How To Fix Hollow Core Door Hinges

Hinge screws pulled out of hollow core door.

How to fix hollow core door hinges.

When a hollow core door gets damaged repair rather than replacement is possible if you can overcome the two issues that make such a repair difficult. There is nothing behind the mdf or hardboard surface skin of the door for a patch to adhere to or to provide support to prevent subsequent cracking of the patch. My house was built around 1960. Screws magically work themselves loose over the years.

To repair a damaged hollow core door start by cutting away any loose or broken wood around the damage using a utility knife. Now if the hole in your door was caused by a hinge pin stop replace it with a different type. If the screws in your door hinge have become loose and frequently require tightening or have been tightened so often that they no longer stay securely in place causing the door to sag most likely the wood sections the stiles that frame the inside of the door need reinforcement. The wrong way is a temporary fix not cool.

After time the weight of the door will pull on the hinge and cause the door not to hang straight. The doors are the original doors. First these doors are hollow. Fix it the right way not the wrong way.

Another hint is to use a long screw in one of the holes in the top most hinge long enough to penetrate the stud. Then pack the hole or crack with paper towels and fill it in with expanding foam insulation. The upper hinge screws pulled out and will not stay in now. Hollow core doors consisting of a lightweight wood frame covered with composite veneer are affordable around 50 per door compared to 150 to 350 for a solid hardwood and paintable so you.

Is there a way to fix this without having to replace the door. If your door rubs near the top or drags on the floor use a screwdriver not a drill to tighten the screws. Next let the insulation dry completely before trimming away the excess with a knife. The best hinges for hollow core doors are still the base molding spring stops as seen on the door in this foreground and not the hinge pin stops as seen on the two doors in the background.