# Door not sealing due to worn out screw holes for strike plate.



## nilanjan (Mar 4, 2013)

Hi

Please see the pictures in the attachment. This is the door to my garage and it is not sealing properly. It's been like this since we moved in a while ago. I have tried using insulation foam as long term temporary fix but now I'm looking for a better fix. This is the door that gets used the most as we enter and exit the home via the garage. The screw holes in the strike plate are worn. 

Aside from a new door what would be an easy fix? Is it possible to replace the wood that the strike plate screws onto?

Thanks again!!




































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## Guap0_ (Dec 2, 2017)

You can try some anchors to hold the strike plate.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

Get yourself some yellow wood glue and a few golf tees. Glue them and stick then in the holes, smaller holes can be filled with a mess of tooth picks. Cut them off with a box knife and screw in the striker plate.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Nealtw said:


> Get yourself some yellow wood glue and a few golf tees. Glue them and stick then in the holes, smaller holes can be filled with a mess of tooth picks. Cut them off with a box knife and screw in the striker plate.


Ya beat me.

Done that several times, works very well, just do not overtighten the screws again.


ED


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

Get rid of the extra seal at the striker plate. It is not needed. If it needs to be a tighter close, stick a screw driver into the tabbed slot inside the metal striker and pry it out slightly. That is what it is there for, but most folks don't know that. It will increase the tightness of how the door closes without having to move the plate.


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## ddsrph (Nov 23, 2013)

Another good way to fix screw holes
Is to drill 1/4 inch hole and use glue and drive in a short piece of 1/4 inch hardwood dowel.


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## JasperST (Sep 7, 2012)

I would replace the jam, that's been all hacked up.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

ddsrph said:


> Another good way to fix screw holes
> Is to drill 1/4 inch hole and use glue and drive in a short piece of 1/4 inch hardwood dowel.


That's how I would do it with one exception. Nearly all 1/4" purchased dowels are out of round and smaller than 1/4" so I would recommend a 15/64" hole to be bored.


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## CodeMatters (Aug 16, 2017)

I've used a couple of the methods above with reasonable success. Actually 
had the best result with the simplest method: drill out just enough for next 
size up of blue rawl plug. Thought when I did it it would be stop gap till 
better weather but it's now been 3 years with no problems.


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## nilanjan (Mar 4, 2013)

Thanks for all the great suggestions. I like the drill a hole and insert wooden dowel method. I have all the hardware for that except the glue. Except in my case the if I make the top hole bigger there would be no wood under it for supporting the dowel. Not sure if the glue alone would be enough. 


The door jam is kind of all beat and a thought did cross my mind to remove and replace the door jam. I did a YouTube search on that. Seems like a 'half day' project for someone who does this frequently but I'd rather not take that route yet. 

I did see a video where someone bought a door strike plate that is longer / taller for this kind of repair. 
I would have to make new screw holes and maybe chisel out the jamb for fitting the new strike plate. Maybe this can be a back up plan.


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

If you go the longer strike route, I'd use a box strike for better security.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Prime-Line-Brass-Armored-Security-Strike-Plate-U-9539/100140515

The two other things I'd check are the door and hinges. I think minimum code requires that door to be 1-3/8 inch thick solid wood, honeycomb steel, or 20 minute fire rated. It should have self closing hinges. (You should check the code for your area,some have stiffer requirements.)

Even if the door is grandfathered, I think the additional fire and CO protection make upgrading the door between house/garage to current code worthwhile.


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## badtheba (Jul 3, 2011)

That looks like a good candidate for a steel jamb repair kit.

I have also used the wood glue method with great success, although for me it is most often toothpicks or match sticks that I make the plug out of.


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## hkstroud (Mar 17, 2011)

I agree with chandler. Get rid of that extra insulation. Bend the tab of the strike (toward the closed side of the jam) . That will make door close and latch tighter.
You can use small slivers of wood in the screw holes. I don't care if it is tooth picks, match sticks or a small sliver of wood you carved off your wife's jewellery box.

The first thing I would try is using a longer screw of the same size or the next size up.

I recently had a woman call me about 7 o'clock in the evening. She was all upset because she couldn't lock her front door. A screw in the strike plate had backed out preventing her from closing the door. 

I went with a couple longer screws in my pocket. One screw hole was stripped and the screw had partially vibrated out. She couldn't close the door.

She go so excited that she was hugging me before I could finish screwing the screw in. Now I mean that literally. I had to stop let her hug me and then finish running the screw in.

You aren't going to be remaking that jam. The jam and the stop are all one piece of material. Their combine thickness is either 1 1/8" of 1 1/4". You would need certain woodworking tools and experience to make a replacement part even if you could find the material. You might be able to buy a replacement jam but then you would have to rehang the door. Letting in for the hinges and getting them in the correct place is not easy.

That looks like a steel door to me but I could be wrong.

PS
There appears to be an extra piece of material added to the inside edge of that jam (between the jam and the molding). Probably to adjust for the fact that this is a fire wall.


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## badtheba (Jul 3, 2011)

Oso954 said:


> It should have self closing hinges.


I haven't seen that requirement in place anywhere around here, at least for residential attached garages. Is it commonplace? Of course I never look at code books, I just ask contractors and architects in my contact list when I have a question regarding codes.


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## Mike Milam (Mar 3, 2017)

A friend of mine has a house built in 1956 and has steel door frames throughout the house. Completely new to me. Never saw these is homes, only in businesses. Her bathroom door striker screws were stripped out. I ended up using 3.5 inch drywall screws before I reached the stud.

On this one, if you don't 'Have' to lock this door at night, I would drill the holes out to 1/4 inch and cut dowel rod and glue it in. Let it dry over night and drill for the correct size the next day and call it good.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

I did not know they had steel in 1056, much less make door frames with it.

:devil3: Sure hope that was just a typo.


ED


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## Mike Milam (Mar 3, 2017)

de-nagorg said:


> I did not know they had steel in 1056, much less make door frames with it.
> 
> :devil3: Sure hope that was just a typo.
> 
> ...


Good catch, thanks. Edit done.


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

> I haven't seen that requirement in place anywhere around here, at least for residential attached garages.


If you are an IRC State, it’s a requirement.

R302.5.1 Opening protection. Openings from a private garage directly into a room used for sleeping purposes shall not be permitted. Other openings between the garage and residence shall be equipped with solid wood doors not less than 1-3/8 inches (35 mm) in thickness, solid or honeycomb-core steel doors not less than 1-3/8 inches (35 mm) thick, or 20-minute fire-rated doors, equipped with a selfclosing device.

Even if it’s not code in your area, it a damn good idea. It helps control the spread of fire. It can also help control the spread of carbon monoxide.

What good is a fire separation wall between the garage and dwelling if people leave the door open ?


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## rjgogo (Nov 12, 2008)

de-nagorg said:


> I did not know they had steel in 1056, much less make door frames with it.
> 
> :devil3: Sure hope that was just a typo.
> 
> ...


They did have it then and actually much earlier. From Wikipedia

The earliest known production of steel are pieces of ironware excavated from an archaeological site in Anatolia (Kaman-Kalehoyuk) and are nearly 4,000 years old, dating from 1800 BC.[19][20] Horace identifies steel weapons such as the falcata in the Iberian Peninsula, while Noric steel was used by the Roman military.[21]


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## KPDMinc (Nov 7, 2016)

Oso954 said:


> If you are an IRC State, it’s a requirement.
> 
> R302.5.1 Opening protection. Openings from a private garage directly into a room used for sleeping purposes shall not be permitted. Other openings between the garage and residence shall be equipped with solid wood doors not less than 1-3/8 inches (35 mm) in thickness, solid or honeycomb-core steel doors not less than 1-3/8 inches (35 mm) thick, or 20-minute fire-rated doors, equipped with a selfclosing device.
> 
> ...



Another thing people overlook is painting over the fire rating decal or plate on the side of the door. Was told once this is a NO NO...


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