We're camping for a couple of weeks with friends of ours. The bought a Keystone TT about 1 1/2 years ago and the cabinet work is atrocious. Just about all the cabinet doors are terribly misaligned, falling out or flying open in transit. A project for one of the days when the girls are out at the mall is to fix it all up.I know this topic has been discussed in the past but I'm wondering what to do in this specific case. My plan was to use the 'ol toothpick and wood glue method to fill the old holes. Some of the screw holes for the hinges need to be moved only about 1/16". If I plug the holes with toothpicks and glue and drill an new adjacent hole, will this be strong enough? Maybe epoxy glue would be better. Or longer screws this time? I'm hoping the holes won't have to move much so that you won't see the old patched holes. Many of the roller catches have to be re-mounted but they won't be seen when doors are closed.FWIW, this issue doesn't seem to be uncommon with Keystone. Saw the same thing on brand new units at the last RV show and have read about others having the same problem. Hard to believe they let such sloppy workmanship out the door, but they do and folks still buy them...

One reason the screws don't hold up is because people lean on them or hang their weight on them without realizing it. I pulled one out in my last camper by using it tofit myself from the floor squatting to a standing position. I fixed it by renoving the hinge completely and moved it about an inch. Thend filled the old holes with putty and a touch of stain. Good as new. My current Outback has real wood cabinets instead of particle board. Big difference in strength.

In the furniture repair business we used either toothpicks or wooden matches. Squirt regular cheap SuperGlue into the holes, then force the toothpicks into the holes,Screw the screws in, forcing the Super glue into the wood and toothpicks.Take the screws out and squirt a little water into the holes to set the glue, then install the hinges and screws.The glue and wood will harden like formica and the screws will go in and out without stickingAnd Dutchmansport is right, the manufactures use either particle board or medium density fiberboard (MDF) for the cabinets and they will not stand any pressure or hard use.

Instead of toothpicks you can get a small dowel and shave it down tap it in with glue then if you need to you can drill another hole above or below it

I'd drill it out larger like 3/8 or so then glue in a piece of dowel and then pre-drill for the new screw hole

I would also use slightly longer screws for a tighter grip. The short screws are OK for use in a stick built house that's just sitting there, but all of the bouncing going down the road would benefit from a longer screw.Bill

On repairing cabinet door hinge screw holes | Good Sam Community

13 Replies

LarryJM
Explorer II
Jun 21, 2015
I personally like to enlarge the existing screw hole so you can insert a dowel snugly with minimal glue then re drill pilot holes for reattaching the flange. A lot of glue like when using toothpicks doesn't lend to taking new threads since it's so hard and brittle. I want maximum wood and minimum glue in any screw hole repair.

Larry
Bull_Rider
Explorer
Jun 21, 2015
Buy toothpicks that are made from bamboo, they're pretty easy to find. Dip them into Elmer's white wood glue and shove one or more into the hole. Let the glue dry, then cut flush with a pair of side cutters.

The bamboo holds like iron.
raygreg
Explorer
Jun 20, 2015
Try golf tees
myredracer
Explorer II
Jun 20, 2015
Thanks for all the suggestions! The super glue and water method sounds interesting and have never heard of that before. May try that out in a hidden spot first. We will look for some longer screws at a hardware store.

The face frames on cabinets are typically faux wood that has a core of lightweight and rather soft plywood and a plastic wrap outer finish. Touching up marks or repairs in the outer finish is next to impossible because the outer material won't take a stain like real wood and matching the color is difficult. Not sure until we get into if there will end up being any original hole locations being visible.

What I was worried about was patching the original hole, drilling a new pilot hole only maybe about 1/16" away, then when re-installing the screw, the new and/or old hole getting messed up due to the close proximity.
TakingThe5th
Explorer
Jun 20, 2015
Toddupton wrote:
Instead of toothpicks you can get a small dowel and shave it down tap it in with glue then if you need to you can drill another hole above or below it

... or enlarge the hole to the same size as the dowel with an appropriate drill bit, cut a piece of dowel to fit in the hole, put glue in the hole and pound the dowel in with a hammer.

You can use a large diameter dowel, or you can repeat the process using a series of smaller dowels and overlap the holes. This method will "replace" the particle board with real wood that grips the screw much better.
old_guy
Explorer
Jun 20, 2015
SOS pads. the wire will be forced into the wood when you put in the screw and they hold very well. rock solid in fact. just use a scissors to cut small pieces of pad and force it in with a very small screw driver and the soap makes screwing in the screw easy.
cbshoestring
Explorer II
Jun 20, 2015
Golf tees....

already tapered, come with a head that allows you to slightly tap it to insure properer "seating", cuts right off like a dowel or tooth picks.
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Jun 19, 2015
I got snotty and had the cabinet maker drill out the holes and use nutserts 10X32. With blue Loc-Tite on the stainless screw heads, the cabinet itself has to break before the hinges give way. I used triple hinges everywhere much to the delight of the bank account of the craftsman. But teak and monkey pod wood is much more expensive now. I traded much of the change orders on the Kelley II for the remnants of the ship's carpentry (teak). The monkey pod wood I purchased.

I've seen folks fill a hole with JB Weld, then thread a screw lubed with vaseline into the hole. Scrape off the extra, wait till it sets then back the screw out. Pretty strong connection.
Trackrig
Explorer II
Jun 19, 2015
I would also use slightly longer screws for a tighter grip. The short screws are OK for use in a stick built house that's just sitting there, but all of the bouncing going down the road would benefit from a longer screw.

Bill
hedge
Explorer
Jun 19, 2015
I'd drill it out larger like 3/8 or so then glue in a piece of dowel and then pre-drill for the new screw hole

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On repairing cabinet door hinge screw holes

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