How do you fix a broken door?

How do you fix a broken door?

When we initially moved into our home, it looked as though the former owners had kicked in every door in this house. I didn’t notice it at first. Yet day by day, I recognized the hell brought upon these doors.

“Honey! Look at this door!”

“Honey, have you ever noticed this?”

“What the heck, honey! They were going through some things up in here!”

Every single door in my house required repair! So, how do you fix a broken door? Read more to learn when, why and how to fix your broken door!

Why you may choose to fix damaged doors

Let’s briefly explore some reasons why you may choose to do some DIY door repairs.

You need to save money.

The materials needed to fix doors are cheaper than a replacement door. If you have crummy door jambs too, the same materials can be used to fix most of them as well. You pay with your time repairing.

You want to preserve original character.

Vintage, original doors are tough to replace. You might have purchased an older home full of character and want to keep those special touches as much as possible. Unfortunately, replacing an old door with a new one may not maintain that sense of charm.

Your doors in an uncommon size.

Sometimes, we get not-so-lucky to have a home with non-standard sized items! Most interior doors are 80×32 inches. If you have a door that does not meet those or other common dimensions, the amount of affordable replacements to suit your needs will be limited. Therefore, fixing what you have may be the better option.

Your doors are of superior quality.

In the past, I once lived in a house with paper thin doors. They were so hollow, sounds traveled throughout the house easily. If you bumped them with any force, you would punch a hole right through them!

Currently, many cheaper doors are made at this poor quality. Therefore, if you have halfway decent quality doors already, repair what you have!

Got flat doors? You’ve hit the lotto!

Flat doors are easily customizable and versatile. For example, currently, the shaker style is the preferred design. To achieve the look, you can adhere plywood to the face of the door for a fraction of the cost of purchasing it ready-made. Certainly, this is a simpler DIY project to achieve and is very beginner-friendly.

Similarly, for those in search of a traditional look, pre-routed molding can be adhered to your flat doors to add detailing in whatever design you desire. You can even purchase pre-made trim kits to simplify the process! Whether or not you choose to customize your doors, you still need to repair the door.

Now that I’ve shown you all the reasons why you should fix your doors rather than replace them, let’s explore why you may choose to replace.

When to replace your doors rather than fix them

You don’t want to do the work

This is perfectly acceptable. Don’t let me and the rest of the DIY world guilt you into doing work you simply don’t want to do.

You don’t have the time

I understand you are a busy human being balancing many responsibilities. You may not be able to spare a weekend to fix doors. You might even be a DIYer, but you have many other projects you’re working on concurrently. Sometimes it’s better to buy materials outright for your sanity.

You can afford investing into your doors

Skilled tradesmen are incredibly talented and should be paid accordingly. If you can afford it, get the pros to make your dreams reality.

You do not want to paint your doors

Paint is great for camouflaging imperfections and texture differences. The natural finish of wood is less forgiving. Thus, you may need to take it to the pros to maintain that beautiful natural finish or stain.

Hey – I won’t judge you if choose not to take on this project! Do you, boo! However, if you accept this undertaking, continue reading!

How do you fix a broken door? Materials needed

To fix a door, you’ll need:

• Your door
• Wood filler and hardener
• Putty knife
• Orbital sander
• Sandpaper
• Primer
• Paint
• Sawhorses
• 6 inch roller frame and brush

The paint, primer, sandpaper, sander, and of course, the door, are all materials I had previously purchased. Truly, DIYers will probably have those materials on hand already.

Please take all protective measures before beginning any DIY project, including wearing the proper eye wear, face mask, etc. All projects are at your own risk!

How to fix a door in 7 steps

Step 1: Remove the door from the jamb

First, take down the door. You can use a Phillips screwdriver, but a drill can be super useful here!

Step 2: Remove all hardware

Please, if you can, do not paint over your hinges. It doesn’t take much to remove them. Remove the doorknob, too. It is easier to have no obstructions when painting.

Step 3: Apply wood filler

Follow the directions included with your product.

Apply a radius of filler that is larger that the spot you’re fixing. For example, if the dent you’re fixing is 3 inches wide, your wood filler may be 6 inches wide. That will help you feather out the wood filler to blend into the rest of the door. It’s better to apply too much than not to apply enough!

Next, let the wood filler cure. I let mine cure overnight before proceeding to the next step.

Step 4: Sand the door

Carefully sand the door. Begin with 120 grit, then dial down to 220. Constantly run your hand over the door to make sure it is smooth and level.

Step 5: Wipe off dust

Again, run your hand over the surface to make sure there are no dust is left behind.

Step 6: Prime and paint

You may need to prime more than once before painting to cover the wood filler completely. Sand with 220 grit sandpaper between coats.

Step 7: Let dry overnight and repeat

If you flip the door too early, you will mess up all your hard work! Patience is key!

Conclusion

You may think I am crazy for investing this work into doors, but it really saves a ton of money in the long run.

Now that you’ve answered the question of “How do you fix a broken door?”, go for it! It’s easy with a little patience and this guide. If you have any questions, ask in the comments!

Sincerely,

Felicia.