A damaged door might not need to be replaced when you have the know-how to fix it
A damaged door can be more than an annoyance—it can stop working properly, look unsightly, or even allow unwanted access to your home. In some cases, you’re better off replacing rather than repairing a damaged door. But for minor damage, especially to interior doors, you can tackle the problem yourself. Learn how to fix a broken door to keep it working and looking like new.
Chipped paint, minor cracks, dents, and scratches are common on doors. Luckily, these problems are inexpensive to fix, as long as you have the right tools, like a putty knife, wood putty, or filler and sandpaper.
If your wood door has developed a crack, you can fix it with wood filler or wood putty. Choose wood putty for small, barely noticeable cracks and wood filler for larger ones.
Apply the putty or filler to the crack using a putty knife, filling the entire gap.
Let the filler dry completely, according to the package instructions.
Sand the filler so that it’s flush with the rest of the door’s surface.
Prime and paint or stain the repair. Larger cracks may require you to repaint the entire door for an even finish.
A kicked-in door usually involves damage to the door frame, so it may be worth the cost to replace the door frame if the damage is extensive enough to compromise your home’s security. If the frame just has a small crack or a small area of splintered or loose wood, though, you may be able to repair it yourself.
Remove the metal catch or strike hardware from the frame if the damage is in that area.
Identify any splintered or loose pieces of wood that are preventing the door from opening and closing properly.
Remove any chipped wood or smaller splinters from the cracked area.
Apply wood glue with a putty knife to the wood that’s been split.
Clamp the split wood together and allow the glue to fully dry.
Remove the clamps and sand the glued area.
Repaint or restain, if needed.
Remount the door catch or strike hardware.
Doors can get dented with everyday use, but small dents in wood doors can be easily fixed. Keep in mind that larger dents are much more difficult to repair and may leave an obvious mismatched area. For large dents, door replacement may be a better option.
To fix a small dent, follow these steps:
Clean any loose wood from the dented area and brush out the dent to ensure no dust remains.
Mix together two parts of wood epoxy with a paint stirrer or other disposable tool.
Fill the dent with the epoxy, leaving the surface of the epoxy just slightly lower than the door’s surface.
Let the epoxy fully set according to the package instructions.
Fill the remaining exposed dented area with paintable wood filler and use a putty knife to make the surface of the dent level with the surface of the door.
Let the filler fully dry.
Prime and paint or stain the patch, or repaint or restain the entire door for a more consistent finish.
Doors can become damaged in a number of ways. They can crack from heavy use or age, become dented from an impact, or may have been kicked in or forced open. Depending on the extent of the damage to your door, it may make more sense to repair rather than replace the door. If your door is sticking or isn’t level, you may find it necessary to learn how to fix a sagging door or how to fix a stuck door, which may be a more straightforward fix than repairing a broken door.
Over time and with frequent use, a door’s parts will break down. When repairs become frequent or too costly or if cracks, dents, and rot are extensive, it may be time to replace the door altogether.
A warped door also needs to be replaced, as does one that expands and contracts too much in climate extremes. Drafts and gaps around a door will not only make you feel chilly, but they’ll also drive up your energy bills. A new door will keep your utility bills low and you comfortable.
Once your door is fixed, you’ll want to maintain it to prevent further damage and keep it working smoothly. Here are a few maintenance tasks to tackle:
Regularly dust and clean the door, and inspect it for the beginnings of new cracks.
If your wood door is stained, apply furniture polish or wax to keep the wood hydrated.
Periodically tighten hinge screws to prevent problems that can come from loose hardware, such as sticking, hanging crooked, or damaged hinges.
Lubricate hinges and door hardware to keep them working smoothly.
Minor door damage can often be repaired with some DIY know-how and a little spare time. For more seriously broken doors, it may be a good idea to hire a local door repair service. When the safety and security of your home—and everyone in it—is at risk from a damaged door, you may find the door repair cost, and the peace of mind that comes with knowing the more complicated fixes have been done correctly, worth it.
Repairing a broken door is relatively inexpensive. The cost depends on the extent of the damage, labor, materials, and disposal of broken pieces of the door. For small fixes like holes, dings, and dents, you may pay as little as $50. However, that number can jump as high as $700 for door frame alterations. On average, fixing a broken door costs about $237.
When breaking down this cost, labor accounts for about 70% to 90% of the total, and materials are about 10% to 25%. Disposal fees are usually no more than $20.
Rachel Hoffman contributed to this piece.
Whether you should fix or replace a door depends on the extent of the damage and whether your home’s security is compromised. For large areas of damage, significant damage near the door’s hardware, or damage that doesn’t allow the door to close or lock properly, the cost of replacing the door is a better investment than trying to repair it.
If the frame remains undamaged and the replacement door is the same size as the original, you can replace a door without replacing the frame. However, you may need to move the hardware to match the placement on the new door. If the door frame is damaged, warped, or not square, you’re better off replacing both the door and the frame.
