7 Things Youve Never Known About Door Repair

Door Repair Basics

Repairing a door can be a straightforward, affordable project or more complicated depending on the severity of damage to the door. The most common places for damage to the door are hinges and locks.

When selecting a company to fix your door, make sure to conduct some research. Find references, services offered as well as licenses and insurance.

Repairing Cracks

It can be alarming to notice hairline cracks appearing in the door frames. This is because it may be your first sign of structural issues or you could be in danger of losing a door to the elements. Luckily, there are easy fixes that can aid in stopping the cracks from expanding and becoming worse.

The first thing you need to do is clean the crack and the surrounding area thoroughly. This will help to ensure that there isn't dirt or dust in the crack that could hinder your repairs later on. The crack should be allowed to completely dry. This will usually take about 30 minutes.

There are many options to fix cracks in the door frame. Filler or wood putty are the best choices for small cracks. This is because these products are comparatively inexpensive and easy to work with. However, the best method to repair a damaged area in a door is actually to make use of real wood. This is because it results in an even more durable and sturdy repair, which will last longer and is less likely to break in the course of time.

Once you've chosen the right material, apply it to the cracks in the door frame. Utilizing a putty knife, spread the compound around each of the inside ridges of the crack. Use a small amount at each time, making sure you cover the entire surface area of each of the ridges. After allowing the filler to dry and then sand it down until it is smooth and level with the rest of the door frame.

If you'd like, you can paint over the repaired cracks to hide the damage. However, this is not always necessary, especially if the cracks are small. When fixing cracks in your doors the most important thing to bear in your mind is that you want the final result to be invisible. The goal is to create an unmistakable finish that is not noticeable, even when viewed from close up.

You should be able to find a quality product at your local hardware store to fix the cracks in your door frame. If the cracks are large they may require you to apply wood glue or splines to repair them.

Patching Hollow Core Doors

Hollow-core doors are cheaper than solid wood doors and are common in homes. They can, however, be extremely fragile and easily damaged. A hole in a front door can be created by a heavy punch or a heavy knock. It's not just ugly but it could also have a negative impact on the effectiveness of your home. Fortunately, patching a hole in hollow-core doors is simple and can be accomplished with standard tools and materials.

Gather the following materials to begin:

A utility knife





Utility knives are needed to smooth the edges of holes and make it easier to apply the patching material. Cut a small notch with the knife along the hole's edge. This gives the patching materials a larger surface area to adhere and prevent them from peeling in the future.

Refinishing a door

Even the best-made wooden doors can exhibit signs of wear as they age. Exposure to fluctuating temperature and humidity, the sun's damaging UV rays, and other environmental elements can all harm the finish of a door. If the wood's finish starts to peel or blister it could be an ideal time to consider refinishing the door. However, before you refinish your door, you will be required to remove any hardware and keep it secure.

After you have removed the old finish, you'll need smooth the wood to make it ready for staining. For flat surfaces you can choose to use an orbital or palm sander. But, you'll need to be careful when scraping moldings and other parts. To avoid causing damage to wood, it is recommended to sand the grain. Apply a gentle and steady pressure. After sanding, you can use a tackcloth or microfiber to get rid of any dust. This will ensure that your wood is ready for the stain you want to apply.

It is important to choose the correct color when refinishing a door. Some people choose to use gel stain to cover up imperfections. However, this kind of stain can peel off the exterior wood within one year.

Once you have chosen the stain you want to use, it is crucial to allow the door to dry for at least a night. You should also sand between coats of varnish to smooth the surface and ensure that it is free of any residue or oil. Finally, you should make use of a natural-bristle broom to apply the spar urethane varnish to create a smooth, even coat.

After the varnish is dry, you can install the hardware you took off. After the door has been put back in place, you can polish it using a polyurethane- or wax-based polish. This will shield the wood from damage caused by water and harsh weather conditions. If you regularly polish it your door will look stunning for many years to be.

Replacing Hinges

The hinges of the door are a crucial part, but they can cause sagging or other issues. If your door has become sagging or is difficult to open it is possible to replace the hinges to aid. Fortunately, you can complete this without removing the frame of the door by unscrewing the old hinges and replacing them with the new.

Start by taking the screws off the hinges on the door jambs as well as hinge leaves. Then you can use a hammer and the chisel to make mortise shapes within the wood into which the hinges can be placed. The thickness of the mortise should roughly correspond to the thickness of the hinge leaves. Test the hinges following the creation of the mortise to ensure that they are secure and comfortable. If the hinges do not fit then re-chisel the hole until it is the correct size.

Once you've made the hole for the new hinges mark the locations of their screw holes on the jamb and the door using a pencil. You can use a screw guide as well to keep the screws straight when they are being driven into. Next, drill narrow pilot holes through these markings. Then, you can insert the hinges you want to use and secure them using either a screwdriver or drill.

The screw holes on new hinges don't have to be identical as the ones in the jamb of the door, but they must be close enough. If the holes don't match exactly, it won't really matter since they'll be concealed by the hinge plate.

Place the hinge pins on the hinges to connect the door. If the door is wobbly you can use wood blocks to support it as you work. Then, remove More Support and test the door to be sure it opens and closes properly. If it does, you're done!