How to Repair a Hollow Core Door

Your door is one of the most important features of your home. It is the first thing people see when they enter your home, therefore, it is important that it is in the right condition. 

A hollow core door for example, while an inexpensive way to add value to your home is easily damaged. Thankfully, it is also quite easy to fix. 

If you are searching for a simple, affordable way of repairing a hollow core door, then you have found the right article. When your door is damaged, it can make you look like you have money problems. It can also energy efficiency issues. This is why you should fix it as soon as possible.

In the following article, you will learn how to repair a hollow core door.

Let's get started.

Determine What Type Of Damage Your Door Have

Before getting started with hollow core door repair, it is important you first determine the type of damage you have. Typical damage to these type of structures include:

Veneer separation: This is a common problem with hollow core doors. The veneer is the wood paneling on the surface of the door. If it separates, you will see small cracks at the corner and along where it has separated from the rest of the door.

Gouges and scratches: Gouges and scratches can occur on any internal door if it is impacted in some way. This could be from stepping on them or from being hit with something that causes minor trauma to the surface. 

Holes and cracks: Holes and cracks are common on hollow core doors. This is because they are made of thin slabs of wood, which can easily be broken. Once a hole or crack forms, it can get bigger and bigger over time. 

In this article on how to repair hollow door, we will focus mainly on repairing holes and cracks.

How To Repair A Hollow Core Door - The Steps

Here's how to fix holes and cracks in a hollow core door.

Cut away the wood around the hole

Use an electric circular saw or hand saw to make a clean cut through the wood that surrounds the damaged area.

Fill up the hole with wire mesh or paper

Once you've cut away most of the surrounding wood, fill up the holes or gaps with wire mesh (also known as chicken wire) or paper towels. This will help the expanding foam stay put while it dries.

Fill the hole with expanding foam insulation

Next, fill up the hole with expanding foam insulation. Expanding foam is an excellent material for filling holes in many applications because it expands and dries, leaving the area without any void. Make sure you use as much foam as possible. 

Leave it to dry overnight. 

Cut away excess expanding foam

Cut away excess expanding foam from around the hole using a utility knife or scissors. If there are small pieces of foam that are stuck to the surface, scrape them off as well with a putty knife.

Apply auto-body filler over the hole

The next step in fixing a hollow core door is to apply auto-body filler over the affected area. This will help fill in any gaps and give you a smooth surface to paint or refinish.

Sand down the repaired surface

Next, sand down the repaired surface with fine-grit sandpaper until it is smooth and even all around the hole. Using silicone texture molding and casting resin, you can replicate the original texture of the surface.

Paint or refinish to match the entire door

Finally, you can refinish, paint, or stain the repaired surface. Be sure to use a close match so that it replicates the original wood grain texture of the rest of the door.

What Stuff Do You Need To Repair A Hollow Door?

Knowing how to repair hollow doors is a good way to save money on home repairs. All you need are the correct set of tools and a little bit of carpentry skills.

Tools you will need include:

• Utility knife
• Paper towel/ wire mesh
• Insulating foam
• Putty knife
• Auto body filler
• Fine-grit sandpaper
• Paint or wood stain
• Paintbrush/ spray

Is It Better to Fix a Door or Buy a New One?

Doing it yourself can save money which can be applied to many other things in your home. But, if you don’t have the right tools or the right set of skills, you could end up spending more than you saved.

When the repair is minor and you are sure you can do a good job, then go ahead. However, if the damage is extensive, then investing in new custom doors may be the better option. 

If you choose to go the DIY route, be sure you know everything there is to know about how to repair a hollow door so that you don't end up further damaging it.

Final Thoughts

We hope this guide has helped you learn to fix hollow door. But if you'd rather get a replacement, then there is no better place to buy than on United Porte, a doors manufacturer that you can trust.

Ready to give your home the look it deserves? Choose from a wide selection of options here.