I have a door hinge that has become loose on the bottom. When trying to tighten the screw, it seems likely it has been stripped. Being a novice, what is the best way to repair this? Should I buy a bigger screw or is there a better alternative?
Door/Woodworking Basics
- Thread starter GGorman04
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Remove the screws Whittle some plugs from a piece of soft pine Tap them into the stripped out holes and replace screws
I would remove the lose screws, then infill with DAP Plastic Wood. Push the plastic wood in with a toothpick or something similar (You may not be able to do this all at once). Then drill it a litle with a centering bit and put the wood screw back in. The trick where one simply inserts a toothpick into the hole all by itself (instead of my plastic wood suggestion) might not work here, unless you can get in 2 toothpicks and put the screw in between the toothpicks. The point there being that for a door hinge, the crew really needs to be centered in the hole.
Bad picture! It's tough to tell, but it doesn't even look like your hinge is mortised into the door and frame.
It's also tough to tell what your door is constructed out of. Maybe a veneer or composite material with particle board frame??
Either way, I suppose my first try would be a longer, larger screw that has a head that would still fit in the hinge countersink. It might grab, or not.
The other option is to rebuild the stripped out hole. One way is to take some solid wood (match,golf tee,dowel) put wood glue on them and drive them into the old hole. When dry, predrill the hole and install the original or better hinge screws.
A worse case alternative is to drill out the old hole oversized and glue a wood dowel into it, then predrill the holes into the dowel and remount the hinges.
Lots of Youtube videos about this. Maybe something new, better, and easier!
It's also tough to tell what your door is constructed out of. Maybe a veneer or composite material with particle board frame??
Either way, I suppose my first try would be a longer, larger screw that has a head that would still fit in the hinge countersink. It might grab, or not.
The other option is to rebuild the stripped out hole. One way is to take some solid wood (match,golf tee,dowel) put wood glue on them and drive them into the old hole. When dry, predrill the hole and install the original or better hinge screws.
A worse case alternative is to drill out the old hole oversized and glue a wood dowel into it, then predrill the holes into the dowel and remount the hinges.
Lots of Youtube videos about this. Maybe something new, better, and easier!
I use golf tees. I dip in epoxy, tap in (not too hard to avoid splitting), let cure, cut off flush with utility knife, drill new hole, and replace original screws.
I've had great luck using toothpicks/etc, coating them in wood glue, and shoving them in the screw hole. Shove as many as you can in, and try to force them in so that they won't get caught between the screw head and the hinge plate when you tighten the screw down.
Clean any excess glue up, wait a while for it to set up, and you should be good to go.
Clean any excess glue up, wait a while for it to set up, and you should be good to go.
Ah, the nice and fragile Masonite door. Very typical for those to strip out. I'd do what doitmyself suggested. 1/4" dowel rod, 1/4" drill bit, some wood glue, and you're set.
JHZR2
Staff member
Simple.
Buy a 3/8" dowel at HD. Also buy a 3/8" forstner bit. And wood glue.
Remove the hinge and drill out one/all of the holes with the forstner bit, as deep as you can get them. Cut the dowel to the same depth and coat in wood glue. Tap dowel into hole. Allow to cure 24 hours.
Next day, ensure dowel is flush, then place hinge over top. Mark center of each hinge hole. Pre-drill dowel slowly and carefully (push sharp bit in then pull out multiple times so that you don't torque the inserted dowel too much). Re-screw hinge screws into pre-drilled holes.
Done. Glued joint should be stronger than the wood.
Buy a 3/8" dowel at HD. Also buy a 3/8" forstner bit. And wood glue.
Remove the hinge and drill out one/all of the holes with the forstner bit, as deep as you can get them. Cut the dowel to the same depth and coat in wood glue. Tap dowel into hole. Allow to cure 24 hours.
Next day, ensure dowel is flush, then place hinge over top. Mark center of each hinge hole. Pre-drill dowel slowly and carefully (push sharp bit in then pull out multiple times so that you don't torque the inserted dowel too much). Re-screw hinge screws into pre-drilled holes.
Done. Glued joint should be stronger than the wood.
...for glue use urethane gorilla glue or epoxy.
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Simple.
Buy a 3/8" dowel at HD. Also buy a 3/8" forstner bit. And wood glue.
Remove the hinge and drill out one/all of the holes with the forstner bit, as deep as you can get them. Cut the dowel to the same depth and coat in wood glue. Tap dowel into hole. Allow to cure 24 hours.
Next day, ensure dowel is flush, then place hinge over top. Mark center of each hinge hole. Pre-drill dowel slowly and carefully (push sharp bit in then pull out multiple times so that you don't torque the inserted dowel too much). Re-screw hinge screws into pre-drilled holes. Best procedure by far. .I use a drill bit 1/64" smaller than dowel. If you use wood glue per this post, drive the dowel in quickly as wood glue sets up very rapidly being used like this. Let the glue set up an hour or so and then center punch new dowel and drill pilot hole for screw. I've use this procedure for many years with great success.
Done. Glued joint should be stronger than the wood.
Simple.
Buy a 3/8" dowel at HD. Also buy a 3/8" forstner bit. And wood glue.
Remove the hinge and drill out one/all of the holes with the forstner bit, as deep as you can get them. Cut the dowel to the same depth and coat in wood glue. Tap dowel into hole. Allow to cure 24 hours.
Next day, ensure dowel is flush, then place hinge over top. Mark center of each hinge hole. Pre-drill dowel slowly and carefully (push sharp bit in then pull out multiple times so that you don't torque the inserted dowel too much). Re-screw hinge screws into pre-drilled holes. Best procedure by far. .I use a drill bit 1/64" smaller than dowel. If you use wood glue per this post, drive the dowel in quickly as wood glue sets up very rapidly being used like this. Let the glue set up an hour or so and then center punch new dowel and drill pilot hole for screw. I've use this procedure for many years with great success.
Done. Glued joint should be stronger than the wood.
Use a drill bit 1/64" smaller than dowel. Drive dowel in quickly as most wood glues set up very rapidly when use like this.
What do the screws look like? How long are they?
If they're only an inch long, there's your problem. On the jamb side, they need to be long enough to go all the way into the framing. So try 2" screws first.
If they're only an inch long, there's your problem. On the jamb side, they need to be long enough to go all the way into the framing. So try 2" screws first.
Thanks guys for all of the tips
I really appreciate it.
I really appreciate it.
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