Repair of the door closer may be necessary if the mechanism is damaged.
A door closer is an autonomous mechanism that controls the smooth closing of the door leaf. Modern closers allow doors to close absolutely silently and smoothly. Thanks to this, the service life of the door increases, and the room always remains at the set temperature. Therefore, the closer must always be in working condition. How to repair a failed mechanism with your own hands - read the article.
Why do you need a door closer: operating principle
A door closer is a device that allows large and heavy doors to close smoothly and quietly. The closer is often installed on doors in rooms with very high traffic.
Thanks to the closer, entrance and interior doors close tightly immediately after the leaf is released, which allows you to save heat or coolness inside the room.
In addition, closers significantly extend the life of door locking devices. The principle of operation of the mechanism is quite simple. The main working element of the device is the spring. When the door is opened, it is the door that contracts and accumulates energy, which returns the door to its original position. An oil shock absorber allows the door to close smoothly and silently.
Door closer allows large and heavy doors to close smoothly and quietly
Some door closers have more than one shock absorber, but several, but this does not change the principle of operation.
The type of closer determines the mechanism that drives the operating spring. Thus, gear-driven closers and devices with a sliding rod are distinguished.
Causes of breakdowns
Types of designs
In order to eliminate a breakdown for a long time, it is necessary to determine in advance the cause of the defect.
The most common causes of problems with door closers are:
- Adverse weather conditions. These are rains, constant dampness, temperature changes, which most of all concerns plastic boxes and open metal elements;
- Sudden movement of the door leaf . If the instructions for opening or closing it are not followed, this is done faster than the adjustment of the closer suggests, and a breakdown of the mechanism will inevitably occur.
- Blocking door movement . This situation often occurs in systems where the door opening delay is not expected to be greater than 90º. If you place a stone under such a door, it will not close, and this will have a negative effect on the mechanism.
- Closer overload. This can happen when choosing a device with insufficient power for heavy doors. Overload can occur if you hang on the door or ride on it, which children especially like to do.
Door closer device: malfunctions
In order to quickly and efficiently repair a door closer, you need to find out how the mechanism is designed and how it works.
Any door closer consists of a lever rod and a slowing mechanism, which is responsible for the smooth closing of the door leaf.
The mechanism consists of a piston that compresses a powerful spring located in a reservoir filled with oil. After compression, through hydraulic channels, it slowly returns to its original position, ensuring smooth closing. The force is adjusted using special screws located on the end of the housing. When they are tightened, the diameter of the hydraulic channels decreases, which helps slow down the flow of oil, and therefore the speed of closing the door.
Unfortunately, not all door closer malfunctions can be repaired with your own hands: in most cases, the most important elements of the mechanism, such as the piston and spring, fail.
In order to repair a door closer, you need to know how the mechanism works and works.
Often, the prices for such spare parts are not much different from the cost of the door closer itself. Therefore, purchasing a new device will, in this case, be more expedient and will save time and effort.
In addition to the above breakdowns, the following malfunctions may occur in the door closer:
- Leakage of working fluid (oil).
- Unbalanced door closer mounts.
- Deformation of traction levers.
You can easily fix such defects yourself, without significant financial costs.
Hinges with integrated closer
A fairly inexpensive way to get rid of knocking is to replace the hinges with others with a built-in closer. On such hinges, the closer is integrated, or simply built into the hinge cup.
When installing such hinges, there will be no slamming noise, even if you try to slam the door hard. Again, do not buy cheap hinges, they break down very quickly. It’s better to pay a little more, but be sure of the quality of the fittings. There are a lot of reputable companies on the market. The Internet can help you.
The door closer on the kitchen unit door is broken: how to fix it
There are several typical failures of a spring door closer in a kitchen set. The main problems include deformation or damage to guide devices and rods. This may be caused by damage to the door or excessive opening of the leaf after the closer passes the dead center. A broken rod can be repaired relatively easily.
Damage to the closer rod may be associated with:
- By bending the lever in the opposite direction;
- Lever jamming;
- Breakage of fasteners.
If the lever is bent in the opposite direction, then you can fix the problem yourself. To do this, it will be enough to remove the cabinet doors from their hinges, disassemble the closer, and carefully bend it in the other direction with your hands. Disassembling and repairing the closer will not take much time. If it is not possible to return the lever to its original shape with such repairs, then it will be possible to replace the damaged element with a new one.
You can fix a broken door closer on a kitchen unit yourself
Jamming of the closer levers is caused by the absence or complete depletion of the lubricant.
The defect can be corrected by using regular machine oil. A couple of drops will be enough to lubricate the mechanism, and the doors of your kitchen unit will open and close with ease again.
Replacing worn fasteners is quite simple. In order to make a replacement, you need to purchase the appropriate screws, unscrew the old ones and install new fasteners in their place.
How to install
At any furniture or hardware store you can purchase hinges with a special place for closers. This is a very convenient invention - the mechanism is hidden in furniture hinges.
To install the closer on the modules, you will need special self-tapping screws or furniture euroscrews, a screwdriver and instructions for the mechanism. Installing the finishing element is an easy process, even an inexperienced builder can handle it. It is necessary to strictly follow the instructions included with the closers.
When installing large closers for massive doors, the piston always remains on the immovable part of the wooden shelf. The rest of the closer is attached to the cabinet door. Just like large closers, any compact mechanism is installed on a fixed part of the cabinet.
Internal gas closers that are inserted into a hinge are the easiest to install. After fastening the hinges, you need to insert the closer into a special hole in it until it clicks - the mechanism is installed.
The closers are screwed onto the furniture body with euroscrews or self-tapping screws.
How to adjust after installation on the doors
After the mechanism is installed, it must be adjusted. It is worth paying attention to the following factors:
- Sliding speed.
- Closing speed of the base cabinet door.
- Closing tightness (fit).
The mechanism is adjusted using a screw on the body. By tightening the screw, the speed at which the door (or drawer) closes increases.
When weakened, it decreases. This is explained by the capacity of the piston outflow channel. The liquid flows at different speeds through the capsule into the sleeve and back, controlling the movement of the doors.
Correct installation of the closer is a guarantee of its long and trouble-free service.
Review of furniture fittings:
What to do when oil leaks: DIY door closer repair
The cause of breakdown of the oil-filled closer body can be temperature changes. Without liquid, the structure will lose its key properties and turn into an ordinary spring mechanism. As a result, the opposite effect will be achieved: when closing the door, instead of slowing down, it will speed up, which will cause additional noise.
To prevent final damage to the closer, it must be repaired immediately after the first signs of leakage, otherwise the device will have to be completely replaced.
In order to repair the door closer body, first of all, it is necessary to localize the location of the leak. Leakage can be caused by depressurization of the housing, for example, as a result of its damage. A regular sealant will help fix the problem. However, it should be borne in mind that this method can eliminate a small hole.
The cause of failure of the oil-filled closer body may be temperature changes.
If the hole in the housing is large or a sufficiently large amount of oil leaked out during repair work, then before sealing, you must add fluid.
That is, filling the oil should be carried out before any work related to sealing. This procedure will ensure that the oil level is normal. In addition, it often happens that the required amount of oil is not initially added at the factory. Therefore, the closer often creaks. You can get rid of the sound by pouring the missing oil into the hydraulic reservoir. What oil can I use?
You can fill the closer with regular engine oil or a more affordable shock absorber fluid.
The missing oil should be filled through the holes of the screws to adjust the smooth closing of the blade, having first unscrewed them.
Adjustment features
It is recommended to do this at least once every six months, regardless of whether the door closer needs repairs or not. Most models have 2 “adjusting” screws, some have 3 or even 4. The need for such frequent adjustments is explained by the properties of the oil poured into the device body. When the temperature outside changes, its consistency also changes; hence the incorrect operation of the mechanism.
What do the adjusting screws do? The first is the smoothness of movement in the section of closing the canvas from 90 to 150, the second is on the last section of the path. He is simultaneously “responsible” for closing the door leaf, thereby achieving a tight fit to the block. The purpose of the third (additional) is to provide braking in the area 85 - 900. This protects the hinges from deformation when the door is opened inaccurately.
The layout of the setting elements and the procedure for their adjustment are indicated in the documentation for the closer. If it is missing, the information is easy to find on the Internet. But in relation to this particular model of the device. There are quite a lot of them, with different capabilities, and therefore each has its own specifics in setting it up.
It turns out that there is nothing complicated about repairing a door closer. But you can do it much less often if you carry out systematic inspection of the device, prevention and adjustment. Moreover, this applies to any mechanism, regardless of where it is installed - be it on the front door or on the door of a kitchen unit. The design of the closer of each group has some differences, but they all equally require regular cleaning and lubrication of the same lever system. It is she who is most susceptible to changes in humidity and temperature.
Pull-out systems for the kitchen
To the fullest. Now almost all drawers are equipped with a full extension system (in budget models they can only be pulled out to 5/6 of the volume). The design of retractable systems usually consists of several guides nested within each other. It allows you to pull out the drawer so that its back wall is almost flush with the kitchen facades. Moreover, even in this position the loaded box does not sag.
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On the picture:
Not every drawer extends to its full depth - it requires special mechanisms to open one hundred percent.
designer Bituleva Elena
Don't look for a fashionable one - look for a comfortable kitchen.
I would not describe a modern kitchen with such a word as “fashionable”: for one “fashionable” is an eternal classic, for another it is high-tech, for a third it is something else….
Therefore, make interiors for the soul and do not chase fashion. Remember that the main task of the kitchen is to be comfortable and functional! Although, harmony and beauty, of course, must be present. But you also need to pay special attention to hinges with closers when choosing a headset. Read more
Don't look for a fashionable one - look for a comfortable kitchen.
I would not describe a modern kitchen with such a word as “fashionable”: for one “fashionable” is an eternal classic, for another it is high-tech, for a third it is something else….
Therefore, make interiors for the soul and do not chase fashion. Remember that the main task of the kitchen is to be comfortable and functional! Although, harmony and beauty, of course, must be present. But you also need to pay special attention to hinges with closers when choosing a headset. Hide
Why do you need door closers for kitchen cabinets?
In the process of arranging a kitchen, any housewife tries to choose a beautiful and high-quality set, not forgetting about the functionality of the modules. During operation, each individual kitchen cabinet should provide comfort and convenience. It’s nice to use furniture that is in good working order, where the doors open silently and close quietly and smoothly. And all the credit for this goes to the closers for kitchen cabinets that are equipped with the facades.
Assortment of closers for metabox drawers
For example, for the Metabox system, the manufacturer Blum offers additional Blumotion door closers. You can buy them at any time. Installing a closer on a drawer is quite simple: just remove the boxes themselves from the runners and secure the closers between the guides. Detailed instructions help to correctly install closers in a drawer, calculating all the necessary distances.
The principle of how to install Blum closers on a drawer is easier to understand from the video.
By the way, virtually any metabox can be equipped with closers . Overhead mechanisms with this function are offered by different manufacturers: Boyard, Amix, FGV, Blum and others. Some of them are quite interchangeable. The main thing is to carefully check the basic technical data before purchasing:
- The design of existing boxes,
- Depth, height of the side walls of the metabox
- The size of the gap between the side wall of the metabox and the body of the cabinet.
If all the calculations for your box coincide with the instructions for calculating the metabox parts of the selected system, then in 99% all additional accessories, including the door closer, will suit you perfectly. You can install the door closer on a drawer using the general diagram of the instructions. It is different for each mechanism and is included in the package. For example, for the SlowMotion Zeta door closer from FGV (Italy) it is like this.
Advantages and disadvantages
A correctly installed mechanism has a number of advantages:
- Ensures complete and smooth closing of the cabinet door.
- Easy to install and operate.
- A high-quality mechanism is durable and does not require constant oil changes and repairs.
- The oil and liquid inside the closer are securely fixed in the capsule, so in the event of a breakdown they will not damage the furniture.
- With the right option, the mechanism can withstand a sufficient load.
We list the disadvantages of this mechanism:
- For kitchen cabinets with a closer, installation must be carried out strictly according to the instructions.
- The appearance of the structure is not particularly attractive.
- Oil closers perform worse in low temperature conditions, which is determined by the viscosity of the oil.
Depending on the mechanism of action, structures are divided into the following types:
Oil driven kitchen cabinet mechanisms require constant maintenance and lubrication, but are the most common due to their longevity of use.
Gas closers are inexpensive mechanisms containing special gas inside.
According to the installation method they are:
- installed on the surface of furniture;
- placed between furniture hinges;
- mounted on furniture hinges.
For drawers, there are special types of products made from special guides.
Closers for kitchen cabinets are made in different shades and are selected according to the type of furniture. This makes it easy to install single-color fittings.
