[Doublej]

I have a 100+ year old house with I am assuming 100+ year old six panel interior doors. One has a 1-1/2 inch diameter hole that was drilled through it just above the door knob for what looks like a lock but since there is no corresponding hole in the door for the bolt I can only speculate.

After years of having a sock stuffed into it I'd like to make a proper repair. Looking to confirm that the way to go is get someone to cut a wood disk (oak?) glue it into place then paint it.

Another door has  an issue where the hinge screws are coming out of the door. Can I simply use longer hinge screws or should I plug the holes with wood filler or dowels, drill pilot holes and then use the same screws.

[Peter J]

1 1/2" hole was more than likely and old style deadbolt. Most install in 2 1/8" hole now, FWIW.

Anyway, you can repair with a same diameter and thickness plug, but if you have access to a router and a few tools it might be easier to rout a rabbet around perimeter of hole and glue in a 1/2" thick cap plug...one on each side of door.

I can think of a few more, but I don't know if they'd be considered "proper", since I'm slightly off-kilter anyway.

If it's the door and not the jamb that threads are stripped, a longer screw might work. Don't bother with wood filler if you're looking to restore thread-ability. Just not designed to do that kind of thing. Epoxy and dowel is your best bet.

[WGH]

Gluing in a plug is what I would do. The doors are probably made from fir which would also make a good plug. Poplar or soft maple will work too. I wouldn't use oak because it is an open pored wood which will leave little dimples in the paint.

The plug doesn't have to fit perfectly, or even close for that matter as long as it has contact at 2 or 3 points for gluing. The remaining space around the plug is filled with either Bondo Auto Body Putty or Minwax Wood Filler, they are the same product except Bondo is grey and Minwax is tan colored.



Don't worry about getting it perfect for the first application, just pack it in. After it sets in 10 minutes pare it almost flush with a sharp chisel and put on a thin second coat. When dry sand flush. You may need a third coat to feather into the surrounding area. Sand smooth and paint.

Plug the screw holes with glued in dowels, let dry and always drill a pilot hole before screwing.

Wayne

[srb]

For the stripped screw holes, the dowel and glue method is probably the best.

But if you're short on time and energy, I've also had surprisingly good results with screw hole repair kits which are thin expanded metal strips that shim the hole and whose teeth bite into the wood, such as Woodmate Mr. Grip.

Steve

[rajacat]

 Insert and glue a softwood plug so that it's maybe 1/4" short on each side. Then cut (2) 5/16" deep to fit plugs of closely matched wood and grain direction but a little longer than 1/4" for sanding to blend, glue, sand and finish. Just use standard yellow glue. Hole saws of the exact diameters needed would be handy.

[Folsom]

If it's going to be painted you can mix sawdust and wood glue to help fill it, instead of putty, for where the plug won't fit. You might find one of these useful.

[Doublej]

If it's going to be painted you can mix sawdust and wood glue to help fill it, instead of putty, for where the plug won't fit. You might find one of these useful.

Very interesting. I was thinking of the "American" version as needed though I must say yours feels more appropriate given the age of the door.

https://www.rockwelltools.com/en-US/Oscillating-Tools.aspx

[Folsom]

Oscillating tools are not for fine work. You'll just get lots of scratches. Besides I'd only buy the Festool one because the plunge adapter is the only thing that makes it truly worth it IMO. Although the Fein isn't bad otherwise if you have a lot of specialty work that doesn't need the plunge adapter.

Seriously, oscillating tools are sort of a wild beast, They don't work on everything.