How to Fix a Stripped Screw Hole (Works with Wood, Plastic, and Metal)

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If you just managed to extract a damaged spiral and are wondering what to practise next, y'all're in the right place.

You could, theoretically, just have a new screw and put it in the same pigsty that you took the damaged ane out of. However, I don't recommend doing that, equally the spiral might non agree as tightly as it should.

Instead, I recommend y'all to fix the stripped screw pigsty outset using ane of the techniques beneath.

6 Techniques to Fix Stripped Screw Holes

While some of the methods described beneath crave specialized materials, others are "MacGyver-fashion" quick fixes. And then, there are those that are somewhere in between.

1. Using a Screw Hole Repair Kit

Concluding but not to the lowest degree, you lot tin simply employ hardware that was designed for the specific purpose – a spiral hole repair kit.

While there are several products in this category, they are generally either plastic pieces similar to wall plugs or thin pieces of a fabric that y'all use to create a gripping surface for your new screw.

One of the most popular such products is the Woodmate Mr. Grip Screw Hole Repair Kit. It essentially consists of thin metal strips that you cut to the required size and insert into the pigsty earlier putting in a new screw.

If y'all work with screws frequently – especially so if you tend to harm them on a regular footing no matter how hard you try – you might benefit from having such a kit handy at all times.

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2. Using Larger Screws

One of the easiest ways to deal with putting a screw in an existing screw-hole is to just apply a larger screw. That can mean either a screw with a larger diameter or a longer screw.

If you lot use a "wider" screw, it will exist able to grip onto the cloth effectually it in spite of the existing hole. On the other hand, if you use a longer spiral, it will exist able to grip onto the cloth that the previous spiral didn't reach and thus didn't harm.

This is a good technique for cases where esthetics don't matter, for applications where the screws will be hidden from view in one mode or some other. The reason for that is that it will expect odd to have simply ane screw larger than all of the other ones in the same area of the workpiece.

iii. Using Toothpicks or Matches

If you don't work with tools and hardware a lot, you might non have some of the materials necessary for using the other methods mentioned in this list. Nonetheless, chances are y'all will have some toothpicks or wooden matches lying somewhere around your business firm.

You can have those, fill the spiral-hole with them, and cut them off affluent with your workpiece. Ideally, yous would too add some wood glue. If you are using matches, don't forget to cut their heads off.

While this is a fairly common manner of fixing spiral holes, you should avoid information technology for professional or structural applications. In the case of the former, it looks amateurish. In the case of the latter, it might not provide the necessary force.

Chances are also – in terms of longevity – that the filling will disintegrate sooner than your workpiece.

Especially so if you are using this method in combination with plastic or metal.

Fix a Screw Hole with Toothpicks

4. Using Pieces of Woods

This method is similar to the ane to a higher place. Merely, it looks more professional and will last longer.

Rather than using toothpicks or matches – which tend to be made out of low-quality wood – to fill the holes, it uses the type of woods y'all are actually working with.

Only take a spare lath, cutting information technology into thin pieces near equally long equally your pigsty is deep, and fill the hole with them. Once once again, apply wood mucilage if y'all have a bottle handy.

Since y'all are using the same textile as your workpiece is made out of, you can expect the screw to stay steady for about as long every bit the other screws in your workpiece will.

5. Using Wood Dowels

Y'all can besides use wood dowels – similar those that you lot would find in a gear up of Ikea piece of furniture – to ready damaged screw holes.

Dissimilar the previous methods, this method involves drilling a pigsty into your workpiece that is larger than the diameter of your screw. More specifically, it requires drilling a hole that's roughly the aforementioned diameter equally the dowel yous plan to use.

Once you lot drill the hole, y'all simply have the dowel, tap it in – with some wood glue practical if possible – and cut information technology flush with your workpiece.

Now y'all have a brand new wooden surface to put your screw into.

Avert using a dowel with a bore larger than the diameter of the head of the spiral you lot are using if possible. Otherwise, you will have the dowel sticking around the screw one time yous spiral information technology back in. So, information technology will not look too skillful.

six. Using Plastic Wall Plugs

If you are screwing into a slice of concrete, then you are already likely using a plastic wall plug. And then, y'all merely have to take that one out and replace it with a new one.

Notwithstanding, y'all tin can also use the plastic screw with other materials.

Just like when using woods dowels, though, this method will involve drilling.

The expert point is, though, that the plastic plug will terminal longer than the forest dowel (if longevity is of import for your application).

The plug will probable also take a smaller diameter than a dowel that you would use. And so, chances are the upshot might also be a scrap nicer to look at.

Fixing Stripped Screw Holes in Specific Materials

Many of the methods I talked about to a higher place can be used regardless of the fabric that yous are screwing into. However, some methods are amend for sure applications than others.

Permit's take a closer await at that.

How to Set up a Stripped Screw Pigsty in Wood

If you stripped a wood spiral and are trying to fill the hole, your best bet volition be either using pieces of the same woods you are working with or drilling in a dowel.

That said, pretty much any of the methods above will piece of work fairly well.

One matter to note, though, is that if y'all are working with particle boards or similar (a cloth that is often used in wood cabinets and other article of furniture), you want to be careful about using screws that are larger than the original ane. These boards are fairly prone to breaking, and so yous volition desire to stick to the original screw size as much every bit possible.

How to Fix a Stripped Screw Pigsty in Metal

If you are trying to repair a stripped screw pigsty in a piece of metallic, then – quite logically – avoid using forest if possible.

Instead, use a plastic wall plug if you tin discover a size that will piece of work for you lot or go a stripped screw hole repair kit that specifically states it will work with metal. The Woodmate kit that I talked nigh earlier works well in this state of affairs.

How to Fix a Stripped Screw Hole in Plastic

Finally, in case your spiral got damaged when working with a piece of plastic, avoid using forest also.

Y'all can try gluing in a plastic wall plug, but – just equally with metal – yous will be better off using a specialized repair kit.

Summary

All in all, while stripping a screw can be a frustrating experience, it is not something that you lot should stress nearly too much. The higher up should exist enough to get you started, just if you lot desire to learn more make sure to also check out my commodity about fixing a screw hole that is too large.

With the correct tools to extract the screw and the right techniques to brand the spiral pigsty usable again in your arsenal, yous should be able to deal with the problem adequately hands.

That's particularly the case if you lot are working with wood since at that place are many means to fix a stripped screw hole in a piece of forest. If your workpiece is made out of metal or plastic, then you will exist amend off getting a specialized stripped screw pigsty repair kit.