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How to repair large hole in door?

Hi all,

I am going to head to bunnings soon but need help with advice on the cheapest and easiest way to sort out a large hole in my bedroom door. I have a few ideas from reading some tips on the net but rather have someone on here with expertise to advise and recommend what products to buy and use to fix this. I've attached two photos of both sides of the bedroom door.

Any help and advice would be much appreciated. Thanks

Community manager's note: Check out How to repair a hole in an internal door for expert advice.

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Doors and Windows

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MitchellMc

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @Jay_11. It's fantastic to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about repairing a door.

The most efficient way to resolve the issue would be to replace the door. It's beyond reasonable repair and would likely cost you more on the materials to repair it than the cost of a new door. Take, for example, the Hume Internal Door H1 Primed MDF Flush 2040 x 820 x 35mm. By the time you purchase something to fill the core, a thin board to back the openings, filler to level the surface, a scraper to apply the filler and sandpaper to smooth the filler, you've probably spent more than a new door. Then, you'll have to repair it, which will take several hours.

I would consider myself very proficient at repairing doors, and there is no question here about what I would do. Replacing is simply much easier than repairing with damage that is this extensive. Also, even if you were to repair the door, you'll likely still see the damaged areas as they won't be unnoticeable.

Here's a helpful step-by-step guide on How to hang a door.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

Jay_11

Hi Mitchell,

Thanks for the welcome and reply. It's much appreciated.

I had my eye on the door you recommended a while ago but as I no longer have a ute and live a fair distance from Bunnings, the delivery costs were going to be over $80. My existing drill that i've had for years doesn't work anymore either which is why I thought best to try repairing the hole over time after working hours.

I did end up finding a nice second-hand door from a neighbour who gave the door to me for free which is the exact same size; however the door hinges and door knob hole positioning on the new secondhand door are slightly off compared to the damaged door. Also I need to take off the existing door stopper to install it on the undamaged secondhand door if I am going to try installing it myself but don't have much experience in modifying the door hinges. Here some pics below of the comparison of the old damaged door with the hole and the undamaged secondhand door.

So based on my limitations, it's either I have to try fixing the large hole on the damaged door or have a carpenter fill in the hinges on the undamaged secondhand door to let it dry and create new hinges in the same position. As for the door knob, it lines up with the door jamb but the door hole on both doors are in a different position.

MitchellMc

Hi @Jay_11,

That door is looking pretty good. The handle hole isn't necessarily an issue as the latch assembly could be adjustable, so the hole not being set in so far might not be a problem. The main thing is that the hole for the handle and the latch assembly is already at the correct height, which is really quite amazing. So, the hinge height is the only thing you'd have to deal with. On the door frame, were the hinges rebated into it? Is there a chiselled-out section they were screwed into, or were they just attached to the frame? I can verify if you can post a picture of the frame where the hinges were attached.

If we're lucky, this could be a direct swap.

Mitchell

Jay_11

Hi Mitchell,

Yep that's what I was thinking about the latch assembly could be adjusted. Just the door hinges are my main issue and would like to remove the door stopper and install it on the undamaged door. But need a drill for that. Any good budget drills at Bunnings you'd recommend?

As for the door hinges on the door frame, I've attached a few pics below for reference if this helps:

MitchellMc

Right, so that's a steel frame and welded hinge @Jay_11. That means you'd need to remove the hinges off the old door and install them on the new door. Due to the hinge position of the old door being slightly off the new door, you'd need to chisel out the area on the new door for it to fit correctly.

I can now see that the new door is slightly wider. Is that the case? If so, please check to see whether it fits in the door jamb.

With a budget in mind, either the Ozito Home 12V Drill Driver Kit, Ozito PXC 18V Brushless Compact Drill Driver Kit or Ozito 280W 10mm Drill Driver would do the job for you.

Mitchell

Jay_11

Yep definitely welded into a steel frame. You're right about the new door being slightly wider. The height and length are the same but the width is MMs off.

Thanks for recommendations of the drill kit, Mitchell. It's much appreciated

MitchellMc

It looks like it would be a tight fit, but there's a chance it would work @Jay_11. The only way to really tell is to change the hinges over and try.

Mitchell

Jay_11

Yea a super tight fit. But I think it might not. Does Bunnings sell the same hinges that are on the old door? Some of the screws on the old hinges are stuck and worn-out. Looks like the previous tenants had something to do with it. Worse case scenario would be to repair the hole on the damaged door.

MitchellMc

Those hinges look to be proprietary from the steel frame manufacturer @Jay_11. I wouldn't have thought you'd have much luck trying to match them up with another type.

Mitchell

Jay_11

Makes sense that I couldn't find them on the Bunnings online store.

Thanks anyway for your help, Mitchell

MitchellMc

How stuck are the screws, @Jay_11? Can you take a picture of them for me?

Do you have any WD40 or oil that you could spray on them to try and help get them out? Have they been painted over and need the paint scraped back to release them? Or are the cutouts for the screwdriver bit worn away completely?

Please keep us updated on whether you will try to repair the door or continue trying to install the new one. I'm here to assist every step of the way. I'd you'd like to talk through trying to repair the door, we can do that.

Mitchell

Jay_11

Thanks, Mitchell.

I think the grooves / cutouts in few of the screws are really warn away. I was able to losen most of the screws with a screwdriver but two screws just would not grab at all. Tried different sized screwdriver heads too but they still don't budge.

I've hung the old door back up for the time being. Kind of torn between to still give the newer door a try or leave it altogether due to the hinges, possible width issue and door stopper change over.

I would've preferred to buy new hinges that are the same as the old door and give it a go. But like you said they do look proprietary made.

Perhaps trying to repair the hole would be best at this stage.

Does Bunnings sell thin scrap wood so I can try fill it in the hole? I was thinking to buy some liquid nails to let it set then use bog to start filling it in. Sandpaper wise, do you recommend 100 grit?

MitchellMc

We have 3mm MDF which would be good the cut thin strips from and glue behind the front skin of the door @Jay_11. If you visit a store you might also find some thin strips of scrap timber that would work. Pro-tip: check the racks of 90 x 45mm structural timber. It comes separated by these thin strips of timber that would be perfect. The team in-store will let you take them for free.

For the screws that have stripped heads, try putting a couple of layers of painter's tape over your screwdriver tip. Sometimes this is enough to get them to grip.

80-120grit sandpaper would be good for cutting the bog back that is proud of the front face of the door. You'll then need a higher grit, like 180-240, to smooth it off.

Mitchell

Jay_11

That's awesome. I'll try going to Bunnings tomorrow. Would the liquid nails set fast?

As for the screws, I'll need to buy some painters tape to try that tip!

In regards to the bog, what would you recommend for the job? I think maybe 1 litre would hopefully cover front and back of the door. Any particular primer that Bunnings has for this patch job?

I think I have a wide spatula laying around.

EricL

Hello @Jay_11

If you're having a hard time removing the screws because the heads have been rounded off, I suggest using the Frost 5 Piece Extractor Screw Set, this will allow you to extract the screw out with relative ease. Please note that it is important that you drill a hole in the middle of the screw first before you use the extractor. Do not use the extractor itself as a starter drill bit.

My only tip with using Builders Bog is to make sure not to use too much activator. Excessive use of the activator will harden the bog immediately giving you no time to spread and flatten it out.

Any standard primer should work on your door, just keep in mind that the surface of the door must be sanded down before applying the primer. Remember to use a compatible topcoat with the primer.

Here is a link to our best advice: How do you remove damaged screws?

Here are some handy step-by-step guides:

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

Jay_11

Thanks, Eric. Good to have those additional tips in removing stubborn screws.

In terms of the primer, i was considering in purchasing the following:

https://www.bunnings.com.au/british-paints-white-4-in-1-prep-water-based-primer-sealer-undercoat-100ml_p1420370

EricL

Hi @Jay_11

Using British Paints White 4 In 1 Prep Water Based Primer Sealer Undercoat - 1L should work just fine. Please keep in mind that you might need to do more than two coats if the tone of the old paint is still visible. I suggest observing the door carefully when it's totally dry after. You should be able to tell if it needs one more coating by then.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

Jay_11

Thanks, Eric. Should I just stick with a normal primer or go with the 4 in 1?

The colour of the door is Beige. I may have to bring a broken piece into Bunnings and ask for assistance at the Paint section to get a close match. I'm guessing water based paint.

EricL

Hi @Jay_11

I'm a bit old school when it comes to painting and I prefer my primer separate from my paint. You can always ask the paint specialist at the store for a second opinion about the products. In regards to paint matching, it's best if you bring a sample of the colour you're after and the paint team will try their best to colour match it.

Using a water-based primer and topcoat is always more convenient as you don't have to use turpentine to clean up paint spills and brushes.

Keep us updated with your progress, we look forward to seeing your door installed and freshly painted.

Eric

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