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Fixing screw holes on a steel door

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#26 ·
#28 · (Edited)
Leo G said:
Why? I countersunk a SS hinge deeper and it was pretty easy.

Click to expand...
Many stainless steel parts have a hard grade of stainless and I believe a cobalt drill is needed
My father in law was a machinist and told me about it when I had some holes to drill

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#35 ·
Steel wool + steel stik or jb weld. Putting a pick or nailset in hole at an angle and fouling the thread slightly to make threads catch is key. Firing off a brazing rod and redrilling/tapping was not uncommon when i worked for the state as a last resort.
 
#36 ·
All the steel or fiberglass skinned doors are the same: There is a wood frame around the perimeter , with the rest of the space filled with foam and then the metal or fiberglass skins are attached to that wood frame. You can think of the door a bit like a framed piece of wall: you build a wood frame of studs and then you cover both sides of the studs with Sheetrock.

So the hinges of the door screw into that wood frame. If screws are stripped and pulling out- then treat it like you would any other stripped wood frame\door: toothpicks\golf tees\wood glue, epoxy and wood dowel repair, or plastic wood filler plug etc.
 
#37 ·
If I correctly understand everything so far, & based on what I've seen myself, I'm assuming the place that's stripped is either 1) the metal wrapping the door (a continuous surface above & below the hinge) with or without something behind it, or 2) a notched place in the surface where the hinge fits with a strip of metal behind it where the screws go in.

This idea is a little more invasive, so maybe try some of the other suggestions first.

Cut out the stripped metal to match the footprint of the hinge on the edge of the door. Cut a strip of metal (as thick as you want) to exactly fit the width of the cutout. Make it longer than the cutout by at least a couple of inches in both directions (above & below). You're gonna insert this piece in the cutout with the extra legnth above & below where the hinge goes, but you need to prepare it first.

Drill & tap 4 (or more) holes (2 up, 2 down) sized for screws maybe 1 or 2 sizes larger than the hinge screws. Drill oversized countersink on those holes. Position this piece on the outside surface exactly where it will be inside the door. Mark & drill through holes for the screws.

Devise a way to hold the prepared strip so you won't lose it inside the door-maybe a strip of duct tape around it creating a tab on the front. Insert the strip & fasten with the chosen cone-head screws. If you're really lucky, driving the screws in with a small impact drill will dimple the outside surface into the oversized countersink holes in the prepared strip so the screws are close enough to flush. You might have to persuade those dimples. Maybe take out 1 screw at a time & use a punch or ball peen hammer. You might have to pull the piece out & enlarge the countersinks.

Once this new backing plate is in, mark holes for the hinge, drill & tap for hinge screws. I thought about drilling the hinge holes before inserting the piece, but without the accuracy of a machinist I couldn't be sure they'd line up right.

There are certainly a lot of variables & adjustments when doing the actual work. I tried to lay it out so you could consider if & how it would work in your specific situation.

Because this is long, I'll just stop there. Good luck.
Eddie
Retired installer of lots of stuff
 
#38 ·
rrk said:
Commercial metal doors have no wood at all, just a double thickness metal plate at hinge locations
Weld, drill retap
Click to expand...
On commercial hollow metal doors and frames we used too weld and tap and then we learned about rivet nuts. Drill a 3/8" hole, insert the rivet nut to accept the 12-24 hing screws. We also use larger 1/4-20 when we attach closers to aluminum doors and frames.

Edit: sorry I didn't read the posts on page two before I posted the above.
 
#39 ·
GCTony said:
On commercial hollow metal doors and frames we used too weld and tap and then we learned about rivet nuts. Drill a 3/8" hole, insert the rivet nut to accept the 12-24 hing screws. We also use larger 1/4-20 when we attach closers to aluminum doors and frames.

Edit: sorry I didn't read the posts on page two before I posted the above.
Click to expand...
I guess I just have not come across the right rivet nuts, I have the tool
 
#40 ·
You’re right that simply using larger screws isn’t a great long-term fix. Since the door is steel with a foam core, here are a few better options:

✅ Rivet Nuts (Nutserts) – This is one of the best solutions. You drill out the hole slightly larger, insert a threaded rivet nut, and then you can use machine screws for a secure hold.
✅ Threaded Inserts (Like Helicoils) – If you can find small enough ones, they can reinforce the existing threads and allow you to reuse standard screws.
✅ Epoxy + Matchstick/Dowel Trick – A temporary fix is filling the hole with JB Weld or a metal epoxy, inserting a wooden matchstick or dowel for grip, then redrilling the hole for a fresh thread.
✅ Metal Toggle Anchors – If there’s enough room inside the door, a toggle bolt or molly anchor could provide a strong hold.

A plastic plug would likely spin unless it’s specifically designed for metal applications. If you want a permanent fix, rivet nuts are the way to go.
 
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