How To Get A Screw Out When The Head Is Stripped

If you've e'er put together IKEA furniture, or any blazon of furniture for that thing, you've likely used a screw.

Screws are a type of metal tool that is used to fasten and concord objects together. Screws have a head and spiral-like thread running down the length of it and then that when it'southward beingness rotated into an object (like wood or drywall) it'southward held securely in place.

Now, what exactly is a stripped spiral? Well, a stripped spiral is a screw that has been damaged, rendering it ineffective and unable to turn properly, even with a screwdriver. When a screw can't turn, you lot'll have a difficult fourth dimension getting it in or out of the fabric that it's stuck in.

What causes a stripped screw?

There are a few ways that screws can get stripped:

Using low-quality tools
Using the wrong-sized tools
Using the wrong tools in general
Working carelessly
Turning screws with screwdrivers into the material or object at an bending instead of parallel or in-line
Using a screwdriver that's too large or too small
Over-tightening the screw
Using the screw gun on full power too long after the screw has stopped moving

Whether you're moving or redecorating, when you come across a stripped screw, it can be a problem. Then, how do y'all become a stripped screw out? Here are four hacks that you lot tin can endeavour when you find yourself in that frustrating situation.

i. Try using rubber bands

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Source: The Family Handyman

If you have some safety bands handy, try this useful trick from The Family unit Handyman to get a stripped screw out. Take your condom band and place it between the screw that'southward stuck and your manus-held screwdriver. The rubber band gives y'all actress grip and fills in the places that the screwdriver isn't latching onto. This can requite y'all extra torque and assistance you unstick the stripped spiral.

two. Pick upwards your pliers

pliers

If there'due south a trivial extra room between the screw and the object information technology's fastened in, y'all may be able to utilize pliers to get the stripped screw out. Have the pliers or vise grips and latch it onto the screw. And then, firmly concord the pliers and start twisting the screw out. You may harm the woods from which you're pulling the spiral out, so continue that in mind earlier resorting to this tactic.

3. Hand over the hammer

hammer and screwdriver

Using a screwdriver and a hammer philharmonic tin be another way to get a stripped screw out. Use a hammer to tap the screwdriver into the screw and then endeavor turning the screw. Past using the hammer on the screwdriver, you're firmly lodging the screwdriver into place, giving you lot additional grip in which to pull out the screw.

4. Depend on the drill

power drill

If y'all accept a drill chip, you tin can try drilling a modest pigsty into the stripped spiral. This will requite you a little more room in the screw to accept either a screwdriver or a screw extractor, latch it on and try turning it to remove the spiral. Simply, when using power tools, make sure you lot do it slowly and don't turn the drill flake to total power. Otherwise, you could cause more damage.

Preventing futurity stripped screws

While in that location are hacks that can aid you get a stripped spiral out, there are a few simple measures that can be taken to prevent the problem in the start identify. When you're using screws make sure you're: