help with internal door hinge that keeps working loose - NOW FALLEN OFF ITS HINGES! -now fixed

silvercar

I have an internal door, held by 2 hinges each having 3 screws. The bottom hinge holds fine, the top one works itself loose every few months. Each time I put in some matchsticks and it holds again - for a few months. Any advice to stop this happening? 

grumbler

I think this usually happens when hinges aren't aligned correctly, especially if there are three of them, not two.

I'd try longer screws.

silvercar

grumbler said:

I think this usually happens when hinges aren't aligned correctly, especially if there are three of them, not two.

I'd try longer screws.

only 2 hinges, 3 screws in each. I have put in the longest screws I could find that fitted the hinge.

Bendy_House

Have you embedded the matchsticks in PVA? And then a smear of PVA on the screw thread before driving it home - it'll help bond it, stop it undoing, but can still be unscrewed when needed.

Plenty of PVA, firmly tap in some splinters or matchsticks, and repeat until the hole it actually filled. Use a craft knife or similar to slice off the excess, flush (you can do this after the PVA has dried).

Use a bradawl (or thin nail or screwdriver) to start off the new screw hole in the correct position in this dried mash, and screw away - with a wipe of further PVA on the thread.

FreeBear

Matchsticks are made from cheap, low grade wood. Try something a little harder - I've used bamboo kebab skewers in the past.

silvercar

Bendy_House said:

Have you embedded the matchsticks in PVA? And then a smear of PVA on the screw thread before driving it home - it'll help bond it, stop it undoing, but can still be unscrewed when needed.

Plenty of PVA, firmly tap in some splinters or matchsticks, and repeat until the hole it actually filled. Use a craft knife or similar to slice off the excess, flush (you can do this after the PVA has dried).

Use a bradawl (or thin nail or screwdriver) to start off the new screw hole in the correct position in this dried mash, and screw away - with a wipe of further PVA on the thread.

Do I need to wait for the PVA to dry before screwing the hinge back on?

grumbler

silvercar said:

Bendy_House said:

Have you embedded the matchsticks in PVA? And then a smear of PVA on the screw thread before driving it home - it'll help bond it, stop it undoing, but can still be unscrewed when needed.

Plenty of PVA, firmly tap in some splinters or matchsticks, and repeat until the hole it actually filled. Use a craft knife or similar to slice off the excess, flush (you can do this after the PVA has dried).

Use a bradawl (or thin nail or screwdriver) to start off the new screw hole in the correct position in this dried mash, and screw away - with a wipe of further PVA on the thread.

Do I need to wait for the PVA to dry before screwing the hinge back on?

On the matchsticks - yes. Otherwise you are likely to be unable to remove the screw later. And I'd be careful with smearing the screw for the same reason.

Apodemus

In addition to the above advice, have a really good look at how the door works as it opens and closes.  If there is anything at all making the movement of one hinge different from the other, particularly the point where the door reaches fully open or fully closed, you can get quite large leverage forces on one of the hinges, forcing the screws out.   I have this on a cupboard door, caused by nothing more than the cornflakes box sometimes being mis-aligned on the bottom shelf.

silvercar

Apodemus said:

In addition to the above advice, have a really good look at how the door works as it opens and closes.  If there is anything at all making the movement of one hinge different from the other, particularly the point where the door reaches fully open or fully closed, you can get quite large leverage forces on one of the hinges, forcing the screws out.   I have this on a cupboard door, caused by nothing more than the cornflakes box sometimes being mis-aligned on the bottom shelf.

I looked at this, there is really nothing in the way of the door.

silvercar

This is the hinge when it has moved out and become loose.

GDB2222

Use some small wall plugs in the holes. It’s like your idea of match sticks, but they are plastic and hold together better.