Hollow core door repair.

Submitted by Logical_Internet_69 t3_y9hqir in DIY

So i have a “standard” (as in off the shelf) hollow core door, and after 20+ years of pre-teen-young adult anger and angst slams, the top hinge screws in door have completely stripped out causing the door to drop, i have to lift the door up and slide around the edge switching handles and hands to make sure the door doesn’t fall, is screw it again the best repair? Will that work on hollow core doors? I have looked around and watched a few videos and nothing specifically mentions hollow core doors. Ive seen the golf tees but that requires too much set time for my needs, ideally the fix would take no more then 24 hrs. TYIA

Edit’ Cant get a new door as this one matches the rest and i cannot find the same door at my local stores cause these are original to the house and it was built in 1998, and i did see a few other post on here about this issue and they were a 9y old so i was hoping for updated info or experience with screw it again in a hollow core door

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rpapafox t1_it5ranf wrote

Using golf tees or tooth picks is a tried and true method for filling in the screw holes of hinges. The fact that you have a hollow core door does not factor into the repair because your screws don't extend beyond the door's wood skeleton.

Use a fast setting wood glue like this to quicken the set time.

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pragmatist1368 t1_it5w58y wrote

My preferred method for this is drilling out the holes, brushing the inside with carpenter's glue, and then hammering in wooden dowel pins. Cut them flush, and after the glue sets, you can drill new pilot holes and rehang the door. Make sure the dowel pins are tight. If you can put them in without hammering them home, they aren't tight enough, and you'll need a bigger diameter pin.

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villagewinery t1_it66hg1 wrote

Great nethid.

Unfortunately you're talking to someone who wants a 5-minute repair and likely has zero tools and less than zero skills.

Wood glue and toothpicks. If they have 5 minutes to get longer screws at a lumber yard that would help. But who are we kidding.

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pragmatist1368 t1_it70y80 wrote

Well, since he wanted it done in less than 24 hours, he should be finished by now with whatever approach he used.

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speakeasy12345 t1_it5t90q wrote

If all the doors are the same, could you switch it out with a lesser used door, for example the guest room or the front closet?

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KruelKris t1_it6o1zx wrote

I've used plastic wall plugs to fix oversize screw holes. Drill a hole that is a tight fit for the plug. Hammer in the plug. and screw into it.

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sipacate t1_it6w856 wrote

Oh, this is easy. I had a similar issue.

Look for a Woodmate Mr. Grip 3/4 in. D X 2 in. L Steel Round Head Screw Hole Repair Kit

It's a simple metal fabric that you cut a piece off, shove it in the screw hole, then replace the screw. The metal fabric has teeth that hold on much better than toothpicks or other things.

I needed this when the screw hole was larger than toothpicks would fill.

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Not2daydear t1_it5simq wrote

You could try using one of those wall anchors that you use in drywall and put it into the holes to help fill the gap but the best way to do it would be to fill the hole with some thing. I have used toothpicks shoved into the hole to tighten up screws. Adding a little glue helps. You could also use wider screws if they will fit through the holes in the hinge. You could possibly look for a new hinge to replace the existing that has holes in a different spot than the existing hinges so that it would hit all new wood on the door

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kingdeuceoff t1_it6vbqn wrote

Get a few longer screws that will go into the studs outside of the door frame.

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ProfessionalWaltz784 t1_it6yps2 wrote

Look for the door in the Masonite catalog. Or find a local door/millwork supply and find out the brand they carry. Hollowcore styles are very common and can be ordered. The more common ones were well under $100. They can hinge match the mortises from the old door and you just take it home and pop in the hinge pins. If your door is as beat as it sounds, I'd drop a c-note rather than fixing it.

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mcarterphoto t1_it7539g wrote

How I'd approach this, if the screw holes are really torn up - I really can't think of a "faster than 24 hrs. repair" though. I think trying to fill those stripped out screw holes wouldn't work well, unless you drilled them out with like a 1/2" bit, then glue dowels in and drill new screw holes into them - that might be an easier option, but you'd need to be very accurate with keeping the drill plumb, and you'd want to make a screw template from paper. But I'd try it simple at least, drill them out fairly wider and stuff them full of glue and matchstick-like pieces of wood and dry overnight. That makes a pretty solid screwing surface.

Then get longer hinge screws so they may have more structural wood to bite into. Hinge screws are often like 1/2" or 3/4" long, go longer and hopefully there's more structural "edge" wood under there.

If that didn't hold, I'd get serious - would require a circular saw, table saw, and a drill and clamps:

The "core" is hollow, but there's lumber or engineered-lumber-like-product around the edges. I'd make a heavy paper template of how the hinge mortise works and the screw holes and put it aside. Clamp the door upright to a bench or support, so the hinged edge is facing up. More clamps and scrap lumber to make a guide for a circular saw. The idea being to get the blade just under the main surfaces of the door, and cut down into the door-side about 2-3". Cut from the top of the door to a bit past the hinge mortise. So viewed from the front or back, the door looks the same, but you're chopping a chunk out from the hinge side.

Keep making cuts along the hinge-edge, going closer and closer to the center, but leaving the exterior surfaces intact - the inside cuts don't need to be super precise. Chisel it all out, including the curves where the blade edge stopped.

Using a table saw, I'd mill a block of lumber to fit into that hole you just made, and mill the proper hinge mortise into it - pretty easy on a table saw. Install the block into the slot with lots of glue and clamp it overnight. Wood filler, sanding and paint. It should all only be visible from the hinge-edge, so doesn't need to be perfect visually.

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Beneficial-Shower-42 t1_it7fwc2 wrote

I used a small toggle bolt once on my door. It was just enough to keep the hinge tight.

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skee8888 t1_it7ghjg wrote

Golf tee and wood dowels don’t require the glue setting up for it to work.

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HorsesRanch t1_it97lx0 wrote

Quick, easy and inexpensive - short lengths of stranded copper electrical wire. Depending on how much wear is at the screw holes, normally it would be two short lengths of 20ga wire after stripping the insulation off; if the holes are larger - try 18gauge wire. It is malleable and will conform with the screw taking up the slack.

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tf2ftw t1_it9lzkg wrote

They are $110 at HD. Just replace it

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domdogg123 t1_it5ttvr wrote

Increase the size and length of the hinge screws in the holes that are egged out (I would suggest all). Likely there’s plenty of material nearby. Adding some wood glue super glue or two-part epoxy during replacement wouldn’t hurt anything either, and may help with future abuse.

If you need to enlarge the hinge holes, I suggest a zero flute countersink but.

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Adam2013 t1_it5paun wrote

Get a new door and stain to match.

Make sure your pre-teen-young-adult learns a lesson and a life skill and make her do the repair.

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anythreewords t1_it5vc87 wrote

This is a simple fix, much easier than installing a new door. I think people have forgotten that things can be fixed.

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Logical_Internet_69 OP t1_it5ppq0 wrote

Its a two panel white door with a “top curve?” cant find a door that matches anything else wood look odd with the way our bedroom doors are laid out, and don’t worry they will be doin the repair for sure

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CaptInappropriate t1_it6cwsi wrote

like this?

the golf tees and wood glue trick works, i did it earlier this week on a misaligned latch hole that i filled with wood dowel plugs and then redrilled. but you can also just buy a new door (with or without jamb)

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