Expert: Jamie Yocono - 10/15/2008

Question
Hi Jamie, have a similar question to the one below. Have a kitchen cupboard door keeps coming off. the problem is like below, the hidges keep coming off, as the holes have become worn & wider. Now this has been repaird 3 times already with match sticks but keeps coming off. would wood filler work?? Any feed back will be much appreciated.
Chris.

Answer
Hi Michele,

OK, if it's your cabinet doors that are falling off, the screws in your cup hinges are probably the culprit. But- it also could be the way the cup hinge attached to it's mounting plate, that's usually inside the cupboard. Sometimes it's hard to see the mounting plate, but there is usually an arm coming off your cup hinge, and the arm attaches to the mounting plate.

I use a hinge that is adjustable in 3 different planes, so there are 3 adjustment screws on the hinge arm. You might want to look at those screws, as usually there is a screw that locks it into position on that hinge mounting plate. But sometimes, they simply clip in place. If they do that, then the hinge mounting plate isn't the problem, it's actually the screws that hold the hinge cup in place.

OK, just to clarify things...... it's either the screws holding the hinge to the mounting plate that could be loose, or it's the cup hinge screws. It pretty much has to be one or the other.

If it's the cup hinge screws, then it's probably that your holes are worn out. They might have been pre-drilled a little too big, and over time, the wood fibers have loosened up, so the screws strip out in the hole. Here is something that should work- you're going to need some wood glue, like Elmer's glue or Titebond. And you're going to need some sort of wood- like matchsticks, toothpicks, or a 1/8" dowel rod.  It's easiest to work with longer pieces, so leave them long. Dip an end in the glue, then poke the piece of wood into the hole and break it off flush. If the hole is especially large, you might want to do this 2 or 3 times in each hole. Three times would be good, as when it's time to put the screw back into the hole, you can center the screw in between the 3 pieces of wood. But if the hole is somewhat small and your wood is large, you may not be able to fit 3 pieces of it in there.

Let the glue dry overnight. Really, you don't want to rush it. If it were my kitchen, I would do it at night, after dinner, and then replace them the next day.

Hope that helps! Add "woodworker" to your resume! And write back if this doesn't solve the problem, or if you have more questions. Good luck.

Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
Las Vegas, NV
www.wooditis.com


Answer
Chris,

I'm not sure I can add much more to this answer than what I've already answered in that other question that you included here. But I have a suggestion.

First, no - wood filler will not work better. There really isn't anything for it to grip inside that worn out hole, so it will simply work itself out over time. Also, there is no real "strength" to wood filler, so it will crumble when you put a screw into it after it has hardened.

My suggestion is somewhat of a radical approach, and I'm not even sure it will work in your situation, but what about drilling completely through that stripped hole, and then - instead of using a wood screw, you use a small machine bolt with a nut on the back side?

Since I don't know if the back side is accessible, I'm not sure this would work. But if it is - it's a very strong method for securing something.

Hope this helps. If you need more advice, please try to take a picture and send it to me with your next question. Maybe it would help if I take at look at the culprit.

Good luck,

Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
Las Vegas, NV