Advice on how to fix broken wooden furniture

Advice on how to fix broken wooden furniture

Author
Discussion

n3il123

Original Poster:

2,602 posts

212 months

Tuesday 1st December 2020
quotequote all
Just wondering if anybody has a clever way to fix this



It is the upright for a floor standing mirror where the "foot" screws in, over time it appears that the hole has enlarged so much that it has made an escape through the side.

There isn't enough room to drill another hole in. I could get a straight bracket i guess and screw it to the side to fix it, or maybe glue it (not sure I have anything to clamp it together for drying though)? However I was wondering if anyone has any clever ideas for an elegant fix?

My skill levels are limited so no routers or dovetails joints!

randlemarcus

13,507 posts

230 months

Tuesday 1st December 2020
quotequote all
Visit Aldi and Lidl, and buy some clamps smile That seems like the best way of doing a pretty fix - clamp it nice and flat, bung a load of wood glue in, and shove the foot back on.

TimmyMallett

2,811 posts

111 months

Tuesday 1st December 2020
quotequote all
randlemarcus said:
Visit Aldi and Lidl, and buy some clamps smile That seems like the best way of doing a pretty fix - clamp it nice and flat, bung a load of wood glue in, and shove the foot back on.
This. I didn't think I needed clamps until I bought clamps. You wont get the screw out but then you probably aren't bothered about that. Wood glue creeps pretty well and may just reinforce it enough, but I guess there's quite a lot of weight on it if it's a mirror.


Edit: could you cut 2" off each side and give yourself a solid base to redrill a new hole?



Edited by TimmyMallett on Tuesday 1st December 12:00

n3il123

Original Poster:

2,602 posts

212 months

Tuesday 1st December 2020
quotequote all
Thanks chaps, I am guessing that you just mean a couple of small g clamps with the "clamp" bit over the join?

The screw is in the foot not the leg..

This is what the other leg looks like to give an idea, it isn't a very expensive item but has sentimental for the Mrs so i'd like to fix (plus proving that i'm not totally inept!)


Gareth79

7,628 posts

245 months

Tuesday 1st December 2020
quotequote all
I'd bung some dowels in, a load of wood glue, then clamp some wood either side to hold it tight when it dries, then re-drill the hole. (This assumes they are wood screws holding it together and not a metal insert?)

Lotobear

6,232 posts

127 months

Tuesday 1st December 2020
quotequote all
make sure you treat the worm first.

harrycovert

416 posts

175 months

Tuesday 1st December 2020
quotequote all
You don`t need to buy clamps just use a piece of rope and a stick to make a Tourniquet or use a ratchet strap if you have one.

Turn7

23,501 posts

220 months

Tuesday 1st December 2020
quotequote all
Gareth79 said:
I'd bung some dowels in, a load of wood glue, then clamp some wood either side to hold it tight when it dries, then re-drill the hole. (This assumes they are wood screws holding it together and not a metal insert?)
Yep, this...

randlemarcus

13,507 posts

230 months

Tuesday 1st December 2020
quotequote all
harrycovert said:
You don`t need to buy clamps just use a piece of rope and a stick to make a Tourniquet or use a ratchet strap if you have one.
Need, want, the difference is tiny, and you can do all sorts of useful things with clamps biggrin

biggiles

1,699 posts

224 months

Tuesday 1st December 2020
quotequote all
A dowel would be good, but if you don't have any, the classic approach is to put in wood-glue, then push in as many matchsticks as possible. Allow to dry, then trim the ends flush with a sharp knife. Then screw back together.

(Obviously cut the igniting bit off the end of the matchsticks!)

netherfield

2,668 posts

183 months

Tuesday 1st December 2020
quotequote all
biggiles said:
A dowel would be good, but if you don't have any, the classic approach is to put in wood-glue, then push in as many matchsticks as possible. Allow to dry, then trim the ends flush with a sharp knife. Then screw back together.

(Obviously cut the igniting bit off the end of the matchsticks!)
Spoilsport

n3il123

Original Poster:

2,602 posts

212 months

Tuesday 1st December 2020
quotequote all
Turn7 said:
Gareth79 said:
I'd bung some dowels in, a load of wood glue, then clamp some wood either side to hold it tight when it dries, then re-drill the hole. (This assumes they are wood screws holding it together and not a metal insert?)
Yep, this...
I'll be doing this if I can find some dowels, if not i'll use some matchsticks.




randlemarcus said:
harrycovert said:
You don`t need to buy clamps just use a piece of rope and a stick to make a Tourniquet or use a ratchet strap if you have one.
Need, want, the difference is tiny, and you can do all sorts of useful things with clamps biggrin
As you say want <> need ... a couple of sets of clamps are on their way.

sospan

2,469 posts

221 months

Tuesday 1st December 2020
quotequote all
If all else fails with dowels, glue, matchsticks you could always add nice looking brackets screwed on to strengthen the joint.

Nico Adie

610 posts

42 months

Tuesday 1st December 2020
quotequote all
https://www.hobbies.co.uk/materials/glues-and-fill...

You need some of this! It works very well, I repaired 2 of my in-laws dining table chairs with it a few years ago.

Cold

15,207 posts

89 months

Tuesday 1st December 2020
quotequote all
Use longer screws, too.

wibble cb

3,586 posts

206 months

Wednesday 2nd December 2020
quotequote all
n3il123 said:
Turn7 said:
Gareth79 said:
I'd bung some dowels in, a load of wood glue, then clamp some wood either side to hold it tight when it dries, then re-drill the hole. (This assumes they are wood screws holding it together and not a metal insert?)
Yep, this...
I'll be doing this if I can find some dowels, if not i'll use some matchsticks.




randlemarcus said:
harrycovert said:
You don`t need to buy clamps just use a piece of rope and a stick to make a Tourniquet or use a ratchet strap if you have one.
Need, want, the difference is tiny, and you can do all sorts of useful things with clamps biggrin
As you say want <> need ... a couple of sets of clamps are on their way.
I used a couple of leather belts when I needed to hold a chair frame together while glue set, my wife thought it was odd, but it did the job!

n3il123

Original Poster:

2,602 posts

212 months

Sunday 13th December 2020
quotequote all
To complete this, I drilled out the holes, glued some dowels in then glued and screwed (with my new clamps in a supporting role) the foot back on.

All seems good and the boss was chuffed so brownie points for me.

Thanks for all the advice!

Mr Pointy

11,146 posts

158 months

Sunday 13th December 2020
quotequote all
It's not the strongest joint so you could beef it up with some brass reinforcing plates on each side:

https://www.prokraft.co.uk/polished-solid-brass-2-...

Search for brass reinforcing or mending plate.
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=brass+mending+plate&...