Patching Door Lock Hole For Reuse

If the latch does not reach the strike plate shim out the plate or add another strike plate on top of it remove the screws and run them through both plates.

Patching door lock hole for reuse.

The crumpled paper will serve as a lightweight block to contain. For durability and structural integrity it s hard to beat real wood when filling a large hole in a door. Crumple up a small bit of newspaper or paper towels and push the wad lightly into the hollow area of the door surrounding the hole. For wood doors that are solid or when the unwanted hole is in an area of the door that is solid the most effective technique to repair the unwanted hole is to cut a piece of dowel that is the same diameter of the unwanted hole slightly longer about 1 32 inch than the thickness of the door.

Pack a couple of paper towels into the hole. Lightly sand the patched areas. Remove the four corner screws from the plate on either side of the door and pry the plates away gently with a flat screwdriver blade. Take a long 1 4 inch bolt that should just fit in that hole and using washers and a nut fasten it to the plug.

A dowel of the proper diameter works well for the rounded hole in the door edge left by the. Do the same for the recessed patch on the edge of the door. Without the paper towels the foam would fall to the bottom of the hollow door. Remove the two screws from the door s edge and pry the lock out with a small screwdriver.

Replace the plate fill the gap at the top or bottom with wood putty and refinish. Place strips of tape around the exterior and interior patched holes to protect the finish on the door. Remove the set screw under the edge of the inside handle and pull both knobs from the door. Repairing a hole in exterior wood doors.

Leaving about a inch sticking out on one end that can be put back into the drill. Push in 3 or 4 paper towels until they re firmly set in place and won t slip lower within the door.