3

There are some kind of door devices which push the door back after we open the door and come out.

My problem is that the door area is not constructed in a way that such a device can be installed.

There is no space adjacent to the door anywhere.

Automatic closure of door is extremely important to me.

Please see following pictures and tell what choices do I have.

enter image description here

enter image description here

enter image description here

enter image description here

enter image description here

0

7 Answers 7

7

There are many types of spring hinges available, though, it is impossible to tell which specific one would be compatible from here. The ones I'm familiar with look like this.

Picture of a hinge

They are typically installed as a replacement for one of your existing hinges. I would first measure up the one you have and go to the hardware store to see if they have anything that would work.

Diagram

Instructions on how to adjust them can be found here. (I'm not affiliated, I just found it on google).

10

You could use a hinge pin door closer:

enter image description here

or try replacing one hinge with a self-closing hinge:

enter image description here

3

Spring Hinges like these some don't look any different than regular hinges & some are adjustable to the force of closure that you want, like if your latch needs a slam or the door framing is pinched anywhere & won't catch with a gentle thud.

They work great & they last a very long time. But, take an old hinge with you to the store or trace it onto paper. You not only want to match the hinge's height & width, but also the screw hole locations or pattern.

2

If you want to really do it yourself rather than all these fancy-fixes, you probably already have everything you need: A bit of string. A loop (like a little brass screw-in picture wire loop) or two, depending on where you want... A dense weight, preferably plastic covered. A bottle of water would do for testing.

  1. On the inside with the door closed, attach the loop to the door frame. As close to the top-opening corner as possible.
  2. Mark on the door where the loop is. Attach your string here. Slip knot around a screw and stick that in where you marked.
  3. Route the string through the brass loop and attach it to your weight.

This will keep a constant closing force on the door.

This isn't perfect though. Some case-by-case issues

  • You have a weight hanging in your door frame. This is easy to fix, you can just add more loops (and longer string) and route it to somewhere else. Above the door to behind the door is a neat idea.

  • If it's slamming the door, tune the weight. This is why a bottle of water is a good starter weight. If it won't close fully now, you might need a geared pulley to slow the speed but increase the torque.

  • If you want a smoother closing profile you just need to put the weight in some sort of curved sloped track. Differing the amounts of vertical gravity acting on the string will change the speed.

    This could be something as simple as setting out a path with a wire coat-hanger. Or as fancy as a flexed curtail rail.

There are versions of this around the web but it really is very simple:

1

Fire doors have to be self closing in most places so you definitely can buy something. Even outside locations where there are requirements, your is a common problem.

It may be designed for a heavier door than yours. I fitted a fire door closer that goes inside the door in a large drilled hole, but had to modify it for a lighter spring. This was a hollow interior door. The best search term for this product appears to be "concealed fire door closer" or "chain door closer".

Here's a picture of an expensive looking version (via a mildly spammy upload to wikimedia commons): door closer

I can't find any pictures of a cheap one with a suitable licence, but a search for google image search for "chain door closer" will do the trick. They're cheap on ebay if you can't find a local stockist.

(based on my earlier typo-riddled comment)

1

The string and weight are much like all the doors in the building I went to trade school in. The fire doors weights on either side one to help open it, and one with a lead link that would melt in a fire, disconnecting one weight and allow the door to close automatically from the other weight, They were a little less "pretty" than you probably want but they work. Function, or, form?

1

You could also intentionally hang the door out of plumb, so that when the door is opened it has to be pushed upward. (like an old slanted outside cellar door, but less pronounced.) That way gravity is always trying to close the door for you, so long as you don't open it past 90 degrees.

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.