ᐅ How do I repair broken screws in IKEA BESTA units?

Hello everyone,

I’m facing an issue with my IKEA Besta cabinet: some screws broke during assembly. The screws snapped off inside and are stuck quite firmly in the wood or particleboard. I want to avoid having to take the entire piece apart or damage it.

Does anyone have experience or tips on the best way to repair or remove broken screws in Besta cabinets?

My main concern is how to treat the damaged areas so I can securely reinsert new screws afterward. Are there any special tools or techniques that work best in this kind of situation?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Nufuix schrieb:
Some screws broke during assembly.

This is a common issue with particleboard furniture, such as the IKEA BESTA, because the material is relatively soft and the screws are often quite thin.

There are several proven methods for repairing or removing broken screws:

- Screw extractors (left-hand screw removers): A special tool used to drill a small hole into the broken screw stub and then turn the screw out counterclockwise.

- Drilling and filling with wood filler or wooden dowels: After removing the screw, thoroughly clean the hole and fill it with wood filler or a suitable wooden dowel to restore stability.

- Finding alternative fastening points or adding reinforcements: If the area around the screw is severely damaged, additional battens or brackets can help ensure structural integrity.

However, caution is needed with particleboard, as drilling too deeply or making holes too wide can further weaken its stability.

How large are the damaged areas exactly, and what tools do you have available? Then I can offer more specific advice.

draleo schrieb:
Screw extractor (left-hand extractor): A special tool used to drill a small hole into the broken screw stub and then unscrew the screw counterclockwise.

This is a very good approach, which I would like to add to. Important for IKEA BESTA and similar particleboard furniture:

- Always use a sharp, appropriately sized drill bit for the pilot hole. A drill bit that is too large can unnecessarily enlarge the hole and cause the screw to jam even more tightly.

- When using a left-hand screw extractor, proceed carefully to avoid damaging the panel. The screw may be very tightly stuck because it is embedded in the wood fibers.

- After removing the screw, be sure to fill the hole with a special wood filler and allow it to fully cure (at least several hours).

- Then, if necessary, pre-drill the hole for the new screw with a wood drill bit. Make sure the new screw is not too long or too thick – ideally, use replacement screws from IKEA, which are optimized for particleboard.

If the screw is completely embedded in the material and cannot be removed with either a screw extractor or drilling, as a last resort you can repair the hole using a wooden dowel. In this case:

- Drill out the old hole completely so that the screw and any splinter debris are removed.

- Glue a wooden dowel into the drilled-out hole.

- After the glue has cured, pre-drill the hole for the new screw.

How large is the screw? Are these the small Phillips self-tapping screws that IKEA usually uses, or are they a different type of screw?

Parbo schrieb:
If the screw is completely embedded in the material and cannot be removed using a screw extractor or drilling, you can as a last resort repair the hole with a wooden dowel.

Interesting point you raise. I would like to note that while repairing with wooden dowels may seem sturdy, the overall structural integrity of the furniture piece is often underestimated in such cases.

Especially with IKEA BESTA units, it is frequently not just about individual screws but about the precise interaction of connection points. If you simply fill holes with putty or use dowels without considering the load distribution, you risk weakening or warping the structure in the long term.

In my opinion, a better approach, whenever possible, is to completely replace broken parts or at least reinforce them with brackets or metal connectors. This method is commonly recommended in furniture construction when the material quality is no longer sufficient.

It would be best if you could provide more specific details about your situation, such as how deep the screws are set, the exact type of construction, and the expected loads.

Only then can a sustainable solution be reliably suggested – this should not be underestimated.

Are there any details about the type of screws? I’m skeptical that using just a left-hand screw extractor alone will always be sufficient without additional measures.