Door is stuck - jammed tight - any solutions?

monkey_writer

We finally have our house!

We were only given the keys to two of the doors though, as the other two doors aren't locked. One is jammed shut and bolted, the other has been screwed shut and sealed all around with mastic or something...!

Does anyone have any great ideas on how to unstick a jammed door? It's wooden and in a wooden frame. It's in the basement under the front steps Victorian terrace). it's pretty damp down there, so I assume it's a mixture of paint in the cracks, rusty hinges and swollen wood...

I really need to get it open so I can change the locks so that our insurance covers us!

nelly_2

Surely a door thats impossible to open is covered.

Anyway

chisel off the bolts stanley knife through the mastic and unscrew the screws

failing that jigsaw right up the middel of them and buy two new doors

Skint1

Try spraying WD40 into the gap between doorframe leave it for a while. Them give it a few good shoves/belts.
Joe

Alan_M_2

I'd say you're probably looking at new doors, I'd imagine they aren't that great condition once you get them open anyhow.

monkey_writer

noooo! ... they're old victorian doors... We love them!

The kitchen door is a french door - victorian with lovely glass panels.

Admitedly the door at the basement front under the front steps might have to be replaced... but only in worst case!

scheming_gypsy

make an annonymous call to the police telling them you suspect 'you' have a cannabis farm in your basement. They'll have it open in minutes.

woodbutcher_2

You will have to force them causing as little damage as possible.They WILL yield if you apply enough force and make sure there is nothing impeding them.Double check for locks,screws,nails and sealants.Once you are sure there is nothing,hold down the handle and give it a good shove with your shoulder.

fredsgirl

Daft question if its damp will fresh air or heat not shrink them enough to get them open or am I missing the point

woodbutcher_2

Not such a daft question.It has been very wet of late and that won't help.We are forecast nicer weather coming up so that will make things easier as the doors should shrink a bit.

Jazzycat

get a hammer and an old block of wood. Put the wood block against the door edges and bang your way around. After a few circuits of this you should feel the door releasing. If you see any movements, work on the areas that don't move or the wood will crack. Use washing liquid where you get movement as this is brilliant on wood.

Take your time and it will free itself

Good luck!

Darkroom

I'd wait until there's been a couple of hot dry weeks . My celler doors jam when it's damp. I'm sure the whole house moves slightly as the ground dries!

Then on the door that's jammed place a large piece of timber (4"x2") on the lock side and hit it (the timber) with a heavy club hammer, moving the wood from top to bottom. This should loosen it gradually. I wouldn't spray wd40 on it incase it swells more.

On the door with mastic on it, soften the mastic/paint with a hot air gun and slide a paint scrapper or something into it to break the seal. And then some gentle tapping should get them open.