ᐅ How can you repair IKEA Hemnes furniture if screws are missing?

Hello everyone,

I have a specific question about repairing IKEA Hemnes furniture, which I hope to discuss here with knowledgeable input:

Some screws are missing from my Hemnes bed frame, either due to wear or lost parts. Since the stability of the furniture obviously depends heavily on having a complete set of screws, I am looking for practical solutions to adequately replace the missing screws or safely repair the piece.

What types of screws are suitable if original screws can no longer be obtained? Are there general recommendations for replacements, for example regarding diameter, length, or material?

Furthermore, I am interested in whether repair methods such as using dowels, wood glue combined with replacement screws, or creating special threaded inserts have proven effective.

I look forward to your experiences and expert advice on how to restore my Hemnes bed frame to stable and safe condition despite the missing screws.

It is best to take the exact measurements of the missing screws and purchase suitable replacement screws at the hardware store.

Make sure the length and diameter match precisely; otherwise, there will be issues with stability.

Munau schrieb:
Which types of screws are suitable here if the original screws can no longer be obtained? Are there general recommendations for replacements, for example regarding diameter, length, or material?

Hemnes furniture typically uses zinc-plated chipboard screws with metric threads.

- Standard diameters range between 5 and 6 mm (0.2–0.24 inches), with lengths varying depending on the furniture part (commonly 40–60 mm (1.6–2.4 inches)).
- Material: Zinc-plated steel is sufficient; stainless steel is preferable in damp environments.

Munau schrieb:
Repair methods such as using dowels, wood glue combined with replacement screws, or creating special threaded inserts have proven effective.

For larger drill holes or damaged screw holes, wooden dowels (8–10 mm (0.3–0.4 inches)) glued in place are recommended to recreate the thread. Brass threaded inserts can also provide stabilizing support under heavy load.

A straightforward combination of suitable replacement screws and, if necessary, wooden dowels is usually enough to ensure stability.

usbla schrieb:
A simple combination of suitable replacement screws and, if needed, wooden dowels is usually enough to ensure stability.

That already sounds quite professional! 😎 I once had a Hemnes bed where a few screws were missing, and I just used some from the hardware store with similar length and diameter, making sure they weren’t too thick to avoid too much compression.

A little tip: if you pre-treat the screw holes with wood glue, sometimes the screws hold even better on Hemnes furniture. It’s like a small upgrade for your piece! 😉

Honestly, sometimes improvising is much more effective than waiting forever for replacement parts. Good luck with the repair – I’m sure your Hemnes will be rock solid again afterwards!

Elodie schrieb:
sometimes improvising is much more effective than waiting forever for spare parts.

Well, it’s not quite that simple. Of course, pragmatic solutions are often helpful, but especially with furniture like Hemnes, which has a clear load-bearing structure, random trial and error can often cause more damage.

I think the issue of screws should not be underestimated. Even screws that are slightly too long or too thin can weaken load-bearing joints or even split the material.

The idea of using wood glue is also not always a cure-all, since wood glue does not hold well against tensile forces, which are quite high in beds.

My suggestion: it’s better to note down the names and dimensions, look for suitable replacement parts in specialty stores, or—if appropriate—use threaded inserts to reinforce the old hole.

Improvising is a nice word, but here it should be done with care.