How to Fix a Front Splinter in a Wood Door

Gluing Splinters

• 1

  Remove the door from its hinges using a screwdriver, then set the door over a pair of sawhorses so that the splintered side faces up.

• 2

  Squirt wood glue directly over the splinter so the glue gets in around the splinter's length.

• 3

  Place a piece of waxed paper over the glued splinter. Lay a small, flat piece of wood over the splinter. Place a 20-pound weight on top of it. Wait until the glue dries.

• 4

  Remove the weight, wood and waxed paper. Sand the splintered area smooth with 150-grit sandpaper. Refinish the door.

Removing the Splinter and Filling the Hole

• 5

  Lift the splinter up with a pair of pliers until it snaps off. Cut away any broken wood fibers protruding above the hole in the door with a utility knife.

• 6

  Using a putty knife, scrape out wood filler the size of the hole in the door. Put it in a disposable plastic bowl. Squirt a 3/4-inch bead of wood-filler hardener onto the filler, then mix the two together until blended.

• 7

  Scrape up the filler and press it into the hole with the broadside of the putty knife. Apply enough filler to fill the hole about 1/8-inch above the door's surface. Wait 24 hours for the filler to cure.

• 8

  Sand the wood filler smooth with the surrounding surface of the door with a 150-grit sanding block. Refinish the door.