How to fix a stripped screw hole

• Screwdriver
• Wood glue
• Wooden toothpicks, matchsticks or a dowel
• Craft knife
• Drill with small bit (optional)

Before you start, lay everything out on a soft surface (the flattened box works) and check it against the parts list in your manual.

• The screw (check it is not damaged)
• Repair insert or two-part wood filler, for chipboard

1. 1

   Step 1: Take the screw out and check the hole: solid wood, chipboard or MDF. The fix depends on the material.

2. 2

   Step 2: For solid wood: dip a few wooden toothpicks or matchsticks in wood glue and push them into the hole until it is tightly packed.

3. 3

   Step 3: Let the glue dry fully (see the bottle, often an hour or more), then trim the sticks flush with a knife.

4. 4

   Step 4: Drill a small pilot hole in the centre, then drive the original screw in by hand until it is firm.

5. 5

   Step 5: For chipboard or MDF: fill the hole with two-part wood filler or fit a repair insert for chipboard, let it cure, then drill a pilot hole and refit the screw.

6. 6

   Step 6: If the hole is badly torn, move the screw a short distance to fresh material, if the fitting allows it.

• Using a bigger screw that splits the panel or breaks through the other side.
• Driving the screw in before the glue is dry.
• Tightening with a power driver again, which strips the new hole.