Expert: Jamie Yocono - 6/25/2008

Question
hi ... i gotta screw loose ... well, 8 of them in the hinges and door closer arm of a heavy antique door mounted on oak framing.  The screws worked loose over a several month period.
     Will Chair Loc tighten the screw holes around the screws?  Should i put Chair Loc on the holes and then immediately tighten the screws? or should i apply Chair Loc and wait till the next day to apply the screws? Or ....
     Should i make a few matchstick sized oak splinters and stuff the holes  with them, then put the screws back in?
or....
    is there another option or three?

thanks, jim

Answer
Jim,

Although in theory, using Chair-Loc seems like it should work, I would recommend using wood, like you suggested. You'll want to use something stronger than oak splinters, though.

I suggest getting a few thin pieces of wood, like toothpicks, which are made of hardwood and generally are pretty tough. Some people use matchsticks, but I like the density of toothpicks.

The best way to do it is to remove a screw, dip the toothpick in wood glue, stick it into the screw hole and break it off flush. If the hole is really too big, you can put two or three pieces of toothpick in each hole.  

Then simply re-install the screw. The glue will set up, thus keeping those bits of toothpicks from working their way loose again.

It would be helpful for someone to hold the door for you, or for you to shim it up, so it doesn't sag worse while you're working on each screw.

Another thing that might help - you may not be able to use a bigger (in diameter) screw, as the heads could possibly stick out in the jamb. But you could try to locate a longer screw. Something that will grip deeper than the old ones. That would help too, it sounds like your door is pretty beefy.

OK, good luck. Sounds like a pretty easy fix.

Jamie Yocono
www.wooditis.com
Las Vegas, NV
http://wooditis.blogspot.com/