How to Fill Holes in a Masonite Door
Masonite’s innovative designs and style selection set their doors apart from others. Although long-lasting and durable, Masonite doors are susceptible to damage. Masonite essentially consists of hardboard, a manufactured material made of wood fibers, which may develop holes from applied force or from nails used to hang decorations on the doors. Holes, regardless of their origins, diminish a Masonite door’s aesthetic appeal. Aside from the purpose of improving the appearance of a Masonite door, homeowners must patch holes in the door before staining or painting it. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Cleaning cloth
- Towel
- Plastic drop cloth
- Fans
- Rubber gloves
- Wood filler system (filler and hardener)
- Mixing board
- Scooping utensil
- Stirring utensil
- Putty knife
- Modeling knife
- Medium-grit sandpaper
- Tack cloth
Instructions
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1
Moisten a cleaning cloth with water. Wipe the hole in the door to remove grime and prepare the area for patching.
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2
Wipe the moistened door with a towel until dry.
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3
Cover the flooring below the door with a plastic drop cloth. Set up fans nearby and put on rubber gloves.
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4
Apply a golf-ball-sized glob of the filler onto a mixing board using a scooping utensil, followed by a 3/4-inch long bead of the hardener. Squeeze the hardener directly onto the filler, and then mix them with a stirring utensil.
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5
Pack the wood filler mixture into the hole using a putty knife. Overfill the hole with wood filler to allow for sanding. Wood filler begins hardening in 10 minutes, so don’t linger at patching the hole.
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6
Allow the wood filler to dry for 30 minutes.
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7
Shave most of the excess wood filler off the door using a modeling knife. Leave about 1/8 of an inch of filler for sanding.
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8
Rub the remaining wood filler with medium-grit sandpaper using back and forth movements. Sand the filler until it’s flush with the surrounding door.
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9
Wipe sanding dust off the door using tack cloth.
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Tips & Warnings
Select a wood filler system that doesn’t contain waxes and that does include a tube of hardener. Make sure the wood filler matches the door’s hue.
To fully camouflage the filled hole and beautify the door, stain the entire door with an oil-based stain, followed by a clear topcoat varnish.
Use acetone to remove any wood filler that accidentally became smeared onto the door during the patching process. Spot-test the acetone on the door first, however, to prevent discoloration.
