Metal doors are becoming increasingly popular in households and business places for their durability and low maintenance costs.
Although most metal doors consist of hard materials, you can nonetheless modify or add to their functionality. For example, you can attach something to them. But, of course, you’d need screws to do this.
While using screws, you can encounter the problem of a stripped screw hole. Stripped screw holes arise from the screws’ lack of enough torque to completely go into metal. So how can you fix a stripped screw hole in a metal door?
How To Fix Stripped Screw Holes In Metal Doors
Stripped screw holes on metal doors often pose problems most individuals find difficult to resolve. However, you can fix this problem in numerous ways. The most common method is drilling out the screw with a bigger drill bit.
Follow the instructions below to repair a strip screw hole in a metallic door.
Step 1:
Use a larger drilling bit to drill out the screws. Next, use a tap and die tool set or a thread cutting tap to thread new lines into the hole. Use screws of different head sizes to clamp down on it tightly while fitting down and shaping the edges.
Step 2:
In a case where the stripping is too deep, use a jigsaw with a metal blade to cut away the edges of the hole until the repair is complete. Also, use oil and grease when the need arises.
Step 3:
In the absence of a tap and die set, use a metal file or wire brush to shape down any protrusions found sticking out from where the screw should be.
Note that this procedure aims to produce a flat surface so that the head of the new screws can fit in perfectly and remain fastened without slipping out.
Step 4:
Oil the threads, then place one or two screws with a lot of pressure while tightening them until they fit in firmly. The function of the additional oiling is to provide more traction when the need to unscrew arises.
Step 5:
You can use JB weld, liquid nail adhesive, silicon glue, epoxy resin adhesive, anything solid and flexible, and non-corrosive to seal the screw holes.
Step 6:
Clean the area around the screw holes with oil applied to prevent any form of rusting. In cases where the screws are larger than the stripped hole, you can live with the problem and take care of it when the time arises.
About Stripped Screw Holes
A stripped screw hole is a condition that occurs when a screw lacks enough torque to pull itself completely into the metal.
This problem is peculiar to old or damaged screws and screws that are over-tightened with cheap equipment.
Causes Of Stripped Screw Holes
Some causes of stripped screw holes in metal doors include:
- Failure or inability to apply enough pressure when tightening screw, and
- Metal fatigue happens when you tighten screws are into the same spot repeatedly or you don’t remove them entirely. As a result, they tend to bind up in one place, damaging the surface and stripping it.
- Over tightening remains the most common cause of stripping. The reason is that over-tightening exerts more pressure on the object being screwed. In such cases, the thread will strip off.
- Stripping may also arise from using power tools like drills whose primary function is to go through surfaces but not so much into them.
How To Prevent Stripped Screw Holes In Metal Doors
To prevent having a metal door with stripped screw holes, adhere to the tips below.
- Using screws that are not too short is an excellent way to prevent stripped screw holes. It is also advisable to use washers under the head of long screws to bottom out before tightening into place.
- Use the right tools and exercise caution when tightening screws as a precautionary measure against stripped screw holes. In addition, cautious use of a screwdriver helps prevent cross-threading from excess torque applied in any direction.
- Applying a tiny amount of oil to screws before insertion to prevent corrosion and reduce friction to enable easy tightening is an excellent way to avoid stripping.
- Ensure enough clearance between the screw head and surface for it not to bottom out when tightened.
- Avoid over-tightening screws to reduce installation difficulty and prevent the material from bending.
- Remove excess debris from around screw holes to ensure consistent contact with both surfaces when installing screws.
- Lubricate screws before installation. Add some grease or oil to the top of the head of long screws before tightening them into place.
- Make use of self-drilling screws and those with anti-corrosion coating. Self-drilling fasteners allow you to install metal doors without drilling holes into them beforehand while maintaining perfect alignment with less effort applied.
What Are Self-drilling Screws?
A self-drilling screw is a kind of self-tapping screw that has a drill point. In a single operation, the sharp drill point can drill a hole and form the mating threads.
A self-tapping screw can tap its hole while driving it into metal. Self-tapping screws come in various tip and thread patterns and can feature any screw head design.
Self-drilling screws save time by eliminating the need for pre-installation drilling and tapping. There’s also no need to switch drill bits and taps for each hole.
About Metal Doors
Metal doors are products of metallic substances. They have high electrical and thermal conductivity. They are also malleable, ductile, and possess high light reflectivity. Examples of such metals include steel, aluminum, iron, copper, amongst others.
As a result of these qualities, metal doors possess a prolonged functional life with superior corrosion resistance.
As a result, metal doors are more like barricades and can withstand storms and earthquakes. In addition, you can fit them with glass kits, louvers, and storefronts to increase their aesthetic beauty.
Advantages Of Metal Doors
Using metal doors in your home or office comes with a lot of advantages. They include:
Energy efficiency:
Metal doors provide an excellent option for regulating the energy retained in a building. Studies have shown that metals like steel have about five times a higher insulating factor than wooden and other door types.
Certain factors contribute considerably towards the efficiency of metal doors. The first is the presence of high-quality insulated foam in each metal door. The second factor is high-grade thermal adhesives in the production of the joints and connection of metal doors.
Combining these two factors transforms a highly conductive metal door into a powerhouse for energy retention and saving.
Security:
The first thought that readily comes to mind when you hear about metal doors is their strength. Metal doors are solid and enduring compared to their vinyl and wooden counterparts.
Durability:
Along with their strength, metal doors have proved to be some of the most durable and long-lasting products in the market. Metal doors have a high tolerance for extreme weather conditions and can stand up to the mightiest rainstorms and gusting winds.
Low maintenance:
Metal doors require little to no maintenance. The only thing they need is a touch-up painting whenever they get damaged. As a result, metal doors are one of the lowest maintenance options compared to other door types.
Disadvantages Of Metal Doors
Although they come with plenty of advantages, metal doors have a few drawbacks. A list of the disadvantages of metal doors include:
Denting and rusting:
Metal doors are prone to dents from other objects. They can also deteriorate when their painting fades.
Price:
Metal doors can come off as costly doors, but the cost wouldn’t seem so bad compared to the features it possesses.
Not cut to fit:
While you can easily trim a wooden door to match any given frame, you can’t say the same of wooden doors. Although this won’t pose an issue for properly sized out frames, it becomes an issue of concern when upgrading an already existing door.
Things To Consider Before Buying Metal Doors
Before purchasing a metal door, there are certain factors you should first consider. These factors include:
Cutoffs:
Ensure the metal door has all the cutoffs you want before acquiring a metal door. Getting cutoffs from metal doors after buying is extremely difficult, and you’d need a door installer to help you with this.
Weather:
Consider the weather condition of your environment. If you live in a place that experiences regular storms, you may need a storm door instead of a metal door. Metal doors have the same resistance as wooden and fiberglass doors.
Scratching:
Metal doors are also prone to metallic scratches. Scratching can mar a metallic door’s appearance. Repainting becomes the only way to fix this.
Conclusion
Metal doors are popular these days for their numerous advantages. You can attach things to your metal door to enhance its appearance, in which case you’d need a screw.
While using screws, you can face the problem of a stripped screw hole. Stripped screw holes result from screws that lack enough torque to penetrate a metal completely.
You can fix a stripped screw hole in a metal door by using a larger drill bit to drill out the screw. To prevent your metal door from having stripped holes, use the right tools. Also, lubricate the screws before installing, and exercise caution when screwing.
