How To Open A Stuck Door? - 6 Easy Methods

If your door has been stuck before, you might already know how frustrating this situation can be. But even if you're not, you could learn how to fix it yourself.

If you're having trouble getting into your house, you might want to check if the lock is broken. You'll probably have to break down the front doors if locked out. If you're on the outside and locked out, you may want to find an old piece of wood or something else heavy to smash through the glass window. You could also ask someone to help you get back in.

Stuck out or in situations are stressful, and you must solve them. But you also must fix the underlying causes of these situations. If you want to know everything about this, keep reading.

Moreover, you should also read our article about how to repair punch holes in hollow doors.

Why do doors even stuck?

There are many reasons why doors might stick shut. You could have a loose hinge, a broken lock, or a faulty latch. If something is blocking the opening, you'll want to check it out immediately. Before you do anything else, however, know what to look for. If your door does slam before, then there can be different reasons for being stuck.

Here are just some of them;

1. Loose Hinge

If you have a loose hinge, you'll notice that one side of the door swings freely while the other does not. This usually happens because someone removed the screws holding the hinge together. A loose hinge doesn't necessarily mean that the entire door needs replacing. Sometimes, simply tightening the screw holes can fix the problem.

2. Broken Lock

A broken lock won't let anyone inside. To fix it, you'll need to replace the lock cylinder. There are several different types of locks, and they're often interchangeable. You can purchase a replacement lock for about $10-$15, depending on where you buy it.

3. Damaged Latch

In a latch issue, the latch housing itself is damaged. You'll need to repair it. The latch housing is attached to the frame with two screws. If you remove those screws, you should be able to see the damage. If you don't, you'll need to replace both the screws and the latch.

4. Faulty Latch

Sometimes, the dead latch mechanism will work fine, but its mechanism isn't working properly. In this case, you'll need to adjust the latch to work correctly again.

5. Missing Keyhole

The keyhole is located at the top centre of the door. It's used to insert keys into the lock. If the hole is missing, you'll need to drill a new one. 

List of 6 quick solutions to open a stuck door

1. Jiggle the door

The first thing you want to do when your door doesn't budge is checked the weather outside. If it's cold, chances are good that the door isn't just stuck; it's frozen shut. But even if there's no snow on the ground, freezing temperatures can cause doors to stick.

If you don't feel like waiting for the temperature to drop, try jiggling the door knob lock button. This is a simple way to get the door unstuck without having to break down the door.

You'll know the door is stuck because you can't push or pull it open. When you move the handle, you might hear a slight squeak, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the door is about to come off its hinges. Sometimes, moving the handle causes the latch bolt to freeze to release, allowing the door to swing freely again.

If you still aren't able to open the door, try slamming it. Don't kick or slam it hard enough to hurt yourself or others nearby. Instead, gently tap the side of the door frame with your foot, making sure to use the heel of your shoe.

When you give the door a little nudge, you might notice that it starts to slide. Eventually, it will stop moving altogether. Once the door stops sliding, you can begin working on opening it manually.

There is also a possibility of a rug getting stuck on the door, making it difficult to open. You can also read our article about how to stop moving a rug on your carpet.

2. Remove door hinges

The easiest way to open a locked door is to remove the hinges. You can easily pull the door off the frame by loosening the hinge pin. However, if another lock is on the door, you'll need to find a way around it.

Here are some tips and tricks to make this easier:

1. Loosen the hinge pins.

2. Use a screwdriver or other device to pry the pins out.

3. Once the pins lose, you can pull the door away from the frame.

4. Place a towel over the door handle to prevent obvious damage to the door or frame.

5. If you're working alone, tape down the door handle to keep it from moving while you remove the hinges.

6. Make sure to cover up any tools used for this project.

7. Be careful; once you've removed the hinges, you'll want to replace them.

3. Use a credit card or bobby pins

If you're thinking about picking the type of lock on your house or car, don't bother. They're too hard to determine without damaging the door or vehicle. But there are some simple tricks to open locked doors quickly, even if you don't know what you're doing.

The first thing you want to do is find out where the keyhole is located. If it's near the bottom of the exterior door knob lock frame, you might be able to energise the lock without bending down. This works best if you're standing up.

Next, go ahead and grab the key. Once you've got the key in hand, try to figure out why the lock button unstuck. Sometimes it's because the key doesn't fit properly. Or maybe the mechanism inside the lock isn't working correctly. Either way, you'll need to ensure everything is lined up properly.

Once you've figured out what's wrong, you'll need to bend the bobby pin or paperclip into an L shape. Place the bent part under the lock and push it down. Then, lift the metal bar up and over the bent portion. Finally, pull it back down and away from the safety. You'll now have opened the door.

4. Remove the doorknob

If the trick with the hinges didn't work for you because the door doesn't budge, try taking off the doorknob instead to gain access to your home. While some might think this sounds like a dangerous idea, it isn't. It could save your life one day.

The easiest way to remove a door knob lock button is to unscrew it. To do this, find the little screw hole in the centre of the knob. Then, start turning the screw counterclockwise. Once the screw loosens up, it will come out without much effort.

Once the screw is removed, the entire knob will fall away. You'll want to hold onto the handle while doing this, just in case something happens.

Now, you've got a bunch of exposed screws. Don't panic; it's easy enough to fix. Just grab a Phillips head screwdriver and go to town.

You don't want to use a flathead screwdriver here since those tend to strip out the threads. Instead, stick with a Phillips's head.

After you finish, you'll notice that the knob is no longer attached to the door frame. That's okay -- now you can put the knob back on and lock yourself inside.

It is common that keys suddenly hard to get in the door lock, in this scenario, breaking the doorknob or calling an expert is the only option you have.

5. Lubricate the door hinges

Another option for opening a stuck door is lubricating the hinge joint bolts. To do this;

1. Lay newspaper on the floor.

2. Cover the area directly under where you're working on the hinge knuckles to avoid any drips.

3. Apply petroleum jelly to the hinges you want to lubricate.

4. Open the door several times to work the jelly in.

5. Once the hinges feel smooth, cover them again to keep out moisture.

6. Call a locksmith

Aside from trying to open the damn thing yourself, you should also think about what else you could do. For example, you could call a locksmith. They're the most skilled at these problems and should be capable of helping you out immediately. If you don't know anyone who knows someone, there are plenty of companies online that offer emergency services 24/7.

You might want to give your friends a heads up too. Maybe they can bring the tools needed to fix the issue themselves. Or perhaps they know how to pick a lock without breaking it. Either way, you'll probably find someone willing to lend a hand.

Finally, you can always try different points of entry. If the door doesn't budge, try looking for another way in. Windows, doggy doors, and even chimneys can be used to access your home. Just make sure you've got everything covered before you go poking around.