Fixing Cabinet Door That Fell Off The Hinges (Guide)
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Cabinet doors that have loose screws eventually fall if left unattended. It is due to the frequent movements of hinge plates, holes of screws gradually get enlarged. Thus the screws cannot tightly stay inside the holes, resulting in the fall of the door.
You can save your cabinet door from falling off the hinges by tightening the hinge screws on time. However, if your cabinet door has already fallen, don’t worry. We got you!
Fixing a cabinet door is not a difficult task to do. With proper tools and equipment, anyone can quickly fix it without needing an expert.
DIY To Fix A Cabinet Door That Fell Off The Hinges
To fix this problem, you will need relevant tools and supplies. Few are readily available at home, but the rest need to be purchased from a supply shop.
Following tools and equipment are must to fix a cabinet door that fell off the hinges:
Step 1: Gather The Required Supplies And Tools
Screwdriver
Drilling Machine
Two Replacement Hinges (in case the old ones are damaged)
Tooth Sticks (optional)
Wood Cleaner
Wood or Automotive Filler (optional)
Wood Glue
Screws (optional, in case you still have old ones)
Sand Paper
Knife or Saw (optional)
Paint (optional)
Hammer (optional)
Wood Cutter (optional)
Hardener (optional)
Spatula (optional)
Step 2: Remove The Door And Hinges From The Cabinet
In order to remove the door and hinges, the loose screws should be removed first. This initial task can easily be done with the help of a handy or electrical screwdriver.
You need to grab the cabinet door and open the screws of the bottom hinge and then the upper hinge with the help of a screwdriver. Take off the hinges and door carefully.
Skip this step if you have the latest hinges that easily get removed by only pressing a button. The main point is to remove the hinges and screws.
Step 3: Fix The Screw Holes
The next step is to fix the screw holes. A couple of ways could be opted to fix the screw holes. You can refill the holes in order to make new holes for the fine adjustment of screws. A few methods are mentioned below:
Enlarge The Hole And Then Fill It With Wood Or Automotive Filler:
For fixing the cabinet door holes, enlarge the holes and make them bigger by creating more space with a drilling machine. After drilling the hole, fill it with an automotive or wood filler.
Wood filler is responsible for concealing imperfections in woods, usually made of glue and sawdust. Wood fillers are of two types.
Water-based (made of gypsum, cellulose)
Solvent-based fillers (made up of epoxy composite and vinyl)
Water-based filler is perfect for filling doors and cabinets. It dries up quickly and emits no bad smell. The best water-based wood filler available in markets includes Timbermate Wood Filler, Elmer’s wood filler, Famowood wood filler, Aqua coat wood filler.
Take a small quantity of automotive or wood filler and mix it with a hardener. As it hardens, use a spatula to force it into the holes that were purposely made larger. Let the filler become dry and hard.
This material will completely close the holes. When it dries, clean the rest of the extra material neatly with sandpaper.
Use Tooth Sticks Or Dowel Rods To Fill The Hole:
One of the other ways to fill the screw holes of the door is by using tooth sticks. Take a few tooth sticks and apply glue to them. Then add these glued tooth sticks inside the cabinet door holes until the holes fill tightly. Cut the extra tooth sticks by using a knife or saw. Tooth sticks can thoroughly close the screw holes.
Another way to close the screw holes is by using an appropriate-sized wooden dowel rod. You need a dowel rod of the same diameter equal to the holes. Efficiently apply wood glue on the rod and insert it inside the hole by tapping it with a hammer.
Wait for a while until the rod is fully attached. Cut the extra part of the wooden rod with a sharp knife or saw. The holes are successfully filled.
Step 4: Even The Holes Surfaces With Sandpaper And Paint
After applying any of the above-mentioned methods to re-fill the holes, even the rough surfaces of holes, using sandpaper by hand or machine.
If you are using sandpaper, make sure to use 60 or 80 grit for a quick finish of the wood. Or you may use sandpaper of 120-180 grit for the nicest finish.
Rub the sandpaper on the re-filled cabinet door holes and other rough areas to smoothen the uneven surfaces. Then clean the areas with a wood cleaner or brush.
To give a tidy look to the repaired areas and to hide the repairing signs, paint with the same color as the door has. Before applying paint, you should clean the tiny particles that often spread after rubbing the areas with sandpaper. Otherwise, they may get stuck to the door surface with paint and look ugly.
Step 5: Re-install The Cabinet Door Hinges (Better To Use New Ones)
Next, make new holes by using a drilling machine. The size of holes should be made according to the size of the hinges’ holes.
If hinges are too damaged to be reused, it is better to install new ones to avoid further problems. Similarly, it is better to use new screws to re-install the hinges. Adjust the upper hinge on the drilled holes.
Fit the new screws tightly inside the holes with a screwdriver. Repeat this step with the lower hinge.
Tada! All done.
NOTE: These steps can also be used to fix room doors or windows but you may need a friend’s assistance as they are heavy to be carried by one person.
“ZZem” Stripped Hinge Screw Repair Kit (For Wood Only!):
If you want to have a quick and permanent solution, try using ZZem Screw repair kits.
You can easily install the new door hinges with the help of the ZZem Screw repair kit. The kit contains correctly sized drill bits, Phillips & Torx bits, and all required screws. With this kit, all you need is a drill machine.
In just a few minutes, you can repair stripped screws in hinges and fix back the fallen cabinet door. It only takes three steps to install a door hinge.
How To Fix A Cabinet Door That Fell Off The Hinges? – The Takeaway
With the steps mentioned above, you can easily fix a cabinet door that fell off the hinges. However, be more meticulous while filling the stripped screw holes. The holes should be neatly filled or else you have to start the whole process again.
In case you are planning to install a new hinge, there are many latest designs out in the market. You can go to InspectApedia to read more about types of hinges and how to install them.
Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any queries. We’ll try our best to provide you a prompt reply.
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