ᐅ The screws in my KALLAX never hold for long – have you tried wood glue?

Hi Nosusin,

I’ve also been working with my KALLAX and noticed the following: screws don’t hold well because the particleboard gradually softens – seriously, it just becomes weak 😅

But joking aside: wood glue alone only helps a LITTLE, and only if you apply it very thinly and press the parts together firmly. If the screws are already loose, it hardly makes a difference.

What worked really well for me was first filling the screw hole with a wood glue mixture (wood glue plus fine wood dust or even coffee grounds or sawdust), letting it dry, then drilling and inserting the screw.

Or you could try a proper threadlocker spray for screws – that’s worth it. 🙂

Keep at it! 😉

Good morning,

After thorough research, I recommend the following approach:

KALLAX uses melamine-coated particleboard with low porosity. Wood glue (PVAc glue) does not absorb well, so relying primarily on mechanical fastening is advisable.

An economical and effective method is a repair kit for furniture with damaged screw holes:
- Fill the hole with wood filler (specifically for particleboard)
- Allow it to dry completely
- Drill a new pilot hole with a small drill bit (about 2-3 mm smaller than the screw)
- Use a screw with appropriate length and diameter

Alternatively, screw-in inserts provide firm anchoring in particleboard, but they are difficult to retrofit.

Wood glue can be helpful when combined with clamping and adequate curing time, but without mechanical reinforcement, the bonds alone do not offer reliable durability.

Medium-strength threadlocker (e.g., Loctite 243) prevents loosening from vibration but does not replace damaged or oversized screw holes.

I hope these tips assist with practical application.

Wood glue is not very effective on particle boards. It is better to use screw inserts, dowels, or thread-locking agents. Only reinsert screws if the hole is not stripped.

Thank you also for the detailed and varied approaches!

Domau0 schrieb:
How often exactly do the screws come loose, and how much load does the shelf carry?

So far, about every 3-4 weeks, depending on use (ubw). The load is medium to lightly heavy due to books and decorations. My guess is that the issue is more with the worn-out hole, as the material does not seem very stable.

Maria35 schrieb:
An economical and efficient method is a furniture repair kit for fixing stripped screw holes.

That sounds interesting. I will check what products like that are available here.

Can anyone confirm whether filling holes with wood glue and sawdust really helps or is mostly a waste of time?

I’m also curious if this is the right approach for melamine-coated particleboard material.

Wood glue mixed with wood shavings can fill holes and provide stability, but only if the surrounding material is not too damaged. Otherwise, it is better to use furniture repair filler. Threadlocker helps with vibrations.

María35 schrieb:
Wood glue is helpful when used together with clamping and time

Exactly – a tip from me: Loosen the screw slightly first, then generously brush glue onto the joint, screw it back together, and clamp it for at least 24 hours (ideally overnight with clamps).

And then fingers crossed: The shelf becomes much more stable afterward! I can only say: I did exactly that, and my KALLAX is now as good as new.

Plus: Occasionally retighten the screws if the shelf is heavily used. Good luck! 🙂