I FIXED THE DOOR !!! - re: Concrete buckled, lanai door won't open easily

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Old 10-17-2021, 11:12 AM
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Default I FIXED THE DOOR !!! - re: Concrete buckled, lanai door won't open easily

First, thanks to everyone who posted. The tips made me think.

My initial approach was to a) tell my wife to live with the lania door not closing. That didn't work. b) tell her to "call the guy", that didn't work either! c) I didn't even try to say "you fix it" - though she did help a lot in holding the door while I removed the hinge screws.

So, adjusting the door seemed like the best first approach, compared to grinding concrete. I took the door off and the bottom of it was a lightweight aluminum rail, not really a sweep.

I didn't have a grinding disc/wheel, so.. I took my handy little sledgehammer and gave the bottom of the aluminum a few whacks. Then I put the door back up and VOILA, it worked fine - fingers crossed.

As far as the buckled concrete, it's the patio slab away from the house foundation, so it is what it is. Like someone posted, a low grade concrete composite and it'll have to do for now.

I'm glad it worked, and thankful for the tips that made me think and work it through. TOTV is the best! Be safe out there, it's a strange world.
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Old 10-17-2021, 11:28 AM
retiredguy123 retiredguy123 is offline
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Very good, but I won't be calling you to help fix my door with a sledgehammer.
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Old 10-17-2021, 11:51 AM
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I love it, when in doubt, whack it with a sledgehammer. What can’t be fixed with a sawzall, sledgehammer, duct tape, velcro, bungee cords, gorilla glue, and zip ties?
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Old 10-17-2021, 12:53 PM
OrangeBlossomBaby OrangeBlossomBaby is offline
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Originally Posted by tophcfa View Post
I love it, when in doubt, whack it with a sledgehammer. What can’t be fixed with a sawzall, sledgehammer, duct tape, velcro, bungee cords, gorilla glue, and zip ties?
If it's a technology item, you need a paper clip.
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Old 10-17-2021, 04:40 PM
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Very good, but I won't be calling you to help fix my door with a sledgehammer.
Well, it was a means to an end and it all worked out.
As I said to my wife - "you get what you pay for" LOL
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Old 10-17-2021, 04:42 PM
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Originally Posted by tophcfa View Post
I love it, when in doubt, whack it with a sledgehammer. What can’t be fixed with a sawzall, sledgehammer, duct tape, velcro, bungee cords, gorilla glue, and zip ties?
Bingo , 2 rules -
1 - If it's stuck, use WD40
2 - If it's loose, use Duct Tape
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Old 10-18-2021, 04:45 AM
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Very good, but I won't be calling you to help fix my door with a sledgehammer.
When all else fails get a bigger hammer...
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Old 10-18-2021, 04:47 AM
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Since my early teenage years I've been known as the duct tape guy when I first used it on my bicycle
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Old 10-18-2021, 06:24 AM
Petersweeney Petersweeney is offline
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Sleghammer ? Hope you don’t own a plane….
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Old 10-18-2021, 06:50 AM
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Originally Posted by JohnN View Post
First, thanks to everyone who posted. The tips made me think.

My initial approach was to a) tell my wife to live with the lania door not closing. That didn't work. b) tell her to "call the guy", that didn't work either! c) I didn't even try to say "you fix it" - though she did help a lot in holding the door while I removed the hinge screws.

So, adjusting the door seemed like the best first approach, compared to grinding concrete. I took the door off and the bottom of it was a lightweight aluminum rail, not really a sweep.

I didn't have a grinding disc/wheel, so.. I took my handy little sledgehammer and gave the bottom of the aluminum a few whacks. Then I put the door back up and VOILA, it worked fine - fingers crossed.

As far as the buckled concrete, it's the patio slab away from the house foundation, so it is what it is. Like someone posted, a low grade concrete composite and it'll have to do for now.

I'm glad it worked, and thankful for the tips that made me think and work it through. TOTV is the best! Be safe out there, it's a strange world.
That was me.
With the source of Buckling.
Usually due to trees.

Smacking the Coquina with a lump hammer, brilliant.
I will bet it for the most part just crumbled.

Best recommendation as well... keep an eye on the trees. Here in SS the OAKS are enormous, ugly and shoot a million roots everywhere. Trying to stop one root led to stopping probably 30 roots going to the house. After removal of the Oak, I dug a trench out in the lawn and used a sawzall to completely remove 6" of each root moving towards the house. Tree and root problem solved.

Pay close attention to any lifting of the walkways, this is a retirement community and we do not want to see people tripping at our front door.

For an interesting read, look up the construction of Castillo De San Marcos in St Augustine. People were critical about making a Fortification out of Coquina and it would never hold up. Not the case, Cannon Balls would just stick in the Coquina.
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Old 10-18-2021, 06:52 AM
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Since my early teenage years I've been known as the duct tape guy when I first used it on my bicycle
LMAO.

In the navy, Duct tape was a blessing. One guy dropped his coffee mug. It broke, but soon back after using duct tape.
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Old 10-18-2021, 07:00 AM
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When your only tool is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.
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Old 10-18-2021, 08:16 AM
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When your only tool is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.
Or a lanai door.
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Old 10-18-2021, 08:22 AM
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tophcfa tophcfa is offline
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Originally Posted by Luggage View Post
Since my early teenage years I've been known as the duct tape guy when I first used it on my bicycle
My first car was a yellow VW Bug when I bought it. By the time I got rid of it, it was duct tape silver.
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Old 10-18-2021, 10:35 AM
Scorpyo Scorpyo is offline
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Originally Posted by retiredguy123 View Post
Very good, but I won't be calling you to help fix my door with a sledgehammer.
Don't be so quick to make a final judgement about the hammer. A couple of months ago I would have agreed with you but something changed recently.
My Whirlpool washer was not working properly. Luckily it is still under 2nd year Costco warranty. Anyway, they sent an appliance repairman to my house. Being the comedian I thought I was when the repairman showed up I told him I had a handheld sledgehammer ready for him.
He thanked me and told me he didn't need it as he had his own. I chuckled, thinking that was a good humorous response. He started taking the washer apart and low and behold he took out his handheld sledgehammer. It appears that there is a large connector that connects the gearcase to the tub. He used the hammer to loosen and later tighten the connector. Who would have imagined (not me) that you would use a sledgehammer on a device that contains water and has electrical and electronic components.
So I guess the moral of the story is don't be so quick to overlook that sledgehammer. I am, however, glad my ophthalmologist didn't use one when he took out my cataracts.
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