be restored.

Every home craftsman has tools for repairing metal doors.

Replacing a lock and cylinder in a metal entrance door

Depending on the model of the metal door, locks of different designs may be used. Before you begin the repair, you need to decide on the lock system. The following locking mechanisms are currently used in metal entrance doors:

cylinder, here you can simply and quickly replace the cylinder, such locks have a flat key, which has recesses or notches, this is the most common type;
lever mechanisms have a more complex design, but they also have the highest reliability; here the key is in the form of a rod with notches and cutouts;
Disc, cross-shaped or rack-and-pinion mechanisms can be used much less frequently.

The main types of locks that can be used on metal entrance doors

The need to replace a lock or cylinder may arise in the following cases:

loss of a key, even if you still have spare keys, in such cases it is recommended to replace the lock or cylinder, since there is a possibility that the lost key will be found by a not very honest person, and he will be able to freely enter your house;
breakdown of the mechanism, improper operation can cause breakdown of the mechanism or this is due to the use of low-quality locks;
replacing the lock with a more modern and reliable model;
after a break-in, this can happen when thieves entered the apartment or you lost the keys and opened the doors yourself;
buying an apartment, for security reasons, when buying an apartment, it is best to immediately change the locks or cylinders.

Cylinder lock

Most budget entrance doors use this type of lock. The design of such a device allows, in case of loss of the key, to change not the entire mechanism, but only the lock cylinder. Since the larvae have standard sizes, finding one that fits your lock will not be more difficult.

Sequence for replacing a cylinder lock:

First, the armor plate is removed.
Use a screwdriver or screwdriver to remove the cover.
The key opens the lock.
From the end of the door, use a screwdriver to unscrew the plate.
There are screws on the side that secure the plate and secure the lock core.
To release the bolts, the lock is closed.
In the center at the end there is a screw that secures the cylinder; you need to unscrew it and, turning it slightly, pull out the cylinder.
By turning slightly, you can easily remove the lock cylinder
A new “secret” is inserted and all operations are performed in reverse order.

Level castle

Such a device has higher reliability, but its design is also more complex. Depending on the manufacturer, if the lever lock fails, in cheaper models you will have to replace the lock completely. In expensive versions, it is possible to recode the levers; for this, a new core is purchased, complete with keys, and inserted into the lock. Spare parts must be purchased from the same manufacturer as the doors.

Procedure for replacing the lever lock:

If you have doubts that you can cope with replacing a lock or cylinder yourself, then it is better to invite specialists to carry out the work.

When a metal door squats, it is impossible not to notice such a malfunction. It begins to catch on the threshold, closes poorly and its thermal insulation characteristics are impaired.

The peculiarity of metal doors is that they have a lot of weight, so even high-quality hinges can change their original position over time. During the operation of the doors, a gradual subsidence of the leaf occurs and the moment comes when such a malfunction must be eliminated.

Typically, hinges on metal doors are not welded, but rather screwed. If so, they can be replaced quickly and easily. The main thing is to purchase the same hinges so that the mounting holes on them coincide with the holes on the door frame and leaf.

If the hinges are welded, then they can be cut off and new ones installed in this place, but there is no guarantee that in this case the need for repairs may arise again after some time. If possible, you can lift the doors using washers that are placed on the rod of the lower canopy, but before that they are lubricated with grease or a similar lubricant.

You can lift the door using washers installed in the hinges

If shrinkage of the house occurs, the door warps due to deformation of the door leaf, so the way out would be to replace the entire door block. If possible, you can try driving wooden wedges under the base of the door frame and using them to level it.

Before you begin to eliminate door sagging, you must first determine the reasons that caused it and eliminate them.

The entrance metal door does not close well

Often a situation arises when the front door begins to close poorly, it happens very tightly or, on the contrary, weakly. The new door may be difficult to close. This is due to the fact that the seal is still tight and to get rid of this defect, it is enough to wait 1-2 weeks until it becomes more elastic.

The door may not close well because the lock is not working properly. You need to see if the crossbar fits correctly into the groove. If there is a displacement, then the door must be aligned correctly, for which the hinges are adjusted.

To adjust the tightness of the lock, most metal doors have a latch plate with which you can adjust the tightness of the door leaf. In cheap models, you can eliminate the jamming of the bolt by filing the place in the door frame into which it fits, or you can bend the metal a little using pliers.

The door closing tightness is regulated by the shutter bar

In the case when the door closes very easily, you need to pay attention to the condition of the seals. If they wear out, they cannot provide the necessary tightness, and the leaf does not fit tightly to the door frame. It is enough to replace the seal and this problem will disappear.

Repair and replacement of metal door handle

One of the most vulnerable elements of a door is the handle. Metal doors are usually equipped with push handles, but they can also be stationary.

Most often, push handles are used; they are used to control the door lock tongue and also to move the door leaf, while the stationary handle only serves to open/close the door.

Using the push handle, the door is opened/closed and the lock tongue is controlled

A stationary handle rarely breaks; this usually occurs from strong mechanical impact. If it breaks, the handle is replaced, and if the fastening is loosened, the fasteners are tightened.

The push handle has a more complex design, which is why it breaks much more often. The following breakdowns may occur:

Failure of the moving mechanism. The fastening bar and the movable handle are connected to each other by a special movable mechanism. The handle falling out of the socket can occur due to strong mechanical stress if it is made of poor steel or bad riveting. In such situations, the handle cannot be repaired and it must be replaced with a new one.
Problems with the rod. The rod that transmits the force from the movable handle to the lock tongue has a square cross-section. If when you turn the handle, it works normally, but the tongue does not move, then there is a problem with the rod. It may break during operation or, due to loosening of the handle, jump out of its place. In rare cases, the seat in the handle wears out and the rod in it begins to rotate. It is enough to replace the rod or insert it into place and this problem will disappear.
The handle does not return to its original position. To return the handle, a spiral spring is used, which is attached to the bar on one side and to the handle on the other. The spring may come out of its fastenings or break. To eliminate such a malfunction, it is enough to insert the spring into place or replace it with a new one.
The handle falls out. This occurs due to a broken retaining ring. It can either loosen or burst; replacement is done after disassembling the handle.

In order to remove the push handle on a metal door, you must perform the following operations:

If there is a decorative trim, the disassembly procedure will be slightly different:

When it is only necessary to replace failed elements, then they are replaced, and if this is not possible, then they purchase the same handle and install it in place of the broken one.

How to lubricate a metal door

Lubricating a door is a simple task that any home handyman can do on his own. The creaking of the door leaf is not only annoying, but also indicates that the door is not working properly and this negatively affects its performance and service life.

First, you need to determine and eliminate the reason why the creaking occurred, and only then move on to the lubrication process. Reasons why creaking appears:

lack of lubrication; over time, lubricant leaks out of the hinges and they begin to creak during operation;
corrosion, this is the most common reason, since the doors are entrance doors, the hinges are constantly susceptible to the negative effects of moisture, which can cause rust and destruction of the metal;
wear of the hinges, when the hinges are not lubricated in time, they wear out and if it is large, then the failed elements will have to be replaced;
debris, dust or debris may get in and clog the hinges;
the canvas is distorted, and both the hinges and the canvas that rubs against the box can creak.

To lubricate metal doors, various materials can be used, but most often they are:

WD 40, this lubricant helps remove corrosion and creates a thin film on the surface that prevents the development of corrosion and improves gliding;
litol - frost-resistant and moisture-resistant material;
grease;
Cyatim is a universal product, which is a thickened oil with the addition of antioxidant additives.

It is better to use thick products to lubricate a metal door.

If you don’t have the described products at hand, you can use waste oil, sewing machine oil, or graphite shavings, which are obtained from the lead of a simple pencil.

It is preferable to lubricate parts with thick products, as they will provide good gliding over a longer period of time.

When lubricating the door, you must adhere to the following rules:

In order for a metal door to work for a long time and silently, it is necessary to lubricate it periodically.

Video: repairing a metal entrance door

Restoration of metal entrance doors

Over time, the appearance of a metal entrance door becomes less attractive, it loses its original appearance, and rust may appear. Even if the door is in good condition, after some time it may become outdated and will not match the interior or exterior design of the house, so there is a need to change its appearance.

The most popular methods of restoring a metal entrance door are:

Painting. For these purposes, acrylic, automotive, and hammer paint can be used, with which you can simply and quickly restore a metal sheet.
Painting is the most affordable method of restoration
Faux leather upholstery. This method is suitable for decorating a door on the side of the room. This solution allows you to additionally insulate the door leaf, but if there is a cat or dog in the house, it will not last long.
Faux leather upholstery allows for additional insulation of the door
Laminate covering. You can create a solution that will fit into any interior. It can be used both inside and outside the door. The disadvantage of this restoration method is the high cost of the material.
A metal door can be sheathed with laminate both inside and outside
Powder coating. The surface turns out durable and beautiful, but you won’t be able to apply powder paint at home; this can only be done in special workshops, but it will still be cheaper than buying a new door.
Powder paint can only be applied in a specialized workshop
MDF panels. MDF plates allow you to create a beautiful and high-quality coating; they are easy to care for and such a metal door will serve for many years.
Using MDF overlays, you can quickly and easily restore a metal door
Natural wood. This method allows you to transform an ordinary metal door and turn it into a real work of art. This canvas is decorated with carvings and does not differ in appearance from that made from natural wood.
A metal door covered with wood looks like a product made of natural wood

The choice of method for restoring a metal door depends on the desire and capabilities of the owner; most options can be implemented with your own hands.

Video: replacing a decorative MDF panel

How to dismantle a metal entrance door

In order to dismantle a metal front door yourself, you first need to prepare all the necessary tools:

hammer;
crowbar;
spanners;
Bulgarian.

Sequentially dismantling a metal door:

All that remains is to clear the doorway of debris and you can proceed to installing a new door.

Video: dismantling a metal entrance door

If there is a need to repair metal entrance doors, you need to adequately assess your capabilities and decide whether you can cope with such work without the help of specialists. If there is no such confidence, then instead of fixing one breakdown, you can create several more problems. Much depends on the quality of the door; if it is an expensive model, then you should not take risks and it is better to invite a specialist to repair it. You can handle the repair of a budget metal door yourself, you just need to first determine the breakdown, the cause of its occurrence, and only then begin to fix the problem. You must act in accordance with developed technologies and adhere to the recommendations of specialists.

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Metal is a strong material, but everything in our world is not eternal. The front door is subjected to constant loads of various types, so the likelihood of breakage is quite high. Repairs to iron entrance doors may be needed at any time. We will discuss how to do it yourself in this article.

Vulnerabilities of metal entrance doors

Repairing any item should begin with diagnosing the breakdown. Since the design of iron doors is not something incredibly complicated, anyone can figure it out. Most often the following can fail:

Locks. There are not so many subtypes of locking mechanisms, so having determined the type, you can immediately say whether it is worth getting involved in the repair yourself or immediately calling professionals;
Fittings, namely handles, lock plates, hinges, peephole;
Door frame. Most often, metal doors have a completely welded frame, so that individual elements cannot break, but the structure may warp or be initially incorrectly fastened;
The door leaf itself. Problems usually lie in appearance, which can deteriorate significantly over time or after a hacking attempt;
Platbands. The exterior finish of the door may be subject to mechanical failure, but repair is fairly easy.

How and what can be repaired in an iron door

The need for repairs depends on where the door is installed. It is not surprising that doors in private houses are more susceptible to failure than in high-rise buildings due to adverse external influences. However, the nature of the breakdowns is usually quite similar. Most often locks fail, so we’ll start with them.

Lock repair

There are five types of locking mechanisms. Thus, there are cylinder, lever, crossbar, electromechanical and combination locks. The most popular ones are lever and cylinder.

The easiest way to repair an iron entrance door is one that has a cylinder lock. This type of lock has a removable core that can be easily replaced. The procedure is as follows:

At the end of the door there is a lock plate on which a locking screw is located; it must be unscrewed;
Afterwards, you need to insert the key into the hole of the lock and turn it a little, at the same time pulling out the cylinder;
After the tongue inside the lock is hidden in the cylinder, it can be taken out of the door;
You can take out the dismantled secret and go to a store or market in search of a similar one;
After purchasing, insert the new cylinder into the lock and tighten the locking screw.

It seems unlikely that you can repair a lever or deadbolt lock yourself, so you will need to replace the entire mechanism.

The first step, if there is a handle, is to dismantle it, as well as the linings. The fastening elements will be located on the inside of the door. The lock can be installed at the end of the canvas or inside it. The first case dictates the procedure in which you need to unscrew the screws at the top and bottom of the lock, and then pull out the mechanism. If the lock is installed inside the door or a “crab” type locking mechanism is installed, then you will need to remove the door trim. When you reach the lock, remove the mounting screws and replace it with a new one.

Box skew

There are several reasons for the door frame to skew. The box may be poorly secured if the canvas is heavy, or shrinkage may occur at home. The latter can only occur in newly built houses. Most often, the box does not warp instantly, but gradually; when problems are discovered, the situation can be corrected in three ways:

When the box is not deformed, but the canvas has sagged due to its weight, it is necessary to tighten the hinges and adjust them; in addition, it is worth installing an additional hinge, which will reduce the load on the existing ones;
A door installed a long time ago may sag due to wear on the hinges; there is no need to install others additionally; it will be enough to adjust the existing ones;
If the box is deformed, this can be corrected by driving in several wedges. When the box is in place, they will need to be secured with two or three anchor bolts next to the old fastener.

Loss of appearance

Over time, the door wears out and the appearance of the canvas deteriorates significantly. The repair procedure depends on what material the door is lined with.

The easiest and cheapest way to paint a door. During use, the metal of the door leaf is scratched and traces of corrosion appear, especially often at the bottom of the door. Before applying paint, it is recommended to completely remove the old coating layer.

However, if you do not want to completely treat the door, then you should clean the affected areas down to visible metal. There are several ways to do the job, but the easiest way would be to purchase a special attachment for a drill or grinder. You can clean the entire door in an hour, an hour and a half, and a separate section in 15-20 minutes.

After cleaning, it is necessary to degrease the surface using a solvent or acetone. Further painting of the door is done in at least two layers. It is required to use paint for exterior use; it is recommended to use hammer paint.

If the painting option does not suit you, there are many worthy alternatives to finishing the front door:

Use of leather. The use of natural materials is not common. If the door is budget, then dermantin is usually used. In the premium segment, eco-leather is used. Its appearance is almost indistinguishable from genuine leather, and the cost is much lower. The most attractive finishing option is the “carriage screed”.

Application of laminate. The door can also be finished with laminate flooring, just pay attention to moisture resistance and not abrasion. The disadvantage of this option is that it should not be used for street doors.

Decoration using MDF. Laminated MDF panels are installed on almost half of the entrance doors; in the slang of professionals they are called MDF cards. The appearance of such a finish is attractive, it is quite simple to install or replace it, but it is expensive. There are panels for both apartment doors and street doors - it is recommended not to mix them up, otherwise repairs will be required again in the foreseeable future.

Natural wood. An excellent solution at a high price. In addition, wood needs high-quality impregnation and varnishing, otherwise its service life will be short.

The use of platbands on metal entrance doors is rare; their function is performed by the outer part of the door frame.

When operating the door, do not forget to lubricate the hinges. If a squeak appears, it is recommended to immediately lubricate these fittings so that they do not fail and require expensive repairs.