Doors can be durable, but you can’t deny that they aren’t invulnerable. More often than not, you can get a hole in your door, by accident or by someone purposely punching it.
Either way, you’d need to repair it correctly.
Below are ten ways you can cover up a hole in your door.
1. Stuffing And Filling
This method works for hollow doors, and here’s what to do:
1. Scrap out any loose plywood on the edges of the hole using the utility knife
2. Stuff the hole with paper towels.
3. To cover up any remaining air spaces in the hole, apply expanding foam insulation and allow it to dry
4. Apply a mixture of auto-body filler and a hardener catalyst. Smear the mix to be sure to cover all the holes, and allow it to harden (that shouldn’t take too long)
4. Sand the filler and any leftover expanding foam or filler stuck to the plywood door material around the edges with 100-grit sandpaper.
5. Apply some sparkle over the smooth patch surface
6. Finally, paint the patched surface with the same color paint as the rest of the door. You could also opt to paint the entire door.
2. Chemical Filling
If you’ve got a solid core wood door, it usually won’t get damaged, but if that happens, then there is a remedy. Here’s what you can do
Step 1. Use the wood filler to fill the hole, slightly concave the patch.
Step 2. Cover the repair using c-clamps until the filler dries out.
Step 3. Remove the C-clamp when the filler dries and apply joint drywall compound all over the repair.
Step 4. Sand, the patched area, when dry to achieve a smooth surface.
Step 5. Paint over the repaired area.
3. Using Wood Hardener
If you’ve got an exterior door that has been damaged by rot, then here’s what you can do:
Step 1. Scrap out the rotten area using the utility knife.
Step 2. Use a hot air gun to dry the damaged area
Step 3. Apply wood hardener to the damaged area and allow it to dry.
Step 4. Fill with a patch with an exterior wood filler and allow it to harden.
Step 5. Sand-smooth the entire area.
Step 6. Repaint the patched area.
4. Wood patch
For wood doors, this might work, depending on the design of the door and the patch. Here’s what to do
Step 1. Scrap out any loose plywood on the edges of the hole using the utility knife
Step 2. Get a piece of plywood and carve out a suitable shape of your choice. Do this again to get two identical shapes and sizes of wood. Ensure the wood shape is larger than the size of the hole.
Step 3. Using a solid wood adhesive, stick the wood as a patch over the door on both sides – inside and out
Step 4. Sand the edges of the patch to ensure a smooth finish.
Step 5. Paint over the entire door
5. Wood Fitting
Similar to the previous approach, this method works for hollow wooden doors. Here’s what to do:
Step 1. Scrap out any loose plywood on the edges of the hole using the utility knife
Step 2. Shape the spot on both sides of the door to a rectangle or square, preferably of specific dimensions
Step 3. Carve out two pieces of plywood with the exact dimensions of the hole.
Step 4. Apply an adhesive to the edges of these pieces of wood and fit them into the holes on the door. Ensure they sit into the hole without any spaces in-between. Allow the adhesive to set.
Step 5. Sand over the hole to ensure a smooth fitting of the hole.
Step 6. Paint over the entire door.
6. Wallpaper Covering
This is a no-brainer approach to the problem. Apply a wallpaper wood look-alike over the entire door or the area affected. Just be sure to do this for both sides of the door.
This would work quite well when there’s not much touching of the door’s body. This is, of course, a cheaper alternative for someone who isn’t handy and wants a quick fix.
7. Furniture Or Portrait Coverings
Similar to the previous point, this approach could work if the hole is on the interior part of the door or the affected door is in the home’s interior features.
You could have a mirror or your portraits over the hole to cover it up—no one (but you or anyone who removes the painting) know there’s a hole there.
8. Drywall Cement
This approach may be the way to go for a temporal; fix to the solution. Here’s what to do:
Step 1. Scrap out any loose plywood on the edges of the hole using a utility knife
Step 2. Place gauze over the hole
Step 3. Apply drywall cement over the gauze and allow it to set.
Step 4. Sand over the patch softly for a fine surface.
Step 5. Paint over the patch
9. Using a Wall Patch
With the right door, you could get away with using a wall patch to cover a hole.
Peel off the patch, apply it over the hole in the door, and allow it to set. You can then repaint the patch, and it’s all done.
10. Paint Over Paper
Stick some cardboard paper over the hole and paint it to cover it up for this method. But for this to work, the gap has to be relatively small.
If you have some spare white paper lying around and you can find paint to match the door, this is a temporary fix that could help.
We recommend checking out our complete bedroom guide if you’re looking for more bedroom fixes and ways to make your bedroom look better.
Conclusion
We’ve compiled a complete list of frequently asked bedroom questions for new and experienced homeowners. If you’re interested in matching bedroom doors, you can check out this article.
Our experts answer these questions to help you through DIY projects and home repairs.
For over a decade, Robin has been a real estate agent, interior design specialist, and mother. Through her trials and tribulations, she wanted to create the perfect website to help you save money and make your home look beautiful.