How To Repair Punch Holes In Hollow Door? - 3 Easy Solutions With Detailed Explanation

It is very common that your key suddenly gets hard to get in the doorknob and you unintentionally punch the door to somehow open the lock, but instead, you make a punch hole in your door.

Hollow core doors are significantly stronger and cheaper than solid wooden doors. Yet, even though fixing dents and dinks in your doors and unattractive marks won't take more than a few days, you might think that it's impossible. If you want to fix up your doors, all you have to do is fill in the cracks and larger holes, and they will look just as good as new ones in a short period of time.

Moreover, sometimes doors with punch holes get stuck as well. Please read our article to learn how to open a stuck door. 

List of 3 methods to repair punch holes in hollow doors

1. Pitching the crack or holes in your hollow doors

Step #1

If there are any splintery or crackled pieces of wood around the edges of the hole, don't try to fix them. Instead, use a utility blade to carefully cut away the splintered or crackled wood until you're just cutting through smooth wood.

When cutting with a utility blade, always use the edge away from yourself. Sometimes you need to create an opening first before you can start working on repairing the damage. Repairing a larger hole without any damaged material is easier than repairing a smaller hole that has already been fractured.

Step #2

Use paper towels to plug the crack. While paper towels won't make the door any more sturdy or fix, they are cheap and quick to keep the insulating foam in place as it dries. Gather some paper towels into a ball, shove them down into the hole or crack up the sides. 

Paper towels can be used since their small weight allows them to stay there once you've closed the door. Use light and absorbent in place of paper towels if you can't find any.

Step #3

Expanding excess foam insulation can be used to patch up the damage. Spray cans of expanding insulating foam include a long nozzle for precise application. Start spraying by aiming the nozzle at the opening of your door. The foam will expand until it fills the door, and any leftover space will push out through the face of the door via the hole. 

You can find expanding insulating foam at any home improvement store or on the internet. In a limited area, a low-expansion model may be more manageable.

Step #4

The insulating foam needs at least one full night to dry. Before the insulating foam may be cut or sanded down, it must dry completely after filling up the hole or crack. Please do not touch the foam for at least four to five hours, preferably overnight, so it may dry fully. 

For further information on how long your particular brand of insulation foam needs to dry, go to the product's instructions.

Step #5

Using a utility blade, cut away the excess insulation. If there is too much insulation, run a utility blade over the wall's surface to trim it down so that it is no more than 0 1/2 inches (13 cm) from the wall's surface.

Step #6

If you need to fill a small gap in your car's body, mix two parts of auto-body filling material with one part of a hardening agent. Spread the mixture evenly across the gap using a putty knife and smooth out any bumps. Let the mixture set for at least 24 hours before driving.

Auto-body filler can achieve strong doors, but the material is notoriously tricky to deal with. It is common practice to include a hardener catalyst in the packaging to speed up the activation process. You may buy this item at any store that sells hardware or automobile parts.

Step #7

Spackle over the crack to patch it up quickly.

In the absence of auto-body filler, spackle can be used instead. Put some spackle over the crack in your door using a putty knife. Smoothly and evenly spread spackle over the door using long, equal strokes. 

Spackle is accessible, inexpensive, and simple to apply. You can buy spackle at any hardware shop or on the internet.

Step #8

Let the area dry for an hour. After about an hour, the spackle or auto-body filler compound you used to fix the door should be dry. Let the door dry completely until it becomes firm. 

If you want to know how long it will take for your spackle or auto-body filler compound to dry, read the product's directions.

Step #9

Put some sandpaper on the door and smooth it out.

Start sanding your repair compound with coarse-grain sandpaper, between 100 and 120 grits. Remove any spackle or auto-body filter until the door's surface is exposed. 

It will be less noticeable once you sand down the door where the repair was done. However, the area around the damage will get rougher. Painting or staining the door will cure the problem and make it seem as good as new.

2. Repairing the holes in the hollow door

Step #1

Sandpaper with fine grit should be used to remove paint and lose splinters. If any spots on the solid wood or paint are flaking or splintering, use sandpaper with a 320-grit grit rating to smooth them out. Remove the debris from the damaged region so you may apply a patch rather than put it back together piece by piece. When sanding, protect yourself by wearing strong gloves if the wood is splintered. This will help prevent any injuries.

Step #2

The area that has been scratched should have a thick coat of wood filler. Put a little bit of wood filler in each scrape on your door, and either spread it out or squeeze it in. You may spread the filler around with your finger or a putty knife and then push it into the scratches to fill them in. Make it a goal to have a finish that is as even and level as the rest of the door and as smooth as possible. 

Wood filler may be purchased online or at your neighbourhood's hardware shop. Either it will arrive pre-mixed in a tube or come in two distinct components that need to be blended before it can be used. If you want the greatest results from your wood filler, make sure to follow the directions that come with it.

Often, this causes the door to make unwanted noises and slams. Please read our article to learn more about how to stop doors from slamming. 

Step #3

Keep an eye on the filler to ensure it doesn't get too wet. For the filler to successfully fix the door, it must first harden and then properly attach to the wood. When you finish pressing filler into all the scratches, give it 15 to 20 minutes to thoroughly dry or until it is firm when you touch it. 

You may get further information on the anticipated drying timeframes for your wood filler by consulting the directions that are packaged with it.

Step #4

After applying the first coat of paint, sand down the entire door frame with a sanding block and 120-grizzled sandpaper, then, after the second coat has dried, use a fine-grain sanding block to smooth out the edges and corners of the door frame.

Painting over the sanded area will highlight any uneven bumps that may have been there before. You may check if the area you mended with wood filler needs more sanding and smoothing by running your palm over it.

Step #5

Paper towels or moist sponges can be used to clean the area. Sanding the wood and paint surrounding the damaged area can generate a substantial quantity of dust and debris, which can detract from the appearance of the door once it has been fixed. If any dust was missed throughout the cleaning process, dampen a clean cloth or a paper towel and use it to wipe off the surface softly.

3. Refinishing punch holes in a hollow core door

Step #1

Sand down the area that you mended, and then wipe away any dust that may have accumulated. Sanding down the repaired area with sandpaper that has a grit of 220 will ensure that the new coat of paint or wood stain will adhere uniformly to the surface you are painting or staining. To remove any dust or debris, you may either use a vacuum cleaner or wipe it away with a moist towel. 

The paint will not adhere correctly to the door because of the dust, resulting in an uneven surface. Before repainting the door, make sure that any dust is removed.

Step #2

Take off any hardware or hinges that are attached to the door. Instead of only painting or staining the repaired area, it is ideal for painting or stain the whole door to produce a consistent finish. You will need to use a screwdriver to remove the hardware from the door. You may need to take off the doorknob, the hinges, or a strike plate close to the door's bottom. 

Put a nail at the base of each hinge pin, and then use a hammer to pry the pins out from under the door. This will allow you to take the door completely off of its hinges. This will simplify the work by allowing you to refinish the door in a different location.

Check the types of screws that are used in each fitting or fixture so that you can select the appropriate screwdriver. Because an electric drill is so likely to cause the door to get damaged, a screwdriver is the tool of choice for removing and reattaching hardware to a hollow core door.

You can also use painter's tape to mask the sections you do not wish to be painted over.

Step #3

Look for a paint or wood stain with a hue similar to your door's. By selecting the appropriate shade of paint or wood stain for the repaired door, you can guarantee that it will blend in seamlessly with the other doors in your home. Inquire with a worker at the hardware shop near you about getting some paint or wood stain samples, or inquire about getting assistance in selecting the appropriate paint to match the colour of your door. 

It may seem like a good idea to take a picture of your door to assist match the colour, but doing so may not always result in a colour that is an exact match. The colour will seem different depending on several factors, including the lighting in your house, the type of camera used, and how the photo was printed or shown.

Bring in a sample of the door if possible so we can assist match it. This might be a piece of the door that you removed when you were initially mending it.

Step #4

The entire door should be painted or stained with an even coat, whichever you choose. When applying a single layer of paint or wood stain to the door, you can do it with a broad, all-purpose paintbrush or a paint roller. Painting or staining any grooves or panels on the door should come first. After that, paint the rest of the door using long, even strokes to prevent noticeable lines. 

Before beginning the painting project, place a drop cloth or some old newspapers below the door to protect the floor from any messes that may be created.

Step #5

Allow the door to dry for at least three to four hours. After applying the first coat, wait three to four hours for the door to dry before applying any more coats. Even the slightest contact with the door might ruin the completed appearance. Therefore it is important to ensure that everyone who could come into contact with it is aware that it is still wet. 

If you want further information on the amount of time it should take for the paint or stain you've selected to dry, check the directions that come with it.

Step #6

After the first layer of paint or wood stain has dried, apply a second coat and let it dry. The door will become noticeably darker in tone with each additional coat that you apply, and the overall appearance will be enhanced. Applying a second layer of paint over any defects that are still obvious after the first coat has had a chance to dry will assist in hiding them. Allow it to dry completely until the door may be touched without leaving a residue or feeling moist. 

It takes several days to cure many kinds of paints and stains for interiors completely. After the door has been painted, exercise caution with it for a full week, so the new layer of paint doesn't get scratched up.

It is possible to apply an unlimited number of coats of paint or stain, but in most cases, applying two or three coats will be sufficient to make your door appear amazing.