I patched a hollow door one time with bondo. I left the punched in remains in the door and just applied the filler over it, no spray foam. Let it dry and sanded it smooth and it looked perfect and never cracked. It still looked perfect 10 years later when I sold the house.
This has nothing to do with this video in particular. But I recently started fixing all the holes, dents, and dings in my home. I stumbled upon your channel randomly and I just have to say I sincerely thank you for showing us all of your knowledge and expertise. I seriously love your channel it has helped me so much. You have definitely helped build my confidence with drywall and especially working with compound! I’m definitely not great at repairing drywall but I definitely got so so much better. I especially love that you show your mistakes because it shows that we’re all human and mistakes happen. It helped me to be a lot nicer and easier on myself while repairing drywall. So thank you so much for being so genuine and easy to learn from!
"Acknowledging that using spray-foam is a hack to fix the door" Thank you very much. Yes. The only way that I know of, for a perfect job to "fix" a hollow-core door is to replace it. Thank you for your refreshing honesty.
0:44 YEP, THANK YOU, BEST ADVICE AND GLAD SAID IT.😊 ¹ 1:23 when we do hollow core door repairs, at homeowners request (knowing best way is new), like using the grey foam for bugs, it’s a closes cell and low expansion and best thing DOESNT COMPRESS when gets hit constantly. Also, very sticky and sticks great inside the door. Than ya door the packing, patching, fixing till get something that “works”, but not gonna be the same, especially if in a direct sunlight room….. 6:50 YES, IT DOES, and not saying how I know 🤦🏼 Great vid, cheers✌🏻 ¹ edited for autocorrect, correcting sentences that MAKE NO SENCE🤦🏼😅
Recently found your channel when searching for tips on proper mudding techniques with drywall, corners, and paper tape. Been watching more of your content since. Excellent presentation of many of the core concepts needed for a DIYer. Thanks a bunch. Just subscribed. Keep the good content coming.
Reminds me of a "how to get rich" seminar I went to back in the 90's. The guy giving the seminar talked about when he almost lost house to the bank, they showed up and put a foreclosure notice on his front door that clearly stated "Do Not Remove Under Penalty Of Law". So he went into his living room and got one of his pictures and put it over the foreclosure notice. He said some of his neighbors even complimented him on the picture on his front door.
when doing spray foam you can tuck a piece of crumpled paper in bottom of the void so the foam doesn't "drip" as you fill up the hole. You can also topcoat the patch with automotive sandable primer. It's got more filler to close up sanding marks and it dries fairly fast. Also, the light grey color will allow you to see if you have a nice edge as you sand.
Done this repair before myself but you are right that it was worth the watch because now I know the best product to use to cover the spray foam. Also was happy to see you say that it's difficult to get flat surfaces flat. Repaired dings in a steel door with Bondo and was really unhappy with the results. Took me forever to try to finesse it and it never got as perfect as it should have been with all the time I spent!
I've fixed a few dents in steel doors, my best luck was sanding it to get a rough texture, and use Ready Patch, and I've even used thick 5 minute hot mud when fixing tiny dents. As long as you prime and paint, it's not going anywhere.
It is possible to use a cabinet skin, attached over the whole door with structural adhesive, sanded and painted. Quicker and adds strength to the door. I have done that at several locations and it was always successful. Easier than replacing the whole door, too.
I've used bondo over spray foam, my repair job was even more of a hack since it was a wood grain textured panel door that had been kicked in on the bottom. It seemed to work pretty well, I didn't worry about it too much since matching the contour of the panel bead and the wood texture would have been basically impossible, and I was cutting a hole for a cat door in it anyways.
I was told bondo swells after absorbing moisture. When using bondo on a car the backside has to be sealed to prevent moisture from getting to the bondo. The bondo gets completely sealed in. Using foam on the backside will keep the bondo from absorbing moisture and swelling. I repaired some hollow doors 2 years ago in an apartment my daughter rents and I can't find where I repaired it. When the hollow doors were cut they left a lot of splintering on the ends. I used bondo on that as well. I used an orbital sander and painted. The doors looked brand new when I was done.
I'm not so sure about bondo swelling from water. I'm not a body man but from what I have been told, proper prep on cars is to use a 180 or rougher grit paper on raw metal for proper adhesion. Then prime and seal over the top.
As a landlord for exactly 50 years , I have tried many different products. The best product is auto bondo. It dries by chemical reaction. I crush newspaper and push it in the hole, so the bondo is contained. I make sure I leave a space all around inside the hole of the door. I do that so that the broken edge is supported. This gives the patch strength and prevents the bondi and the broken edge from separating. I let the bondo harden 24 hours, then I sand smooth. I then spread carpenters glue over the patch and apply a piece of brown paper that is twice the size if the hole. This prevents any cracks from developing around the hole. I then mix up some 5 mins. Hot mud to smooth out and cover the edge of the brown paper. When that is good and dry , I lightly sand it smooth. Apply 2 coats of Bin primer over the whole door, then a finish coat of paint. The patch is stronger than the door was originally, no need to baby it. The patch will not collapse. I dare anyone to tell me where the patch was made. Shine lights, examine it in the sunlight the patch will not show. Auto bondo is not effected by water. I have applied a good auto bondo to fill holes in wood, outside and left it for 2 years , then got back to paint and it was fine. This process had never failed me. Boyfriends and husbands have punched holes in hollow core doors over the years. This method of repair avoids having to cut for hinges and drilling out the holes for the lock and saves the cost of a new door.
The foam expands and contracts more than the rest of the core with temperature. So while it is easily applied and shaped as a backing, it spends the rest of its life jacking your patch back and forth. This is likely why even good patches slowly work their way loose. Using a true wood backing block would probably be a better match to the core plus it would also react similarly to the fiber core material with humidity. Ideally another piece of core could be glued in.
That was extremely helpful! I did a repair on a door with the fancy bevels. It was kicked in. I just used spackle and it looks ok, but definitely some cracks are appearing. You got me to want to redo it.
I'm looking forward to the door replacement video. I had someone ask me for help after they hammered their way through a hollow core door with an exterior doorknob locked in a way they couldn't open. I didn't know what to do -- just a DIYer -- but I'd installed pre-hung doors before, so that was my solution!
This saved me a lot of time. I’ll be replacing the door I thought I’d repair. I’m too much of a perfectionist to live with the patch. I’ll always see it. Lol
Spritz the spray foam with water and it will cure faster. Also: make sure you don't use the "window and door" spray foam. It stays permanently flexible.
Starting at 17:54, always keep your brush dipped to keep the tips from drying out. Even in the short time it took you spot prime the doors, that brush is drying on you, especially if it's a quick dry paint or primer.
I used an old sanding sponge instead of spray foam. The size was a couple inches. I used a debur tool to clean up the damage. Cut the sponge down to size WxH and used plastic wood to repair it. It worked out great.
I’ve used JB weld wood filler epoxy over foam and it worked well enough. No foam melting or over heating. The white putty that you are using looks better and lower hassle than mix epoxy.
Bondo will work fine (old body man years ago here), but probably not any easier/quicker/cheaper than replacing the door if done properly. The fast cure you mentioned is your downfall, Bondo will shrink noticeably within the 24 hours after application. So - glue in a backer, but rough up the backer surface the Bondo will touch - really rough, like 40-60 grit. The rougher the better. Apply one coat the first day, let cure an hour, then sand with pretty coarse grit. Apply a second coat right away if repair is still low, cure an hour, sand. Next day apply a VERY thin coat, let cure another 24 hours, finish sand. For extra credit skim with auto body glaze filler, dry, sand. It will look amazing, but not worth the time and effort unless you're the homeowner with time to spare.
If you have used 2 to 3 pieces of thin wood glued to the back then use Bondo or wood filler to the front, I have been doing this for over 40 years and it great
Yes, I've done it on a home I was selling. My real estate agent couldn't believe I didn't just but a new door. But I wanted to try it and show that it could be done.
For most of these patches, I use Bondo, big fill pass, and then a finish pass, then hit it with an orbital sander and some 150 grit. if it still needs some love at that point, I hit it with the dynapatch and back to the orbital.
I've never patched a hollow door, but using your method, I would have 1) made sure the spray foam covered an area 3-5" larger than the hole, filling the entire inside core so that the actual door stays supported against compression and tension going forward (minimizing the localized movement across the edge transition of the patch material). And 2) ground or sanded the area around the hole down to leave a "relief" to be filled (maybe 40 grit or maybe even a sanding disk on an angle grinder, maybe 2mm relief up to an inch larger than the hole). And 3) MAYBE bedded mesh (using the 6" roofing repair mesh rather than drywall mesh). And 4) used some kind of filler designed for flexible parts, like maybe a style of bondo that specifically won't crack when used on bumper covers (which are subject to constant flex and vibration). Just thinking of the issues you mentioned (which I never considered before) and how they might be overcome.
I have repaired hollow core doors with expanding foam (Door and Window ) low expansion type and Bondo. However, I add one more element to the repair. I will add wood Shim under the door skin and let the foam hold them in place. I use some safety wire to get them into position and once the foam is sturdy enough. I will pull the wire out. Then cover with Bondo. This gives me a better foundation and makes for a better repair.
One needs to glue wood behind the Masonite and in front of the foam. Then apply polyester filler ( bondo) . Drill holes in the wood backing spray in the foam. This method will work.
This was super entertaining to watch - great entertainment. But the real way to go is to spend the $50 to get a new door - there's $300-500 in labor to fix this and 1/10 to toss it. That said, great info, ideas and tech Ben - LOVED this!!
I used bondo and worked out to be excellent for fast and clean job. I did in in my patio so no bad gases. Bondo is the best. You do need to use KILZ or some other primer before you paint.
Ha ha, I really like this video. I put off my past failures to inexperience. As you say a pro who does drywall for a living certainly has the necessary skill set. If you can't get it perfect, I have no chance.
Mate expanding foam is an amazing tool to have, I’ve solved so many internal cracks on walls, staircase string, tape and joint fills etc which were due to movement which we all know is what causes cracks
@@arosepetal2000 I'm not sure, but I think he just knocks any high points down/off...Depending on the type of primer I use, I sometimes get little nubs, so I give the entire surface a light sanding. I have more issues if I use a bonding primer since it's so much thicker.
I did a bunch of closet doors and some exterior doors on this duplex once. I cant recall exactly every patch i did, but something il often do is crumble paper to get some backing and bondo a few coats over it. They came out decent enough,still in use today, but ill tell ya.... The time it took to sand, repair, paint, and rehang... I think a cost/benefit analysis would at best have the homeowner break even on just buying new doors. Precovid anyway. Ill say two things; i wouldnt be scared to bondo over the foam. Its likely going to melt a little bit, but it wont kill you, especially if the doors are pulled and the work is done outdoors. But again, even if you do all this, it might be more prudent to just get new door skin and replace the whole face if the owner really insists on not purchasing new doors. One small patch might be one thing, but a group of them? Not worth the effort.
You may already know about this product but instead of the wood filler you could try bondo glazing and spot putty. Its completely different than the two part bondo that you mix yourself. It comes pre mixed in a little tube and is bright red. It shrinks a ton so its only really good as a final top coat but it sands as smooth as glass.
High end painters use this a lot, as well as commercial guys doing level 5 finish in towers. Using automotive techniques is very popular in woodworking, Fine Woodworking magazine had a monthly contributor on the subject for years. I've never regretted adapting those methods to my arsenal.
I am a landlord. I have been fixing holes in hollow core doors for 45 years. I experimented with many different materials to fill the holes. I wear Vyinal gloves , I mix some bondo then dip newspaper in the bondo . Then when the newspaper is well coated I stick it into the hole. I don’t make a hard ball, I stick it in loosely . When the bondo dries the newspaper will stop the panel from flexing and cracking around the edge of the patch. The newspaper provides the same framework that the honey comb cardboard between the panels. When that dries I apply a couple coats of bondo, letting it dry hard between coats. Let it dry 24 hours. Then sand smooth and prime with bin or spray Kilz. There have been times when I go 1 step further, I cut a piece of silk or rayon scarf bigger than the repair and glue it over the patch . Then skim coat that with hot mud and sand. This patch will never show. Guaranteed. The spray foam is a bad base for a patch. It is weak. Patch will definitely fail in a short time.
@@olivierbourgeois4748 Is the last part necessary to ensure that the patch never shows? I have no experience with hot mud so I'm wondering if I will be fine with just your first steps
fill the hole with high density foam, like loctite foam. cut and sand it flat. knife on some of your favorite finishing compound, like vinyl spackle. Works great.
I cut a hole then use a piece of thin smooth plywood thats too long one way but fits the other. Instead of the foam that can deform over time the wood give a solid surface for the filler and doesn't sink or deform. Haven't seen it done that way on youtube but it works.
@@Glenn_doing_things the strip of wood is held in place with construction glue . So the strip is held from the inside. You hold the strip in place by drilling 2 holes in the middle of the strip and running a string in and out of the holes so that you can tie the string around a piece of wood that you twist tight to draw the wood strip tight against the inside of the door, until the glue dries .
You were working with smooth surface doors and your looked good. What becomes even more challenging and a bit of an eye-sore repair is trying to do the same on a imitation wood grain surface hollow interior doors with raised panels..
Only way I've seen of pulling that off I've seen is a by making a silicone mold of the texture and using it as a stamp, still near impossible and cheaper to buy and paint a new door.
OK - Just realized Dyna Patch is not at any local Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot but seems to be at Canadian Home Depot. What is an equivalent product in the USA? I am in florida.
If you want the best results try spray foam + dynapatch + bondo glazing, then prime/paint. I cut the foam back a bit more and a bit behind the edges so dynapatch is thicker and stronger than what you did.
Decades ago my Dad and I replaced the wood on a hollow core door. I’m not sure if you can still purchase the replacement panels. As I recall, we removed the panel with a putty knife and utility knife, cleaned up the old glue, replied the areas and put the new panel on.
Bond aka short strand fiberglass works well on exterior fiberglass doors, bondo the body filler works well on wood, fiberglass metal etc, anything with a solid base, I'm not a fan of using it over spray foam, never tried it actually. I love Dynapatch, great product ! It can be softened with a touch of water, makes it easy to spread.
It's funny that I've heard you complain about roller covers and lint and crusties in a couple of your videos now. I have found a good rinse, wring, and pat dry with a towel will practically eliminate this problem with new roller covers.
i use foam too but after foaming i cover the hole with blue painters easy release tape then brace a flat block against the patch and wait for it to dry. after the foam is dry i just peel off the tape and its ready to paint without any filling or sanding.
So, it's been asked many times in the comments here, but I'm in the middle of a hole patch and ready to apply something over the dried foam... IS Dyna Patch the same or similar to a vinyl spackling compound? I'm planning to try the spackling unless anyone here screams that it's a really bad idea...
have few dents in the bedroom door, I was thinking about making a small black board on the door (stained not painted). carve a bigger square hole, Laminate few 2 by ti fill, plane flush, paint with blackboard paint and add frame ...
I know you're a busy guy but that door replacement video would be great. Our house has three interior doors which are all 2" above the floor line due to the old shag carpet I removed.
you can also add wood onto the bottoms, sand flush, fill, sand again, repeat as necessary, and paint door multiple coats. if you like the doors that is.
Hey, the easy way is to reskin the door with an entire panel and using some construction glue. Another way is getting bondo - and using fiberglass matt - shred some of the fiberglass and add it to a batch for the hole. get steel mesh - place it in the hold - hold it with a magnet - add construction glue around the edges inside on the steel mesh. use bigger magnets to hold the steel mesh in place until the glue sets. then do the bondo diy kitty hair mix. - mix it HOT and place it on fast. doesnt have to be a thick layer - it dries in an hour - sand it and do another layer without the kitty hair. If you want to do a great job - treat it with a top layer of EVERCOAT - its a smooth and flowing bondo it is not thick like regular bondo. - again just placing an additional panel over the entire door is the easiest and fastest way to fix it - the edges - make sure you strip off the strip of panel and cap it with another piece so there is no lip or edge showing
One thing you aren't accounting for, that will cause you problems down the line... A hollow core door is not strong enough to stay firm throughout it's life. It moves and flexes every time you open and close the door. Doing such a hard, rigid patch is not a good idea. You need something that will flex with the skin of door, but remain attached and not crack loose from the skin. One such product would be Bondo Vinyl Bumper Repair, together with an automotive flexible bumper glazing putty for final fills of pock marks, etc. This would have much better adhesion, and remain flexible throughout the life of the door. As far as my clients are concerned, I will NEVER recommend patching a door. I will ALWAYS recommend a replacement door slab. I can get a brand new door slab at the big orange box store for around $50 (30 inch slab, pricing current post covid), mortise the hinges, cut the lockset in, ,hang it and be cleaned up and gone in less than an hour and a half. Why would I ever try to spend 2 to 3 days doing this at a client's home, or my own? No thanks, my friend... new slabs are cheaper and easier!
Make the hole square and make a backer out of thin plywood that is big enough to span the gap but small enough to go in diagonal. put a hole in the middle of the backer and use that to manipulate it into the hole and glue it in with wood glue. Screw around the edges to hold or just use another piece of wood on the front and screw that on to hold. Once cured cut a plug out of another piece of thin plywood leaving it a little bit of a loose fit on purpose. Use a router to cut into the backing piece so the plug is just slightly recessed then glue the plug to the backer with wood glue. Once cured use DAP Plastic wood on the edges and over the plug surface to level. Sand and then coat with Zinsser BIN shellac based primer and sand again. The patch will not show up in the future as the edges won't have the ability to move independently of each other even if you smack the door right on the patch. I recommend plywood as a plug over Masonite as it sands much easier if you messed up and wound up a bit proud after gluing. The two very specific products mentioned will give a much better result than just using generic filler. On solid core doors where you may be doing something like patching over a dog door the same technique works. In that case you cut your patch out of thicker plywood or MDF and then use that as a template to route around the edge of the existing hole. In this case your making a rabbit to drop the plug into.
Just found your channel, so glad I did! What type of drywall vacuum do you have? I have some home improvements to do & I really like that it's a self cleaning vacuum.
I don't know if it's available in Canada, but Home Depot (and other hardware stores) carry Durham's Rock-Hard Water Putty. It's a cream-colored powder that you mix with water to a thick putty consitency. It's dries hard and is sandable and can be stained or painted. It is non-shrinking. I used it a lot in model railroading decades ago. I think it's similar to Bondo, but water-based. I have never used it in an application like you demonstrate here, but I wouldn't hesitate to try it.
I wonder if you could slide a piece of thin wood into the hole then rotate it so it covers the width and then glue it to the underside of the door. You would need some way to apply force to the wood patch to allow it to adhere but once solid you could apply your patch material and it wouldn’t sink in if you pushed it.
@@vancouvercarpenter please read my method that I explained in detail to another in this column . 50 years success with my method in the apartments, I own.
Would laying the door flat, adding spray foam or some other type of backer in the hole, and then filling in the remainder with resin like they use for waterfall tables work? Maybe that stuff isn't paintable -- haven't worked with it myself -- but it might produce a level surface..?
I patched a hollow door one time with bondo. I left the punched in remains in the door and just applied the filler over it, no spray foam. Let it dry and sanded it smooth and it looked perfect and never cracked. It still looked perfect 10 years later when I sold the house.
Going to try this out !
What did you use for filler? Bondo or spackle?
Thanks 🙏, going to give your method a try
Bondo glass/shims/contact glue all day for these repairs...
This has nothing to do with this video in particular. But I recently started fixing all the holes, dents, and dings in my home. I stumbled upon your channel randomly and I just have to say I sincerely thank you for showing us all of your knowledge and expertise. I seriously love your channel it has helped me so much. You have definitely helped build my confidence with drywall and especially working with compound! I’m definitely not great at repairing drywall but I definitely got so so much better. I especially love that you show your mistakes because it shows that we’re all human and mistakes happen. It helped me to be a lot nicer and easier on myself while repairing drywall. So thank you so much for being so genuine and easy to learn from!
I’ve used bondo over spray foam many times. Works great. I usually use the fiberglass bondo on the first coat for strength.
"Acknowledging that using spray-foam is a hack to fix the door"
Thank you very much. Yes. The only way that I know of, for a perfect job to "fix" a hollow-core door is to replace it.
Thank you for your refreshing honesty.
I really appreciate getting to see your testing methods! That helps give a bigger picture as to how everything works. Thank you!
0:44 YEP, THANK YOU, BEST ADVICE AND GLAD SAID IT.😊 ¹
1:23 when we do hollow core door repairs, at homeowners request (knowing best way is new), like using the grey foam for bugs, it’s a closes cell and low expansion and best thing DOESNT COMPRESS when gets hit constantly. Also, very sticky and sticks great inside the door. Than ya door the packing, patching, fixing till get something that “works”, but not gonna be the same, especially if in a direct sunlight room…..
6:50 YES, IT DOES, and not saying how I know 🤦🏼
Great vid, cheers✌🏻
¹ edited for autocorrect, correcting sentences that MAKE NO SENCE🤦🏼😅
I appreciate the quick synopsis at the beginning. Good vid too.
Recently found your channel when searching for tips on proper mudding techniques with drywall, corners, and paper tape. Been watching more of your content since. Excellent presentation of many of the core concepts needed for a DIYer. Thanks a bunch. Just subscribed. Keep the good content coming.
Awesome, thank you!
Reminds me of a "how to get rich" seminar I went to back in the 90's. The guy giving the seminar talked about when he almost lost house to the bank, they showed up and put a foreclosure notice on his front door that clearly stated "Do Not Remove Under Penalty Of Law". So he went into his living room and got one of his pictures and put it over the foreclosure notice. He said some of his neighbors even complimented him on the picture on his front door.
when doing spray foam you can tuck a piece of crumpled paper in bottom of the void so the foam doesn't "drip" as you fill up the hole. You can also topcoat the patch with automotive sandable primer. It's got more filler to close up sanding marks and it dries fairly fast. Also, the light grey color will allow you to see if you have a nice edge as you sand.
3:00 I love your honesty! So many people don’t admit fault especially in videos.
I did exactly what you said to do and I'm so happy for the results. Thank you!
Done this repair before myself but you are right that it was worth the watch because now I know the best product to use to cover the spray foam. Also was happy to see you say that it's difficult to get flat surfaces flat. Repaired dings in a steel door with Bondo and was really unhappy with the results. Took me forever to try to finesse it and it never got as perfect as it should have been with all the time I spent!
I've fixed a few dents in steel doors, my best luck was sanding it to get a rough texture, and use Ready Patch, and I've even used thick 5 minute hot mud when fixing tiny dents. As long as you prime and paint, it's not going anywhere.
@@Chris.Rhodes I appreciate that advice! I'll be taking you up on it!
@@blkrainbow1075 good luck! If you don't have any luck, try Rock Hard Water Putty. That stuff is crazy
It is possible to use a cabinet skin, attached over the whole door with structural adhesive, sanded and painted. Quicker and adds strength to the door. I have done that at several locations and it was always successful. Easier than replacing the whole door, too.
You are amazing. Your definitely a Master of All Trades. You deserve your own show on HGTV.
I've used bondo over spray foam, my repair job was even more of a hack since it was a wood grain textured panel door that had been kicked in on the bottom. It seemed to work pretty well, I didn't worry about it too much since matching the contour of the panel bead and the wood texture would have been basically impossible, and I was cutting a hole for a cat door in it anyways.
I took the door off and did it in the garage anyways, since bondo is so stinky.
Fav yt skater helping me fix the hole in my wall😭
I was told bondo swells after absorbing moisture. When using bondo on a car the backside has to be sealed to prevent moisture from getting to the bondo. The bondo gets completely sealed in. Using foam on the backside will keep the bondo from absorbing moisture and swelling.
I repaired some hollow doors 2 years ago in an apartment my daughter rents and I can't find where I repaired it.
When the hollow doors were cut they left a lot of splintering on the ends. I used bondo on that as well. I used an orbital sander and painted. The doors looked brand new when I was done.
Some crazy stuff to use. Two part epoxy. Strong as h*ll stupid hard to sand. Yeah it worked.
This is what I did in one of the apartments that we own Joseph! Worked like a charm and nobody even knows!
I'm not so sure about bondo swelling from water. I'm not a body man but from what I have been told, proper prep on cars is to use a 180 or rougher grit paper on raw metal for proper adhesion. Then prime and seal over the top.
As a landlord for exactly 50 years , I have tried many different products. The best product is auto bondo. It dries by chemical reaction. I crush newspaper and push it in the hole, so the bondo is contained. I make sure I leave a space all around inside the hole of the door. I do that so that the broken edge is supported. This gives the patch strength and prevents the bondi and the broken edge from separating. I let the bondo harden 24 hours, then I sand smooth. I then spread carpenters glue over the patch and apply a piece of brown paper that is twice the size if the hole. This prevents any cracks from developing around the hole. I then mix up some 5 mins. Hot mud to smooth out and cover the edge of the brown paper. When that is good and dry , I lightly sand it smooth. Apply 2 coats of Bin primer over the whole door, then a finish coat of paint. The patch is stronger than the door was originally, no need to baby it. The patch will not collapse. I dare anyone to tell me where the patch was made. Shine lights, examine it in the sunlight the patch will not show.
Auto bondo is not effected by water. I have applied a good auto bondo to fill holes in wood, outside and left it for 2 years , then got back to paint and it was fine. This process had never failed me. Boyfriends and husbands have punched holes in hollow core doors over the years. This method of repair avoids having to cut for hinges and drilling out the holes for the lock and saves the cost of a new door.
Whoever told you that was incorrect, I've used bondo to cover over holes I auto body parts, it hung out just fine as long as you didnt whack it
The foam expands and contracts more than the rest of the core with temperature. So while it is easily applied and shaped as a backing, it spends the rest of its life jacking your patch back and forth. This is likely why even good patches slowly work their way loose. Using a true wood backing block would probably be a better match to the core plus it would also react similarly to the fiber core material with humidity. Ideally another piece of core could be glued in.
That was extremely helpful! I did a repair on a door with the fancy bevels. It was kicked in. I just used spackle and it looks ok, but definitely some cracks are appearing. You got me to want to redo it.
I'm looking forward to the door replacement video. I had someone ask me for help after they hammered their way through a hollow core door with an exterior doorknob locked in a way they couldn't open. I didn't know what to do -- just a DIYer -- but I'd installed pre-hung doors before, so that was my solution!
This saved me a lot of time. I’ll be replacing the door I thought I’d repair. I’m too much of a perfectionist to live with the patch. I’ll always see it. Lol
Absolutely agree. The time alone to fix it is costly. And won't be as good as a new door.
Spritz the spray foam with water and it will cure faster. Also: make sure you don't use the "window and door" spray foam. It stays permanently flexible.
Starting at 17:54, always keep your brush dipped to keep the tips from drying out. Even in the short time it took you spot prime the doors, that brush is drying on you, especially if it's a quick dry paint or primer.
I used an old sanding sponge instead of spray foam. The size was a couple inches. I used a debur tool to clean up the damage. Cut the sponge down to size WxH and used plastic wood to repair it. It worked out great.
I’ve used JB weld wood filler epoxy over foam and it worked well enough. No foam melting or over heating. The white putty that you are using looks better and lower hassle than mix epoxy.
Bondo will work fine (old body man years ago here), but probably not any easier/quicker/cheaper than replacing the door if done properly. The fast cure you mentioned is your downfall, Bondo will shrink noticeably within the 24 hours after application. So - glue in a backer, but rough up the backer surface the Bondo will touch - really rough, like 40-60 grit. The rougher the better. Apply one coat the first day, let cure an hour, then sand with pretty coarse grit. Apply a second coat right away if repair is still low, cure an hour, sand. Next day apply a VERY thin coat, let cure another 24 hours, finish sand. For extra credit skim with auto body glaze filler, dry, sand. It will look amazing, but not worth the time and effort unless you're the homeowner with time to spare.
If you have used 2 to 3 pieces of thin wood glued to the back then use Bondo or wood filler to the front, I have been doing this for over 40 years and it great
Another nice video. I replaced a bathroom door and it's not as easy as it seems. Have to readjust door cut new holes and line things up.
Spray foamed that like button. Not my best work, but it got the job done.
Yes, I've done it on a home I was selling. My real estate agent couldn't believe I didn't just but a new door. But I wanted to try it and show that it could be done.
What did you use?
For most of these patches, I use Bondo, big fill pass, and then a finish pass, then hit it with an orbital sander and some 150 grit. if it still needs some love at that point, I hit it with the dynapatch and back to the orbital.
I've never patched a hollow door, but using your method, I would have 1) made sure the spray foam covered an area 3-5" larger than the hole, filling the entire inside core so that the actual door stays supported against compression and tension going forward (minimizing the localized movement across the edge transition of the patch material). And 2) ground or sanded the area around the hole down to leave a "relief" to be filled (maybe 40 grit or maybe even a sanding disk on an angle grinder, maybe 2mm relief up to an inch larger than the hole). And 3) MAYBE bedded mesh (using the 6" roofing repair mesh rather than drywall mesh). And 4) used some kind of filler designed for flexible parts, like maybe a style of bondo that specifically won't crack when used on bumper covers (which are subject to constant flex and vibration). Just thinking of the issues you mentioned (which I never considered before) and how they might be overcome.
This video was painful. I have no idea how he has so many subscribers.
Have you tried a epoxy wood filler over the foam and automotive glazing putty for filling in any imperfection in the wood filler after sanding it.
I have repaired hollow core doors with expanding foam (Door and Window ) low expansion type and Bondo. However, I add one more element to the repair. I will add wood Shim under the door skin and let the foam hold them in place. I use some safety wire to get them into position and once the foam is sturdy enough. I will pull the wire out. Then cover with Bondo. This gives me a better foundation and makes for a better repair.
One needs to glue wood behind the Masonite and in front of the foam. Then apply polyester filler ( bondo) . Drill holes in the wood backing spray in the foam.
This method will work.
This was super entertaining to watch - great entertainment. But the real way to go is to spend the $50 to get a new door - there's $300-500 in labor to fix this and 1/10 to toss it. That said, great info, ideas and tech Ben - LOVED this!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I agree that replacing the Hollow Core door is the best repair. The rest of the video is for pure entertainment!
I used bondo and worked out to be excellent for fast and clean job. I did in in my patio so no bad gases. Bondo is the best. You do need to use KILZ or some other primer before you paint.
Ha ha, I really like this video. I put off my past failures to inexperience. As you say a pro who does drywall for a living certainly has the necessary skill set. If you can't get it perfect, I have no chance.
Mate expanding foam is an amazing tool to have, I’ve solved so many internal cracks on walls, staircase string, tape and joint fills etc which were due to movement which we all know is what causes cracks
I've heard you talk about sanding your primer on several different videos. Why do you sand the primer? What grit, how much do you sand the primer?
I’m also curious about this. I hope he answers you!
@@arosepetal2000 I'm not sure, but I think he just knocks any high points down/off...Depending on the type of primer I use, I sometimes get little nubs, so I give the entire surface a light sanding. I have more issues if I use a bonding primer since it's so much thicker.
I need to stop punching doors. I thought I could patch it quicker than you showed. Haha, thanks for the video!!
I've used bondo over sprayfoam for cheap body work on a car. bondo absorbs moisture -- paint/seal it asap
Thanks - I punch holes in my doors weekly so this has been a big help.
😅😅😅😅
so first spray foam, then wood filler, then paint?
all purpose joint compound works wonders.
Definately but if its thick will likeley crack when drying
This is EXACTLY the video I was looking for
I did a bunch of closet doors and some exterior doors on this duplex once. I cant recall exactly every patch i did, but something il often do is crumble paper to get some backing and bondo a few coats over it. They came out decent enough,still in use today, but ill tell ya.... The time it took to sand, repair, paint, and rehang... I think a cost/benefit analysis would at best have the homeowner break even on just buying new doors. Precovid anyway.
Ill say two things; i wouldnt be scared to bondo over the foam. Its likely going to melt a little bit, but it wont kill you, especially if the doors are pulled and the work is done outdoors. But again, even if you do all this, it might be more prudent to just get new door skin and replace the whole face if the owner really insists on not purchasing new doors. One small patch might be one thing, but a group of them? Not worth the effort.
You may already know about this product but instead of the wood filler you could try bondo glazing and spot putty. Its completely different than the two part bondo that you mix yourself. It comes pre mixed in a little tube and is bright red. It shrinks a ton so its only really good as a final top coat but it sands as smooth as glass.
High end painters use this a lot, as well as commercial guys doing level 5 finish in towers. Using automotive techniques is very popular in woodworking, Fine Woodworking magazine had a monthly contributor on the subject for years. I've never regretted adapting those methods to my arsenal.
I am a landlord. I have been fixing holes in hollow core doors for 45 years. I experimented with many different materials to fill the holes. I wear Vyinal gloves , I mix some bondo then dip newspaper in the bondo . Then when the newspaper is well coated I stick it into the hole. I don’t make a hard ball, I stick it in loosely . When the bondo dries the newspaper will stop the panel from flexing and cracking around the edge of the patch. The newspaper provides the same framework that the honey comb cardboard between the panels. When that dries I apply a couple coats of bondo, letting it dry hard between coats. Let it dry 24 hours. Then sand smooth and prime with bin or spray Kilz.
There have been times when I go 1 step further, I cut a piece of silk or rayon scarf bigger than the repair and glue it over the patch . Then skim coat that with hot mud and sand. This patch will never show. Guaranteed.
The spray foam is a bad base for a patch. It is weak. Patch will definitely fail in a short time.
@@olivierbourgeois4748 Is the last part necessary to ensure that the patch never shows? I have no experience with hot mud so I'm wondering if I will be fine with just your first steps
@@olivierbourgeois4748 Also, what grit of sander did you use?
I have a patching project. One patch has a 1" gap. I have plus 3 and rapid set onepass wall repair in the garage. Which would be better to use?
Ever use Durham's Rock Hard putty? single ingredient, mix with water, no shrinkage, stays put and sands very fine!
Used the spray foam & Bondo hack. It was easy to work/sand. The door looks pretty darn good.
fill the hole with high density foam, like loctite foam. cut and sand it flat. knife on some of your favorite finishing compound, like vinyl spackle. Works great.
I cut a hole then use a piece of thin smooth plywood thats too long one way but fits the other. Instead of the foam that can deform over time the wood give a solid surface for the filler and doesn't sink or deform. Haven't seen it done that way on youtube but it works.
How does the ply wood stay in place?
@@Glenn_doing_things the strip of wood is held in place with construction glue . So the strip is held from the inside. You hold the strip in place by drilling 2 holes in the middle of the strip and running a string in and out of the holes so that you can tie the string around a piece of wood that you twist tight to draw the wood strip tight against the inside of the door, until the glue dries .
You were working with smooth surface doors and your looked good. What becomes even more challenging and a bit of an eye-sore repair is trying to do the same on a imitation wood grain surface hollow interior doors with raised panels..
Only way I've seen of pulling that off I've seen is a by making a silicone mold of the texture and using it as a stamp, still near impossible and cheaper to buy and paint a new door.
OK - Just realized Dyna Patch is not at any local Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot but seems to be at Canadian Home Depot. What is an equivalent product in the USA? I am in florida.
If you want the best results try spray foam + dynapatch + bondo glazing, then prime/paint. I cut the foam back a bit more and a bit behind the edges so dynapatch is thicker and stronger than what you did.
So adding all these items together, what’s the estimated price for the repair?
I wish there was a list of products used in the successful patch. Maybe list in description. Would make it easier when I head to Home Depot.
Where can I buy Dyna Patch Pro Spackling Compound - Doesnt seem to available at Home Depot or Lowes. Amazon want sme to buy a case of it for $88
Turned out really nice! Anyone else turn the volume down while he was cutting that?!? 😬
Yes. I had to skip forward, the Styrofoam sound makes me cringe 😂
Decades ago my Dad and I replaced the wood on a hollow core door. I’m not sure if you can still purchase the replacement panels. As I recall, we removed the panel with a putty knife and utility knife, cleaned up the old glue, replied the areas and put the new panel on.
Bond aka short strand fiberglass works well on exterior fiberglass doors, bondo the body filler works well on wood, fiberglass metal etc, anything with a solid base, I'm not a fan of using it over spray foam, never tried it actually. I love Dynapatch, great product ! It can be softened with a touch of water, makes it easy to spread.
Bondo filler and short strand fiberglass are two different products 😉
Wow amazing repair
17:41 Who needs a Palm Sander when ya can move your hand just as fast, dang🤣
It's funny that I've heard you complain about roller covers and lint and crusties in a couple of your videos now. I have found a good rinse, wring, and pat dry with a towel will practically eliminate this problem with new roller covers.
Bondo and spray foam has been holding my cab corners together for about 3 years now. Still looks good
Question - is the Dyna Patch a Vinyl spackle essentially???
Great video explanation point definitely going with Dyna patch versus wood filler.
i use foam too but after foaming i cover the hole with blue painters easy release tape then brace a flat block against the patch
and wait for it to dry. after the foam is dry i just peel off the tape and its ready to paint without any filling or sanding.
That would look different to surface if the door, would need to sand surely
So, it's been asked many times in the comments here, but I'm in the middle of a hole patch and ready to apply something over the dried foam... IS Dyna Patch the same or similar to a vinyl spackling compound? I'm planning to try the spackling unless anyone here screams that it's a really bad idea...
Dynapatch is great. It's a fairly tough but kind of hard to sand product.
@@vancouvercarpenter It isn't available in the US, at least not widely available. Just wondering if spackle might work?
ANOTHER excellent vid. ------ WHAT ring light is that???? ------
I've done the same repair using Bondo and it worked great, but I think Dyna Patch would work even better.
I love your videos and have learned so much! Thank you!
Hey where do you get that wide roller from?
I’ve had some success with Durhams. But with the spray foam it still cures a little more over time and you’ll slowly see a corner or so rise up
what about using a laminate over the whole face of the door? Or would that cost more than a door?
I was just wondering if the good ol' quick set worked out as well. :)
I like the spray foam that dries harder. I even used it to fix rust on my old work vehicle before I used bondo
have few dents in the bedroom door, I was thinking about making a small black board on the door (stained not painted).
carve a bigger square hole, Laminate few 2 by ti fill, plane flush, paint with blackboard paint and add frame ...
I love it. I fixed 2 hollow core doors but next time I'm doing it this way
I know you're a busy guy but that door replacement video would be great. Our house has three interior doors which are all 2" above the floor line due to the old shag carpet I removed.
you can also add wood onto the bottoms, sand flush, fill, sand again, repeat as necessary, and paint door multiple coats. if you like the doors that is.
Hey, the easy way is to reskin the door with an entire panel and using some construction glue. Another way is getting bondo - and using fiberglass matt - shred some of the fiberglass and add it to a batch for the hole. get steel mesh - place it in the hold - hold it with a magnet - add construction glue around the edges inside on the steel mesh. use bigger magnets to hold the steel mesh in place until the glue sets. then do the bondo diy kitty hair mix. - mix it HOT and place it on fast. doesnt have to be a thick layer - it dries in an hour - sand it and do another layer without the kitty hair. If you want to do a great job - treat it with a top layer of EVERCOAT - its a smooth and flowing bondo it is not thick like regular bondo. - again just placing an additional panel over the entire door is the easiest and fastest way to fix it - the edges - make sure you strip off the strip of panel and cap it with another piece so there is no lip or edge showing
Bondo over spray foam is how I “fixed” the rust on my car the first time. Now I am fixing it again 😅. I think it would work good on a door though.
Use Fibafuse and quick set on your door holes I have 6 panel doors and I can hide holes pretty good with that
Hi, can you install a deadbolt lock above the lock on a hollow core door
nice work. I like the way you explain how.
to work with materials.
Also, mh ready patch is really good as a bondo substitute. It dries so quick too
One thing you aren't accounting for, that will cause you problems down the line... A hollow core door is not strong enough to stay firm throughout it's life. It moves and flexes every time you open and close the door.
Doing such a hard, rigid patch is not a good idea. You need something that will flex with the skin of door, but remain attached and not crack loose from the skin.
One such product would be Bondo Vinyl Bumper Repair, together with an automotive flexible bumper glazing putty for final fills of pock marks, etc.
This would have much better adhesion, and remain flexible throughout the life of the door.
As far as my clients are concerned, I will NEVER recommend patching a door. I will ALWAYS recommend a replacement door slab. I can get a brand new door slab at the big orange box store for around $50 (30 inch slab, pricing current post covid), mortise the hinges, cut the lockset in, ,hang it and be cleaned up and gone in less than an hour and a half. Why would I ever try to spend 2 to 3 days doing this at a client's home, or my own?
No thanks, my friend... new slabs are cheaper and easier!
Great videos learning a lot but what do they mean when they say “using Hot Mud “?
Quickset drywall mud
Make the hole square and make a backer out of thin plywood that is big enough to span the gap but small enough to go in diagonal. put a hole in the middle of the backer and use that to manipulate it into the hole and glue it in with wood glue. Screw around the edges to hold or just use another piece of wood on the front and screw that on to hold. Once cured cut a plug out of another piece of thin plywood leaving it a little bit of a loose fit on purpose. Use a router to cut into the backing piece so the plug is just slightly recessed then glue the plug to the backer with wood glue. Once cured use DAP Plastic wood on the edges and over the plug surface to level. Sand and then coat with Zinsser BIN shellac based primer and sand again. The patch will not show up in the future as the edges won't have the ability to move independently of each other even if you smack the door right on the patch. I recommend plywood as a plug over Masonite as it sands much easier if you messed up and wound up a bit proud after gluing. The two very specific products mentioned will give a much better result than just using generic filler.
On solid core doors where you may be doing something like patching over a dog door the same technique works. In that case you cut your patch out of thicker plywood or MDF and then use that as a template to route around the edge of the existing hole. In this case your making a rabbit to drop the plug into.
Can you use drywall tape in this hack?
I've used bondo over spray foam many times, but on cars and trucks to fix rust holes 😅 it worked fine, I didn't notice any games coming from it 🤷♂️
Just found your channel, so glad I did! What type of drywall vacuum do you have? I have some home improvements to do & I really like that it's a self cleaning vacuum.
It's a festool CT36. A bit on the pricey side.
@@vancouvercarpenter totally worth it if it keeps dust off of everything!
Masterful job
I don't know if it's available in Canada, but Home Depot (and other hardware stores) carry Durham's Rock-Hard Water Putty. It's a cream-colored powder that you mix with water to a thick putty consitency. It's dries hard and is sandable and can be stained or painted. It is non-shrinking. I used it a lot in model railroading decades ago. I think it's similar to Bondo, but water-based. I have never used it in an application like you demonstrate here, but I wouldn't hesitate to try it.
I just tried it for the first time recently, good stuff. Ace has it too.
I wonder if you could slide a piece of thin wood into the hole then rotate it so it covers the width and then glue it to the underside of the door. You would need some way to apply force to the wood patch to allow it to adhere but once solid you could apply your patch material and it wouldn’t sink in if you pushed it.
That's what I did on all those failed patches
@@vancouvercarpenter please read my method that I explained in detail to another in this column . 50 years success with my method in the apartments, I own.
Would laying the door flat, adding spray foam or some other type of backer in the hole, and then filling in the remainder with resin like they use for waterfall tables work? Maybe that stuff isn't paintable -- haven't worked with it myself -- but it might produce a level surface..?
Yes.
yep, epoxy or polyester resin. You can also thicken it with certain materials so it doesn't goop all over. Common for working on boats.
"It aint rocket surgery" made me chuckle :D