# Help with repairing cupboard door/hinge



## chalkstorm (Feb 25, 2010)

Hi guys

While away at the weekend, my better half managed to pull of a cupboard door! Not her fault.... as when looking at the holes the screws were in, seems it has been done before and repaired. Seems to be something on the threads that isn't wood based (maybe some glue or something)

I'd be grateful for any tips on repairing this properly.

Photo below of door and hinges (which are very strong!)

Thanks in advance


----------



## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

buy a box of matches and glue them into holes leave to dry cut excess of. should be stronger than new

joe


----------



## Bill_OR (Feb 6, 2010)

My old woodwork teacher used to say..

In glue and dust we put our trust.
If all else fails then putty must!

In this case I think it depends on how solid the wood is (I use this term loosely as the material is probably chipboard or similar) round the screw holes. Any loose/raised material round the holes needs to be removed and then you need to judge whether the trick with the matchsticks is going to be sufficient to hold the screws firmly in place. 

If not then filling the hole with plastic wood is an alternative but make sure you let it dry out completely and then drill some small pilot holes for the screws, being very careful not to go too deep!

Hope this helps.
Bill


----------



## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

I would fill the holes with araldite and fix the hinges while the door is off and the araldite is curing.

dave p


----------



## CurlyBoy (Jan 13, 2008)

*Glue*

....... try Gorilla glue, a polyurethane glue that will stick almost anything(including metal!)it expands to form a foam that will fill all voids, and is very strong. I used it exclusively when I built my 52 ft narrow boat, including joining the battens to the steel skin and had no problems with it.

curlyboy

oh yeah, it is a bit expensive!


----------



## Rayo (Jan 3, 2010)

I find NoMoreNails is god for this type of repair. Fill the holes with it and then put the screws back in before it sets.


----------



## Hezbez (Feb 7, 2009)

Ok, just asked hubby for advice (he's a joiner).

He said - why not just unscrew the hinges and move them along a little, thus fixing into fresh wood.

If you choose to move the hinges along and refix them into fresh wood and the old screw holes bother you (even although they are on the inside) they can be filled with a bit of coloured wax from a french polisher (or maybe DIY store).


----------



## chalkstorm (Feb 25, 2010)

Wow - what fantastic responses..... thank you all!

Will consider each and them probably bugger it up anyway... :lol: 

I missed the obvious 'move the hinges' one - and had considered filling the holes before putting the screws back in - but so much choice...


----------



## chalkstorm (Feb 25, 2010)

Well... unfortunately... moving the hinges is beyond my limited capabilities. The access inside the cupboard is going to make it very tough to unscrew them.... 

Think I'm going with the matchstick solution - just need to decide which sticky stuff to use...


----------



## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

I wouldn't do any of those things Chalky. :wink: :roll:

I'd fix a 5mm batten along the length of the door with screws and double sided tape. Then screw the door back on with screws which will almost (_but not quite_ 8O ) go through both thicknesses of wood. You will hardly notice it, even when the door is open.

I did almost the same to all my doors but used an angled fillet of wood so the doors would lift higher when open. I am tall, and fed up of crashing into them when Mrs Zeb (_short errrmmm arms!! :roll: _) leaves them open.

The wood isn't very hard, and the screws were probably much too short in the first place - all mine were!! :roll:

Dave


----------



## chalkstorm (Feb 25, 2010)

Zebedee said:


> I wouldn't do any of those things Chalky. :wink: :roll:


mmmm..... I'd have to do both doors as I expect they wouldn't be level...

I'll sleep on it.....


----------



## zappy61 (May 1, 2005)

*cupboard door*

Hi Simon,

Pop down to screwfix in Walkmill Lane and get a tube of grip fill. fill the holes with gripfill taking care not to get it all over the place (an old credit card is useful for this) Dip the screws in the gripfil and screw them in. Wait 24 hours and they will never come out again. If you get any gripfill where you don't want it a little meths on a rag will clean it away but only whilst it is still wet so take care.

Regards,

Graham


----------



## dhutchy (Feb 7, 2010)

Get some of them thicker grub screws the type they use on kitchen unit hinges drill a pilot hole in a scrap piece of timber to get the size bit that you need then carefully drill the door then put the thicker grub screws in or get some of them expandable nutserts drill them in then put in the nut that comes with them.


----------



## chalkstorm (Feb 25, 2010)

Right, all done.....  

Cleaned the holes..... used the matchstick trick with some Unibond (like araldite) stuff......(2 compounds mixed together in the application tube thing)

I glued the matchsticks into the holes and also gave the wood a covering of glue - before sticking the hinges onto the door.

Left it 3 hours.... drilled back through the (now solid) glue and into the old holes (now filled with matchsticks!).

Also used slightly thicker screws - and made use of the 4 holes (the original fitting only used 3 of the holes in the hinge).

All refitted now - and looking lovely!

Thanks all.... :wink:


----------

