How to Remove a Stuck Door Hinge Pin
It has been holding the door up for decades. It is reluctant to stop.
Hinge pins stick from paint, rust or both. Penetrant at both ends of the knuckle, then tapping from below, gets most of them out.
Step by Step
- 1
Support the door
Close the door or wedge a shim under it so the weight is off the hinge.
- 2
Score the paint
If the hinge is painted, run a utility knife around the pin head and the knuckle joints.
- 3
Soak top and bottom
Spray penetrant at the top of the pin and into the bottom of the knuckle. Wait 10–15 minutes.
- 4
Tap it up from below
Put a nail set or a thin punch against the bottom of the pin and tap it upward with a hammer.
- 5
Clean and lube on reinstall
Clean the pin with steel wool and coat it with grease or lube before tapping it back in.
No heat. It scorches paint and wood trim.
- Have someone hold the door if you pull every pin.
Which Penetrant, and Why
Amazon links are affiliate links. Disclosure.
WD-40 White Lithium
Listed for hinges. Coat the pin on reinstall for metal-to-metal protection.
Read our reviewCommon Mistakes
Prying the pin head up with a screwdriver and chipping the hinge.