Pro Handyman Blog

Removing Door Hinge Pins

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If you need to remove a door from the hinges, it’s a pretty easy process. The two leafs of the hinge meet in the middle and a hinge pin is placed through the knuckles of each half, holding them together. The pins resist the pulling pressure of each half of the hinges. The fit is fairly tight so that the door won’t have a lot of movement in it as it opens and closes.

If you need to remove the door for whatever reason, you will need to remove the hinge pin in each hinge. Depending on the doors size and weight, most interior doors have 3 or 4 hinges.

It’s probably best to partially close the door and add something underneath the door to give it some support. I usually start at the middle hinge, then do the bottom hinge, and finally the top one. Saving the top one for last will allow you to give the door some support as you remove the pin. Use a small screwdriver and a hammer and tap from the underside of the hinge. Place the tip of the screwdriver at the bottom of the pin and give it a few taps. This will lift the head of the pin out slightly. Then you can tap underneath the head to lift it up further so you can grab it and pull it out.

Try not to move the door as you are removing these. If you are lucky, the knuckles will stay aligned and will help support the door as you remove the pins.