Expert: Jamie Yocono - 3/12/2006

Question
Hi Jamie
i make doll houses as a hobby with MDF fibreboard.
While it an excellent material, when it comes to putting hinges on the door to the house they seem tight for sometime, but after constant use the screws come loose, then the hinges wobble etc.
Then just to make things worse, the screw holes become larger after constant sagging of door and continual tightening of scews.
I have tried putting PVA glue into screw holes when i put screws in.
I make larger dollhouses which look good, but fail miserably on the door hinge side of things.
Can you help me with some solution to the problem.
The door i attach is about 12 inch by 6 inch to house.

Answer
Hi Wayne,

I think I have a fairly easy solution to your problem. The reason the screws fail over time is because the MDF has no real strength (or grain) like solid wood has. My suggestion would be to drill a hole where the hinge screws will be located.  I would think a 1/2" would be fine, and then plug it with a solid wood plug. You could use a dowel, but if you do, you'd be inserting those hinge screws into end grain, which isn't very strong, either. A better plug would be to make your own solid wood plug by using a plug cutter. Cut your plugs on the face of a piece of wood, not the end grain.

Anyway, drill the hole and glue the plug in place. Let it dry, sand it flush, and then attach your hinges. They should hold in the solid wood area much better than the MDF.

That was an easy one! Good luck, I hope this helps. Feel free to write back with any other questions you might have after reading this.

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