To fill large holes in wood, one of the best methods is by using a combination of wood glue and sawdust. Other methods include using wood filler, wood dowels, toothpicks, epoxy, bondo, spackle, and acrylic caulking.
To fix a hole in a hollow core interior door, start by stuffing paper towels in the hole and filling it with expanding foam insulation. Once the hole is filled, use a quick expansion filler to fill the space in the door and then sand it down and paint to match the existing color.
To patch a crack in a hollow wood door, follow these steps: remove the door from hinges, clean the hole, insert cardboard, apply foam, add filler, sand, and paint your door. Protect the floor from glue insulation, spackle, and paint by placing a drop cloth under the door and leaving it on its hinges.
To patch a crack in any hollow wood door, purchase body/wood filler, sandpaper/sanding sponge, paint, putty knife, and a paint. Prep the site by laying dust sheets under the door and around your working area to protect the flooring. Squeeze Stainable Wood Filler into the hole, press it firmly using a screwdriver, and mound it slightly to allow for shrinkage as it dries.
For large gaps in wood, use wood filler or caulk, which is typically a mixture of sawdust and a binder. For advanced wood-filling techniques, use wood plugs or dowels.
In summary, filling large holes in wood can be done using various methods, such as sawdust and wood glue, wood filler, wood dowels, epoxy, bondo, spackle, and acrylic caulking. These methods are quick, easy, and require only basic tools and materials.
📹 How to easily patch and repair a hole in a hollow core door
Are you tired of looking at that unsightly hole in your hollow core interior door? Then check out this How to Easily Patch and …
How do you hollow out a hole in wood?
To hollow out wood with a router, use the handles and trigger to lower the bit into the wood until it reaches its maximum depth. Reverse this process to remove the bit, then reposition the wood and lower the bit again. Continue until the hollow is complete. Wear safety glasses when operating the router, as it can generate sawdust. Different router brands may have different procedures, so follow the router’s directions for best results. For larger hollows, make multiple holes around the perimeter and through the center with a router and then chisel out large chunks.
What type of filler is best for wood?
Epoxy resin wood filler is the best choice for wood repair due to its durability, drying time, usage, size, and price-to-quality ratio. It is ideal for filling large damages to timber both inside and outside. Repair Care offers high-quality, sustainable wood repair services, repairing doors, windows, and other rot-prone wooden structures in homes. This long-lasting, professional finish ensures a professional standard finish. Choose Repair Care for the finest quality, sustainable wood repair.
How do you fill a large hole in wood without wood filler?
To repair wood without putty, mix sawdust with wood glue to create a paste-like consistency, apply to the damaged area, let it dry, and sand it down to create a smooth surface. For minor scratches or small discoloration, use wood stain markers that match the wood color and apply to the damaged area. Sanding and refinishing are also effective methods for surface-level scratches or stains. Sanding removes imperfections, while refinishing restores the wood’s natural beauty. These methods can help create a smoother, more natural look for the damaged area.
Can I use putty to fill holes in wood?
The product is designed to fill any holes or cracks in wood, thereby ensuring a smooth and secure surface for the user to place their hand in and then return.
Is there a way to patch a hole in a wooden door?
Wood putty is a useful tool for fixing small holes in doors, especially stained wood. Match the putty to the door’s color to avoid revealing the hole. For larger holes, spray foam can be used to fill the void and then apply wood putty. Wood putty and wood filler are wood-related compounds, but they have distinct differences. Wood putty is suitable for covering nail holes, scratches, and small dings, but doesn’t react well to sanding or finishes.
Wood filler, made from wood, can be used for scratches and dents, but is limited to indoor use and unfinished wood. Sanding and painting wood filler is possible, but not recommended for unfinished wood.
What is the difference between wood filler and wood putty?
Wood filler and wood putty are both suitable for different applications. Wood filler is used for filling gaps, holes, and cracks in unfinished wood, which can be sanded and stained after hardening. It can be used for minor gaps in finished wood items that cannot be sanded or stained. However, wood filler should not be used on finished wood or in an exterior setting due to its shrinking and hardening properties, which can cause expansion and contraction issues.
Standard wood filler should not be used for large gaps unless specified by the manufacturer’s label, as it tends to shrink as it hardens. Additionally, using too much wood filler in one area can delay the drying process.
What is the best thing to fill wood with?
Both cabinetmaking and carpentry employ the use of shellacs and waxes for the restoration of wooden furniture. Shellacs are small sticks composed of a gum and wax mixture, which are heated to soften and seal holes. Waxes are tinted sticks that are softened with fingers prior to filling. Any surplus material can be removed with a chisel and a soft cloth. Both methods can be employed for the uniform filling and removal of excess material.
What can I use to fill a hole in wood?
To fill small holes in wood, use a putty knife or epoxy ball, or mix sawdust or wood shavings to form a paste. Sand the paste flush with the wood’s surface, then apply paint or varnish as needed. For larger holes, mix with sawdust. For extensive damage or severely rotted wood, use epoxy. Shellac sticks, also known as burn-in sticks, are solid sticks of colored shellac used to fill small imperfections in wood, matching different wood types and grain.
How do you fix a punched hole in wood?
In order to repair a hollow-core wooden door puncture, it is necessary to first fill the hole with wood filler or epoxy. Once this has been done, the surface should be sanded until it is smooth. Finally, the door should be repainted or refinished in order to match the surrounding surface and achieve a seamless finish.
Can I use wood filler on a door frame?
Wooden door frames can deteriorate over time, leading to wood rot and dents. Despite being safe from wood rot, prolonged use can cause dents and holes. Refinishing the door with wood filler is a cost-effective and time-saving solution, but it may not be as simple as replacing the entire door. Common issues with door frames include wood rot, structural integrity issues, and usage dents. Wood rot is a pressing problem that needs to be addressed promptly, while usage dents can appear over time and range from barely noticeable to strikingly apparent. Refinishing the door with wood filler can be more cost-effective than replacing the entire door.
How to fix an interior door hole?
This article provides a step-by-step guide on how to repair a hole in an interior door. The door is typically made from lightweight MDF and is easily damaged. The author discusses the use of expandable foam, automotive body filler, and plaster in fixing such holes. However, the author suggests an alternative method that is easy, inexpensive, and lasts. The process involves driving drywall screws into each piece of the hole, which is a delicate process.
The screws are then removed, and the patch in the door is painted to restore its original color. The author also mentions the use of a drywall taping knife, cordless drill, sandpaper, hammer, or catspaw for the repair. The author emphasizes the importance of taking precautions and taking all necessary precautions when using expandable foam or autobody filler.
📹 SUPER EASY Repair a HOLE in a HOLLOW CORE DOOR
Leah demonstrates how to repair a hole in a hollow core interior door using low pressure foam insulation and plastic wood putty.
6 minute repair article without a 10 minute introduction, recap from last week, 49 ads, 83 minutes worth of in article discussion about products and sponsorships, 2 minutes worth of telling people to subscribe, click the notification button, buy your apparel, etc etc. Straight to the point, simple explanation and good article and sound quality. Excellent job. If I could like this article 100 times I would. Keep up the good work!!
Leah, nice demonstration. Love the production. Immediately to the point, no stupid long intro with excess music or “look at me” time wasting. Your demeanor, clarity, command of craft stands out. I don’t detect any ego. You are one of the best. Dave Heitman dba Dave The Carpenter ……40 years of sawdust
I love your articles Leah your the best not just at home repairs but at teaching in general you are my high school shop teacher. I never took it, as a woman I took home economics, and I sew and cook and knit, but with age I have figured out that I love fixing everything and you help me achieve that goal. Thank you!
Geez Whizz! I didnt know you could repair a hollow hole, thanks. And also thanks for the tip about the foaming cans, i didnt even know that there different pressurized ones. I used a foaming can for something and the thing dried and hardened like friggin cement, the one you used it looked heaps easier to cut, i had to use the grinder, lolz. Perhaps do a article about the different types and uses for those foaming can products, cause you know now you have me very curious on perhaps ive been using the wrong foam for the wrong job. I thought they were all the same and always just bought the cheapest ones. Cheers,
Leah, I am an amateur, yet expert, repairer of fiberglass boats, both my own and friends. This technique looks great for similar situations where there is a void behind a thin surface that needs to be filled which cannot be accessed from behind. There are various methods of trying to stick something through the hole which springs out and becomes a backing, but they are tricky and require a good deal of work. I expect that the epoxy (which is what is used in the modern world for “fiberglass” repair, even for boats constructed with polyester resin), will not destroy/dissolve the foam, although that might be a consideration. I don’t know if I will have a need to try it, but it is a cool idea.
The method I once used was to cut a ‘’patch’’ of same thickness veneer, enlarge the hole to fit. Then glue a backer strip behind the hole and glue the patch over the backer strip, using just a little amount of wood filler around the edges. The advantage is the patch will have the same grain pattern of a clear finished door.
Yes we had a fist size hole in a seven foot door,one of four matching doors, I followed Leah’s instructions and it turned out like a new door, Be patient when you put the foam in The foam must harden up, a day maybe then when you slice of the excess you may find it not fully set so leave it another day This is key What a great idea and it works so well,Thanks Leah
Leah you are a very special woman and I am happy I found your website. Direct to the point, knowledgeable, experienced, relatable, and encouraging teachers are very rare and you are the needle in the haystack I’ve been searching for over many years. I look forward to all the skills you will share and can’t thank you enough for making difficult tasks attainable to those of us that know very little.
I’ve been using spray foam for years now. I have found that using an oscillating tool to cut the foam works well for me. It leaves a nice flat yet porous surface to apply your “covering” or “top coal” whether you use sparkle, Bondo or wood fill. The foam is also watertight and seals well. It’s a great part of my DIY arsenal.
I use a different method, making sure there’s no sticking out bits around the hole,knock them off with spatulate object. Stuff newspaper ball or two into hole so it’s firm but not protruding. Fill with diy wall crack filler,readymixed in tub normally has spatula supplied with it under lid. Or powder, optional add a glob pva/white glue/ wood glue to mix. Make smooth with spatula working all directions to get good bond all around hole. If needed can be sanded with fine /finishing 180 350 paper when dry 20mins ~ an afternoon.
Not bad. Just learned another technique to patch doors. I generally use Bondo when I patch doors. 1 of the main reasons i use plastic filler is the dry time. It normally takes me less than a hour from hole to paint. A old maintenance supervisor i had at a property I worked at taught it to me when I was a younger tech and I’ve always been grateful for learning how to do this and so have other properties I’ve been employed at due to the facts is techniques like these save money and time and everyone especially property managers love saving money and labor costs on a property budget. Thank you ma’am I really appreciate the knowledge you just shared with us and giving me another tool to use in my chosen field as a maintenance technician 😊
This was excellent! I tried it, and it worked so nicely. Pro tip: I cut an 8″x1″ piece of cardboard and rolled it up into a spiral before packing it in the hole. It felt a bit more sturdy than the “V” piece of cardboard I started with. Saved me a ton of money not having to have a contractor come out replace the door, after he told me you can’t repair a hollow core door!
Thnx 4 the tip, here’s one 4 you: after getting putty from the can, immediately set the lid back on. That ester really dries out fast and you probably won’t get to use it all if you don’t. I do the same for spackling, but if that begins to dry and thicken, you put it under the tap then pour out the water, just getting the surface wet, especially before putting it away.
May i know how would u repair a big hole in the deadbolt knob.. The hole was bored bigger than usual size.. It’s not a big issue but sometimes the deadbolt screws would get loose and the knob on the outside will go down a bit and u could see the big hole in it.. The person who drill it didn’t do a good job and also it was a bit far from the edge..
LOL. I thought this article was going to show us how to stain it so it looked like the veneer. I used to use a piece of wood, screw it in behind it using dry wall screws. Then regular wall mud. Blade it down, sand it smooth, apply paint. Good old 1960s Levitt door. Recently I had a house where I simply replaced them all. 55+ year old doors that were for the most part card board to begin with.
If the hole is on the side of the door that does NOT go into the door jamb, I think it would be easier and cheaper to glue a new door skin over the entire door and trim the extra away. I think mahogony door skin is cheaper than the foam and plastic glue and you would end up with a new “no patch” look. I have never tried this, maybe someone might comment if they have.
Leah, you’re painting the door? I thought you were going to grain match. Well, you could have just back epoxied some thin plywood, hardboard, or wood scraps. To keep the pieces from falling in just position the door face down. Then proceed with the filler. Most people keep 5 minute epoxy around. Perhaps a 5 minute epoxy tutorial should be done. Keep up the gentle style!
I got here via Google because I’d already watched a bunch of articles and liked the length of this compared to others for today’s project of fixing my door. And after all the annoying and overcomplicated “mansplaining” articles, you SAVED the day! Straight to the point, thoroughly explained, and calm and friendly. You’ve totally gained a subscriber. Thank you for this! 🙌💜
Nice job. I’ll do the same thing but with bondo. It’s hard and has flexible for those spots knocked on. I’m a fan of the plastic wood too. Used it to restore facia board damaged by poorly installed (gutters rotted out board). The true test will be when the new gutters are installed. Another too, you can just use the cardboard as a patch fill too. Just cut the length slightly believe surface and fill with filler, plaster it whatever s needed. Thank s for the article
Just watched this and subbed.I love your message – you can do this. I learned this lesson from my Mum growing up (she’s in her mid 80s and is still learning and doing). A bit of research, patience and the confidence to get past the fear of doing something new is all it takes.Start on the small things and before you know it you’ll feel capable of doing almost anything. Something broken is not a problem, it’s just a solution waiting to happen.
This article was super useful! I had some holes to repair but I didn’t want to paint afterwards. I got creative with multiple tubes of coloured wood filler after my initial fill to colour match the surrounding wood on the door. Used a bit of gel stain and some wood touch up markers to make the filled hole look like a knot in the finish of the door. Lived for 15 years with the holes in the doors and am now very pleased that they don’t stick out like sore thumbs anymore. Thank you for your great tips in this article! They worked amazing!
Should be under cut in a diamond shape following the run of grain of the Patten …on soft or hard Woods cut out piece of diamond-shaped diamond size of damage section, then laid on damage piece Mark around, then chisel shape of the new piece and set in when it looks and fits well glue it in with wood glue, plain it flush and smooth when dry, fill, paint, varnish it, you wouldn’t know the difference.. English Mik
Me after perusal the article. 😱 If I patch and paint the door. I’m going to need to paint the door moulding. The paint the floor moulding. OMG. I should redo the floor. Can’t stop at the the end of the hallway. Might as well do the rest of the flooring. Paint the walls. Notice the leaking gutter while looking out the window. Go outside and tear off all the gutters. Hmm…outside of house needs repainting. Uh oh. I’m missing a couple roof shingles. Get into the truck with my lonnnng list and drive to the home improvement center. Load everything I can carry up. Have the rest delivered. Go back home and find one of the kids put a smiley face sticker over the hole.
I have to say, I really have enjoyed the few vids I’ve watched in order to learn some basics and get tips and tricks for home improvement. But the best thing about them is YOU, Leah! You’re so encouraging and take ALOT of uncertainty out of each project. In particular, I removed and installed a new toilet successfully by perusal your upload. I rarely comment on YouTube, but thought you should know what a great thing you have going here and how much the website is appreciated. I would never have thought to patch a door like this. I’m off to Home Depot to get everything you used, so I can finally have a decent looking bedroom door again. A moving day mishap landed the metal bed frame right thru the middle of our door and it’s been that way for three months. I cringe everytime I look at it. But that’s going to be all a thing of the past soon, thanks to you 🙂 Be well and please keep coming up with vid topics for all of us Home Imp Noobs! -WT in Ohio
Wow, this is GREAT! Just discovered today and subscribed after perusal only this article. What do I do if I want a natural finish in the door? I have a huge hole torn in my door by a friend’s dog. The hole is about 9″x9″ or so. Kinda large. I can do the filler trick with the foam, etc., but what about when it’s done? How do you blend it back in? Paint on a faux finish? Roller pattern? It’s a really nice walnut-stained hollow door, that was made in the 1970s. Thanks.
Leah, thank you for sharing your expertise. A windstorm in Kansas blew open my patio storage room door and busted out a terrible repair (looked like plaster) that someone else did. The apartment maintenance person said they would have to replace the entire door. (Interesting that they patched it last time and now want to replace it!). It’s a billable repair! I told the management office: “I know a person that can fix this like new.” I left out the part that you–THE PROFESSIONAL–would not actually be on-site ‘making’ the repair. After following your directions, the repair is complete and better than when I moved in. No need to pay for a new door now! Again, thank you for sharing your bad ass skills. Good luck and good health! See Jane Drill. See Jane Share. See Jane Teach. See Jane save people a boatload of money!
Hey, Leah – I’ve missed you! I confess that I’ve been following Mafia-related articles for awhile, probably have too many subscriptions, and the Google/You Tube algorithm doesn’t queue you up as much as when I first subscribed. Still, I could have been searching you out. I told myself, ” I want to follow this lady!” See, I work in a factory and have a female coworker I admire because she works so hard and is so efficient. Early on, I watched how she went about doing things because she’s not that big but she can outwork most men – including me. I took building construction technology after I flunked out of college – but I never settled in that field of work: it was a recession, so I started in a convenience store instead of pursuing the electrical apprentice program that was open while I was in school, or latching on with the engineering firm I did work-study with. Anyway…I worked as a building inspector for awhile – hated it. Watched “This Old House” from time to time and my family always knew they could find me in the hardware department when we went shopping. Never bought many tools or set up a workbench. Was frustrated on many projects I finally got around to. Enough of that. I work production and maintenance at this late stage in my career – feel like a fish out of water, but I’m needed. So to hear you say, “You can do this!” is music to my ears based on what I know of your experience in the field. At first, I thought you were just encouraging women – and maybe you are – but I can use all the encouragement I can get from any source that will give it.
If you’re going to paint the door there’s a much faster way to do this (But only on holes big around as a door knob or smaller. Bigger holes need a technique like this article). Take a piece of aluminum “Heat Tape” like that which is used on Duct work. Cover the hole with a piece of tape. On the edges where the tape is stuck to wood, take a smooth piece of hard plastic and rub the surface of the tape. It is very important to do this or the repair will stand out like a sore thumb in the end. Just rub back and forth lightly a few times especially on the edge where the tape ends and wood – metal surface of door. Then take any kind of Painters caulk (NOT Silicone based caulks) put a dab right on the tape in the center of the hole. With clean hands dab your finger on your tongue leaving saliva on your finger tip and smooth out the caulk (KY Gel works too if you happen to have some. The caulk won’t stick to your skin). Then with a clean Spackling blade (2″ or 3″) I’ll put some saliva on the edge of the blade. Place the blade at about a 30 deg. angle above the wet caulk. Keeping the blade at the right angle and firmly to the surface I’ll make one pass over the patch. If it does not look nice a nd smooth, repeat the process till you get it just right. Rarely do I need to repeat the process and if I do usually only once. Then wait an hour for the caulk surface to skin up, paint the door. My technique I have the door repaired in under 3 minutes and painted right after. In hollow core doors I’ve used this technique on holes the size of a fist.
I’m sorry BUT you need to change your name to Professor Leah!! You are definitely my favorite YouTuber!! Thank you so much. Your articles I’m sure have helped thousands and thousands of people just like me and for that we are so thankful. Happy holidays to you and your loved ones and please stay safe Prof. Leah.
While this does work as a patch, it will be noticeable. The lack of grain in the patch shows through. Especially with colonial style doors that have an obvious grain. I’ve had to patch countless doors over the years { apartments } and these patches always show. If that’s not a big deal to you, then this works fine.
Hi Leah! I was looking for what I thought at first would be this kind of tutorial, but the hole I have is a screw hole from mounting hooks (HCD is my bathroom door) for robes and towels. I took off the hooks, thinking about replacing them, but then decided I’d keep the old hardware. Now the wood screw won’t stay in place again. I was thinking of just using toggle anchors, but I did this know if those could be used on hollow core doors. Tips and tricks? Thanks in advance!
You know I started to make fun of you for spending more on material to fix a cheap door than just going out and buying one. But I decided to look on line first, bout choked when I did. Good article. Tell me though, since your going to paint anyway, why not just use newspaper and drywall. Easier, cheaper, at least as sturdy as the door in the first place, and much more likely to have on hand. I’m not trying to be smart as-d, just curious of your opinion.
Bondo & layered paint sticks in 2 hours or less. I recently slammed a door, I made the hole squared and cut paint sticks to match the size of the hole. Then I super glued the sticks to almost fully fill the hole solid. Then I used a thin layer of Bondo, sanded and in my case gouged simulated wood grain then painted. Total time 2 hours. i.imgur.com/4Qeac11.jpg
With expansion foam being kind of costly and maybe a 1 shot deal if you can’t clean nozzle, what about using say wooden craft sticks and glue them underneath (bit of trick to it and takes time, but cheaper. kind of how ya put a backer board in a drywall hole to secure nee piece in. thoughts on this over the Foam? and does the filler hold up well on the foam? Def quicker this way though. good vid as always.
Hi Lia I totally love your vids you are totally on point,,,!! I am a master cab maker your vids are giving up all our trade secrets lol it’s funny to me because now we have to dig deeper to get more trade protection secrets. Lol I love my trade it gets more competitive each and every year!!! Forge on and put the change to be greater ❤️❤️❤️🇮🇪☘️
Would it be good to use mesh with repairing a hollow core door? I’ve used great stuff big gap filler and patching paint lightweight spackle. My problem that I’m running into is that the foam filler is shrinking and I believe the Spackle is to.. I did my first round yesterday and when I woke up this morning the whole had shrunken it’s like it’s being sucked into the door. I called home Depot and they said a mesh would do it and it would prevent it from sinking in.. I guess it has something to do with the heat I live out in the desert, it’s 100+ right now
That’s quite a good way to do it Leah. Another way that I use is to get a piece of cardboard, a little bigger than the hole. Punch a small hole in the middle. Put Liquid Nails or similar around the perimeter of the cardboard. Get a piece of wire or welding rod, string with a knot will work also, and make a small 90 degree bend in the end of the wire. Push through hole and maneuver cardboard behind hole and pull gently outwards with the wire. Let dry. Patch the hole with liquid wood or 2 part plasti-bond. Remove wire and sand smooth.
Leah I like many other of your followers love you too..you have given me courage to work on my own home ..( which for me was scary since I have really no experience) Thank you for your clarity an no nonsense approach to a project and delivering the information without waiting thru an “info commerical” to get it! But I have one question …instead of repairing that hole in the door is there a way to make it larger and insert a glass panel into it instead? I have incoming outside light on one side of my house, but not into the side where I have my bedrooms and a hallway. I would love to see if we could take hollow doors or other doors and insert glass to let the light pass thru..any suggestions on that?? Thank you again for all that you do….we ALL sincerely appreciate you!!
Great job Leah but unfortunately 50 years too late. Growing up with 3 brothers can and will lead to mischief, throwing a golf ball put a hole in a hollow core door in our house. My oldest brother ( 16 at the time ) used toilet paper and brown shoe polish to patch the hole. My mom came home from shopping and noticed it immediately, your solution is much better. Lol
Thank you so much for sharing these articles. I have a 6 year old child with opposition defiance disorder and he is constantly punching and kicking holes in his bedroom walls and doors throughout the house. Seeing all the damage he has done is soo upsetting for me and I’m glad that your method to fixing hollow doors looks doable even for a mom of 3 with next to no experience with home improvement things
Hi there. I have a similar problem as what you just fixed in the article. My hole was caused by a piece of furn fell i nto door. My door is a cheap hollow one, but maybe stained? I cant tell. Maybe you can tell in the pics ive attached. How do i stain it. It’s a rental unit so I’m sure I’ll get pinged pretty heavy if it is evident. Cant find a way to attach a pic to my comment.
As a single woman who owns a home, your articles have been essential to keeping my home together. I have much smaller holes in my pantry doors where the t-shaped doorstop attached to the top hinge has pushed through. I’m confident this will work to repair it but my question is, will this help reinforce the area so the doorstops don’t puncture them again? Or do I just need to change the doorstops? If I need to change, what do you recommend?
If I had a hole in a hollow door in my own home, I would replace the door. When I find a hole in a hollow door in one of my rental houses, I just glue a disc of Masonite over it,* and the smooth surface off it, then paint it with primer and topcoat to match the door. IME the most common reason that a hollow door gets a hole in it is that a floor-level door stop or a door stop attached to a hinge, pokes a hole when the door is opened too forcefully, and with all due respect, a “foam and filler” patch wouldn’t last five minutes, whereas a Masonite disc makes that part of the door stronger than it was before it was punctured, which is what you need to withstand future impacts. * I used a drill press and a hole saw without the center pilot drill to cut a supply of 2″ and 3″ discs from a piece of scrap Masonite. There was one occasion that I need a larger patch, and I cut a 3″x4″ piece of Masonite and rounded off the four corners using a penny to draw a guide line.