"Daddy, the door is falling off."

[msilenus]

The door in question was affixed w/ screws that were 1/2" long.  The ones on the bottom hinge had fallen out completely after just 9 years.  The holes they left behind weren't rescrewable.

I went out and got some 1 1/2" screws, replaced all the wall-side screws with those on the failed door, and also replaced 1 screw on each hinge into the door.  (Figuring that the door wood is going to be harder than the jam wood.)

Any reason why I wouldn't go through and do all the interior doors in the house this way?  (Or some other way?  Advice welcome.)  I imagine that it's much better to do a repair like this before the screws start wiggling around and boring out holes in the door jam, but is there some advantage I'm missing to shallower screws that might make me want to leave well-enough alone?

[Papa bear]

Most of the time hinge screws are short.  If they are getting loose, unscrew it and shove a toothpick or matchstick into the hole (or a couple with some wood glue). No need to go overkill on long screws.

Your holes are "re-screwable"


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[bender]

Great tip I may use that in the future!

[Spork]

I always replace one screw on every hinge with a 3 inch screw when I install the door.  This is especially helpful with heavy exterior doors.

[Le Poisson]

I always replace one screw on every hinge with a 3 inch screw when I install the door.  This is especially helpful with heavy exterior doors.

So much this!!!

[Papa bear]

You have got to be careful with interior doors and long screws.  There are multiple ways to hang the door and you may not have solid wood behind the hinge jamb side. Using a 3" screw can pull the jamb out of square.

Exterior doors, I agree.  When I install them and know that it's solid behind and plumb, I'll throw a longer screw in.

But for interior doors, just fill the hole in with a toothpick and put the hinge screw back in. No one's trying to kick your door down into a bedroom.


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[Spork]

You have got to be careful with interior doors and long screws.  There are multiple ways to hang the door and you may not have solid wood behind the hinge jamb side. Using a 3" screw can pull the jamb out of square.

I always put the long screw in when I am hanging the door.  I have plenty of shims right by the screw for support and I do it in conjunction with getting the hinge side plumb.  In the OP's case... your advice is better thought out than mine.

[msilenus]

Thanks, everyone.

I've already gotten away with going all overkill on the offending door, but I'll hold off on the small-screw purge I had been contemplating.