# No holes to screw in a door strike plate.



## kennykenny (Sep 23, 2007)

I have been attempting to fix a deadbolt hole and strike plate. When the door was installed(when the house was built) the wood in the casing that the strike plate was installed on was all chopped up and there is not much good intact wood left to screw the strike plate to the casing. I have been attempting to use Elmers interior wood filler to give me something to screw in to but the filler just crumbles and falls out and leaves me, once again, nothing to screw in to. Can anyone suggest anything to hopefully fix by problem? Is there a another kind of filler to use that works better? Or something other than filler? 

Thanks for your help.


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## rjniles (Feb 5, 2007)

Wood glue and toothpicks or a golf tee.


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## ryansdiydad (Aug 16, 2015)

Yes.. I was going to say the same.. If it's just the holes you are trying to fill.. I have used the toothpick trick on a door before.. Thou a picture would help..


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## ChuckF. (Aug 25, 2013)

If the rotten area is bigger than that, drill large holes and glue wooden dowel stick into it. Home centers have dowel.


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## kennykenny (Sep 23, 2007)

ChuckF. said:


> If the rotten area is bigger than that, drill large holes and glue wooden dowel stick into it. Home centers have dowel.


The area is pretty big. Not much area to really glue the dowel rod on to. That is why I have been attempting to build up an area with wood filler. I get the dowel rod idea but do I just glue one dowel on top of another until it drops down low enough to get to the hole area in the strike plate?


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## ChuckF. (Aug 25, 2013)

Sounds bad. Maybe post a picture. You might have to chisel out a rectangle like you do for a hinge but much deeper, and cut a piece of wood to insert.


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

It sounds like you are trying to repair the wood for the useless 3/4 inch screws that hold the strike plate to the casing. Best thing is to get 3 inch screws that will go thru the casing and into the studs.


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## kennykenny (Sep 23, 2007)

Oso954 said:


> It sounds like you are trying to repair the wood for the useless 3/4 inch screws that hold the strike plate to the casing. Best thing is to get 3 inch screws that will go thru the casing and into the studs.


On the back side of the hole is a sidelight window, so I can't use to extra long screws. I have attached a picture of the hole. The majority of the areas above and below the deadbolt hole is being held together using the wood filler that I mentioned. Thus in the picture it doesn't look as bad as it is to screw in to. There is enough wood available that I can put the strike plate on to, it is just not enough firm wood to screw in to.


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

If it was me (and since I have the tools......)

I would drill out that area.....I mean, really drill it out....oversized. Then take my router or moto tool and make a nice rectangular cavity....and then cut a block of wood (not pine, but poplar or a harder wood like birch or oak) to fit into that cavity. Nice snug fit. Then glue that baby in. Once it's dry, cut the hole for your bolt....attach plate.


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

Or............just replace the door. That door looks pretty old.


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## kennykenny (Sep 23, 2007)

ddawg16 said:


> If it was me (and since I have the tools......)
> 
> I would drill out that area.....I mean, really drill it out....oversized. Then take my router or moto tool and make a nice rectangular cavity....and then cut a block of wood (not pine, but poplar or a harder wood like birch or oak) to fit into that cavity. Nice snug fit. Then glue that baby in. Once it's dry, cut the hole for your bolt....attach plate.


 
Your idea sounds like the way to go but I don't have those tools. 

The door is only 4 years old. The picture makes it look a lot worse.


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## Druidia (Oct 9, 2011)

Even if you don't have power tools, you can still do it with a chisel. It's slower but doable. Then cut out your 
hardwood piece with a hand saw.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

Purchase this pair of wood chisels to chisel out all that mucky puck putty. If you don't have a hammer a 10" long piece of 2x2 will suffice. When you get back to good solid wood and have a nice rectangle hole glue in a wood filler. Allow to dry for 24 hours and continue.

When finished re sell them.


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## ZZZZZ (Oct 1, 2014)

ddawg16 said:


> If it was me (and since I have the tools......)
> 
> I would drill out that area.....I mean, really drill it out....oversized. Then take my router or moto tool and make a nice rectangular cavity....and then cut a block of wood (not pine, but poplar or a harder wood like birch or oak) to fit into that cavity. Nice snug fit. Then glue that baby in. Once it's dry, cut the hole for your bolt....attach plate.


Tommy makes the Dutchman patch look easy to do. :smile:

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/tv/video/0,,20964007,00.html


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## ChuckF. (Aug 25, 2013)

Once you get that wood looking a little better, find yourself a much wider strike so that your screws go into new wood:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Prime-Li...Plated-Deadbolt-Strike-Plate-U-9535/100189229


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## kennykenny (Sep 23, 2007)

All great ideas! Everyone has convinced me the cutting out the hole and gluing a piece of wood back into the opening is probably the answer. A question, I am assuming that there will be backing on the sides/top to glue the new wood to once I cut out the opening? Suggestions on the type of wood to use to fill in the opening and where can I purchase small remnants of wood to use for this without having to buy a whole big piece? Thanks again for all of the suggestions/help!


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

If you don't have a wood source your pharmacy should have wooden tongue depressors. Cut them for a close fit with your chisel. Glue them in stacked until the thickness is achieved + a little and shave off the excess that protrudes.


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## rjniles (Feb 5, 2007)

SeniorSitizen said:


> If you don't have a wood source your pharmacy should have wooden tongue depressors. Cut them for a close fit with your chisel. Glue them in stacked until the thickness is achieved + a little and shave off the excess that protrudes.


That sucks. How much can a clear 8 foot 1x4 cost? Might find a smaller piece in the cut off bin at the Depot.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

rjniles said:


> That sucks. How much can a clear 8 foot 1x4 cost? Might find a smaller piece in the cut off bin at the Depot.


Sure, I would use wood that's harder than tongue depressors but he has no tools to cut boards.


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## kennykenny (Sep 23, 2007)

rjniles said:


> That sucks. How much can a clear 8 foot 1x4 cost? Might find a smaller piece in the cut off bin at the Depot.


A clear 8 foot 1x4 of what kind of wood?


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## MT Stringer (Oct 19, 2008)

Most of the home centers carry shorter pieces of wood in several species such as poplar, red oak, pine.


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## kennykenny (Sep 23, 2007)

MT Stringer said:


> Most of the home centers carry shorter pieces of wood in several species such as poplar, red oak, pine.


would pine be too soft of a wood to use?


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## ChuckF. (Aug 25, 2013)

When you buy a board at the home centers they generally do two cuts for you on their panel saw or their radial arm saw for free. There will also be a hand saw in a miter box in the moulding area that you can use yourself to cut. Which board to choose depends on what thickness you need because that is much harder to cut.


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

kennykenny said:


> would pine be too soft of a wood to use?


I would NOT use pine. It's a very soft wood.

I think the easiest is using the large dowels. HD carries it....and it's usually popular or something harder. And it's easy to find a matching drill bit. 

I would suggest at least 1.5-2" deep.


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## kennykenny (Sep 23, 2007)

ddawg16 said:


> I would NOT use pine. It's a very soft wood.
> 
> I think the easiest is using the large dowels. HD carries it....and it's usually popular or something harder. And it's easy to find a matching drill bit.
> 
> I would suggest at least 1.5-2" deep.


I have a sidelight window directly behind the deadbolt area that I would be drilling out so I can't go that deep. I believe that the board that I'm drilling out is 1 1/4' thick.


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## Druidia (Oct 9, 2011)

1 x 2" red oak boards, sold by linear foot
http://www.homedepot.com/p/unbranded-1-in-x-2-in-x-Random-Length-Red-Oak-Board-129220/206374152

Stack if you need thicker. You can also get boards that are thinner.

If you don't want to cut at the store, you can get this:
Stanley miter box with saw
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Stanley-Deluxe-Miter-Box-with-Saw-20-600D/100034395


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## kennykenny (Sep 23, 2007)

What size hole saw(or spade bit) do I use to drill out the new deadbolt hole in the new wood?


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## ChuckF. (Aug 25, 2013)

Your object cannot be to drill out or remove much more than half of the thickness of the doorjamb, which if it is like my door with sidelights is about 1" thick. If you remove more than that you will create a weak spot in the jamb and the first time someone pushes on the locked door it will all fall apart.

Also look at 'craft wood' in the home centers which I believe is 1/2" thick or less.


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