Sanding Or Planing A Door and Loosening Door Locks

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Sometimes you may need to sand or plane down a door if the door is too tight in its frame or if it rubs against newly installed carpeting. Reducing the surface of a door is not difficult but it can be an awkward task. If possible, work with the door while it’s still on its hinges. But if you need to get at the hinge side or bottom of the door then you will have to remove it. Scribe a line indicating what portion of the door needs to be removed before removing the door. In order to do this, close the door until it begins to shut, do not force it in or your line will be inaccurate. Hold a pencil against the jamb or the floor and run it along the length of the door taking care to hold it in the same position the whole way so that you get a line that duplicates the line of the jamb or the floor. Whether the door is still on its hinges or has been removed, support it so that it will not move as you work. A bar clamp attached to one corner of the door works well. Use a plane or surface-forming tool to remove as much of the material as needed. Work in long strokes for a smooth line. Finish off the planing with a sanding block. Repaint or refinish the end.

A stubborn or sticky door lock, on the other hand, can often be eased by rubbing the edges of its key with a soft-lead pencil, thus transferring graphite onto the key. Work the key gently into the lock, moving it in and out to loosen the graphite into the works. Or squeeze powdered graphite – which are available in a tube at hardware stores and home centers – into the key hole. Do not use lubricating oil which over time can make a dirty lock even dirtier and more difficult to operate.

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