Re-mounting a kitchen unit hinge

[OG]

What's the best way to repair a chipboard carcassed kitchen unit so that we can re-hang the hinges? A couple of the hinge unit screws have pulled out the unit and damaged the chipoard. I had this on a couple of units and fixed them by routing out a 12mm hole and fixing some dowel in place that the hinge will fix to; but the last unit I'm looking at has a much wider area of damage (+2cm at the surface) so the dowel won't be firmly held in by the rest of the chipboard along its full length.

I've bought some plastic wood filler but I'm not sure what's the best way to fix it My options seem to be

- use the plastic wood to hold the dowel in place and screw into the dowel as I've done elsewhere.

- ignore the dowel and just fill the gap with plastic wood and screw the hinge into that.

My inclination is to use the dowel, but any advice would be welcome.

[The Natural Philosopher]

simply clean out loose stuff and apply two pack car body filler and re-drill for the screws. Takes half an hour or so.

Ive done this on several such carcases, and it never fails. Its a far stronger job than the original actually.

[EricP]

You always beat me to it on the body filler route! :))

[stuart noble]

Sometimes it's better to set that type of screw in the filler as they normally part self-tap into the chip, and the filler will be considerably harder. Either way, 2 part filler is your only man.

[The Natural Philosopher]

I've used those screws into drilled filler and drilled oak. They cut threads well in both.

[Man at B&Q]

Stop faffing about and buy a repair plate designed for the job

[stuart noble]

Didn't know they existed, but I'd still use the filler for a one off

[OG]

[identernet]

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Check out the following link

[GB]

What's on the other side of the panel? If it's just another cabinet, I'd just fill the hole, then bolt right through the screw holes of the hinge that's come off then through the corresponding screw holes in the hinge in the neighbouring cabinet. That will give you an extremely strong and neat repair.

[GB]

Ahh, just read the previous post that says there's a fridge space there. I'd use a metal plate on the fridge side and bolt through.

[polygonum]

How about Fischer Fill and Fix?

is a YouTube video as well - but first picture in that link is mending a kitchen cupboard hinge...

[Andy Burns]

These repair plates have been mentioned

used one myself ...

[The Medway Handyman]

I bought some after they were mentioned because its a common job.

Guess what?

[Ian & Hilda Dedic]

They worked for me but be careful, if your carcases(sp?) are not made from a standard thickness, or your doors are heavy duty (22mm rather than 15mm) the plates bent over edge puts the holes for the hinge too far back and you have to cut the lip off to make it fit properly.

Check the dimensions of your carcass walls and doors first the holes in the plate come 7mm back from the edge of the carcass.

I got mine from

were only a couple of quid.

They go on the inside of the cabinet and the bulges fir in the hole which have been gouged in the carcass

dedics

[The Natural Philosopher]

I have never failed to repair this problem with car body filler.