dslreports logo
 
    All Forums Hot Topics Gallery
spc
Search similar:


uniqs
77471

clevere1
Premium Member
join:2002-01-06
Vancouver, WA

clevere1

Premium Member

How to repair stripped cabinet hinge screw holes?

Hey all...

I love my children, I really do One of them leaned on a cabinet door and the hinge came out of the cabinet. The hinge stayed attached to the door.

So there are two nice holes in the cabinet which the screws no longer fit. I've found several methods for repairing the holes on the internet, using larger screws isn't an option.

What's the right way to do it? Use a dowel and some wood filler?

tahoejeff
Premium Member
join:2001-07-01
Wisconsin Dells, WI

tahoejeff

Premium Member

I'd drill it out and glue in a dowel for each stripped hole. After the glue dries you can drill pilot holes and screw the hinge back on.
07056601 (banned)
join:2010-11-06

07056601 (banned) to clevere1

Member

to clevere1
Wood match sticks
swflutka
join:2003-01-30
Griffith, IN

1 recommendation

swflutka to clevere1

Member

to clevere1
Wood glue and toothpicks

Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium Member
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30

2 recommendations

Doctor Olds to clevere1

Premium Member

to clevere1
Carpenter's Wood Glue (not the white stuff by Elmers, but the off white/yellowish Elmers) and round hardwood tooth picks. Dip them in the glue then stick one, two or three in the hole and let it dry 24 hours. Cut the exposed ends off and sand the area flush then reinstall screws. Or pre-cut them to the right length first to save from having to sand later.

Lots of supporting articles with extra tips:

»www.google.com/search?q= ··· G=Search

jack b
Gone Fishing
MVM
join:2000-09-08
Cape Cod

jack b to clevere1

MVM

to clevere1
Wooden matchsticks are way too soft, the screws will pull right out.
Follow the Doctor's orders!

Lurch77
Premium Member
join:2001-11-22
Green Bay, WI

Lurch77 to Doctor Olds

Premium Member

to Doctor Olds
said by Doctor Olds:

Carpenter's Wood Glue (not the white stuff by Elmers, but the off white/yellowish Elmers) and round hardwood tooth picks. Dip them in the glue then stick one, two or three in the hole and let it dry 24 hours. Cut the exposed ends off and sand the area flush then reinstall screws. Or pre-cut them to the right length first to save from having to sand later.

Lots of supporting articles with extra tips:

»www.google.com/search?q= ··· G=Search
I have done this for a bedroom door at our old house. Worked great and held up for at least the few more years that we lived there. I have no doubt it is still holding up 7 years later.

Hook_Texas
Premium Member
join:2002-04-08
Austin, TX

Hook_Texas to clevere1

Premium Member

to clevere1
Depending on the size of the hole, golf tees work well too.

Hall
MVM
join:2000-04-28
Germantown, OH

Hall

MVM

said by Hook_Texas:

Depending on the size of the hole, golf tees work well too.
I've used *real*, wood golf tees for this type of repair. Just have to make sure they're not the 'soft' variety or ones made of a composite material.

As others have mentioned, and I've used myself, toothpicks really do work. There's no need to jam pack them into the hole so that no hole remains either. You just want to make the existing hole smaller.

dandelion
MVM
join:2003-04-29
Germantown, TN

dandelion to clevere1

MVM

to clevere1
So far haven't found much this stuff doesn't work well with: »www.gorillaglue.com/ the clear tends to bubble up white when drying so just a very small amount is needed in a hole.. dries quickly.

brian
Premium Member
join:2002-05-02
Mission Viejo, CA

brian to Hook_Texas

Premium Member

to Hook_Texas
said by Hook_Texas:

Depending on the size of the hole, golf tees work well too.
as do chopsticks.

Hall
MVM
join:2000-04-28
Germantown, OH

Hall to dandelion

MVM

to dandelion
said by dandelion:

...so just a very small amount is needed in a hole...
That stuff is very powerful and the problem with it is that it *expands* and can expand greatly. My wife tries to use that stuff for far too much and has ruined a couple of things with it.
Austinloop
join:2001-08-19
Austin, TX

Austinloop to Doctor Olds

Member

to Doctor Olds
The tooth picks work wonders. I have always used diagonal wire cutters to cut off the tooth picks as close to the surface as possible. Sanding shouldn't be necessary, since the hinges will cover the hole.
raster44
join:2003-09-07
Niagara Falls, NY

raster44 to tahoejeff

Member

to tahoejeff
said by tahoejeff:

I'd drill it out and glue in a dowel for each stripped hole. After the glue dries you can drill pilot holes and screw the hinge back on.
Best method I've found to repair stripped screw holes. Dowels are usually harder than wood in the cabinets.

Msradell
Premium Member
join:2008-12-25
Louisville, KY

Msradell

Premium Member

said by raster44:

said by tahoejeff:

I'd drill it out and glue in a dowel for each stripped hole. After the glue dries you can drill pilot holes and screw the hinge back on.
Best method I've found to repair stripped screw holes. Dowels are usually harder than wood in the cabinets.
The only problem with this repair method is that many of the doors are quite thin and it's difficult to drill a hole deep enough to insert a piece of dowel without drilling through the cabinet door.

ROCINANTE
Original Member 007
Premium Member
join:1999-06-29
Hartsdale, NY

ROCINANTE to clevere1

Premium Member

to clevere1
I always carved out a splinter from a piece of soft pine, glue it in, and split off the excess length.

cableties
Premium Member
join:2005-01-27

cableties to dandelion

Premium Member

to dandelion
said by dandelion:

So far haven't found much this stuff doesn't work well with: »www.gorillaglue.com/ the clear tends to bubble up white when drying so just a very small amount is needed in a hole.. dries quickly.
Stick with the recommended Carpenter's glue. Gorilla glue is a polyurethane adhesive and works well when the wood surfaces have moisture in them. However, Gorilla glue, once dry, isn't easy to remove. And don't get it on hands (wear nitrite gloves or similar) or else you have soak in warm water or use acetone. Gorilla glue is great for permanent glue fixes and lamination of boards (greater the clamping pressure, the stronger the bond).
raster44
join:2003-09-07
Niagara Falls, NY

raster44 to Msradell

Member

to Msradell
said by Msradell:

said by raster44:

said by tahoejeff:

I'd drill it out and glue in a dowel for each stripped hole. After the glue dries you can drill pilot holes and screw the hinge back on.
Best method I've found to repair stripped screw holes. Dowels are usually harder than wood in the cabinets.
The only problem with this repair method is that many of the doors are quite thin and it's difficult to drill a hole deep enough to insert a piece of dowel without drilling through the cabinet door.
said by Msradell:

I love my children, I really do! One of them leaned on a cabinet door and the hinge came out of the cabinet. The hinge stayed attached to the door.
Not Door....Cabinet! READ!

AnonEMouse2 to cableties

Anon

to cableties
I've filled the stripped screw holes with JB Weld and then once dry pre-drilled then screwed into that, been holding like that for 3~ years now.

Kramer
Mod
join:2000-08-03
Richmond, VA

Kramer

Mod

I was going to suggest something like PC-7 which is like JB-Weld. The only problem is cleanup, and is the cleanup substance going to be dangerous to the cabinet surface. In the long run, I would think a water based solution like the tooth-pick and glue composite makes the most sense. It is going to be strong and easy to cleanup.
PittsPgh
Premium Member
join:2003-08-21
Pittsburgh, PA

PittsPgh to brian

Premium Member

to brian
said by brian:

said by Hook_Texas:

Depending on the size of the hole, golf tees work well too.
as do chopsticks.
Pencils worked for me as well, in door hinge screw holes.
Art Knotly
join:2010-05-25
Alexandria, VA

Art Knotly to clevere1

Member

to clevere1
Either get all new hinges (with different screw spacing) or stuff a very hard and or grainy substance into the hole and rescrew.

clevere1
Premium Member
join:2002-01-06
Vancouver, WA

clevere1

Premium Member

Thanks for all the comments. I decided I will use dowels cut to fit and glued.

vetter
join:2003-03-29
Columbus, OH

vetter to clevere1

Member

to clevere1
Post back(with pics if possible) to let us know how it worked out!

Dennis
Mod
join:2001-01-26
Algonquin, IL

Dennis to clevere1

Mod

to clevere1
you should arc weld a plate of steel to it and then bolt the door back on.

kidding of course....matchsticks/dowel/toothpicks and some wood glue. Sometimes the simple solution is the best in my opinion.

Pacrat
Old and Cranky
MVM
join:2001-03-10
Cortland, OH

Pacrat

MVM

If using small sticks, stick with toothpicks, rather than matchsticks. Matchsticks are usually a soft wood, while toothpicks are hardwood.

Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium Member
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30

Doctor Olds to clevere1

Premium Member

to clevere1
said by clevere1:

Thanks for all the comments. I decided I will use dowels cut to fit and glued.
Hope you don't go off center with your new holes in the dowels. That is why I always use toothpicks and carpenter's glue as the existing hole is preserved in its original location and you are just decreasing the hole size from the lost wood so the screw(s) can obtain a solid grip again.

clevere1
Premium Member
join:2002-01-06
Vancouver, WA

clevere1

Premium Member

said by Doctor Olds:

Hope you don't go off center with your new holes in the dowels. That is why I always use toothpicks and carpenter's glue as the existing hole is preserved in its original location and you are just decreasing the hole size from the lost wood so the screw(s) can obtain a solid grip again.
I am actually going to turn the dowel to fit the hole instead of the other way around.

Hall
MVM
join:2000-04-28
Germantown, OH

Hall

MVM

Tapered too ?