Thanks for the idea! I used bamboo chopsticks and plastic wood putty. Haven't tried drilling it yet but it seems like it plugged the holes pretty well. The door wood is extremely old and soft so hopefully it works!
The problem with matches or toothpicks are two-fold. First, they strip themselves, fairly quickly (or perhaps shred would be a better description). And second, they put a lot of sideways pressure on the wood, and can cause it to strip.
A better fix is to drill out the hole with a 1/4" bit, put some glue on a length of 1/4" dowel, and hammer it in. When it's dry, cut it flush (you do have a flush-cut saw, don't you?) and drill a new pilot hole for the screw.
This: "they put a lot of sideways pressure on the wood, and can cause it to strip"
was supposed to be "can cause it to split".
Toothpicks, etc., can make an easy, fast fix, but they'll strip themselves, in a couple of years, and if you keep jamming in more you can split the wood.
It wasn't until the third time of having to go back to the same door, after having "fixed" it with toothpicks, that I got fed up and went with a permanent fix.
And for this sort of problem, the fastest permanent fix is to dowel it. It doesn't take but a few seconds, if you have glue, drill, and dowel on-hand.
9 Comments
10 years ago on Introduction
Bamboo skewers work the best as the fibers run one direction. I use them when door hinge screws wont hold.
Reply 3 years ago
Thanks for the idea! I used bamboo chopsticks and plastic wood putty. Haven't tried drilling it yet but it seems like it plugged the holes pretty well. The door wood is extremely old and soft so hopefully it works!
7 years ago on Introduction
I use wood golf tees, works great!
11 years ago on Introduction
Use a Rawlplug theyr made for the job.
They come in different sizes to suit the screw.
11 years ago on Introduction
The problem with matches or toothpicks are two-fold. First, they strip themselves, fairly quickly (or perhaps shred would be a better description). And second, they put a lot of sideways pressure on the wood, and can cause it to strip.
A better fix is to drill out the hole with a 1/4" bit, put some glue on a length of 1/4" dowel, and hammer it in. When it's dry, cut it flush (you do have a flush-cut saw, don't you?) and drill a new pilot hole for the screw.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
This: "they put a lot of sideways pressure on the wood, and can cause it to strip"
was supposed to be "can cause it to split".
Toothpicks, etc., can make an easy, fast fix, but they'll strip themselves, in a couple of years, and if you keep jamming in more you can split the wood.
It wasn't until the third time of having to go back to the same door, after having "fixed" it with toothpicks, that I got fed up and went with a permanent fix.
And for this sort of problem, the fastest permanent fix is to dowel it. It doesn't take but a few seconds, if you have glue, drill, and dowel on-hand.
11 years ago on Introduction
Another fix is to fill the hole with steel wool and then drive the screw back in.
11 years ago on Introduction
I don't bother with glue -I just shove in a wooden match and that seems to do the trick.
11 years ago on Introduction
This is actually a fantastic idea! I've done it my self from time to time! It works like a charm and holds really well.