ᐅ How do I repair Ikea Hemnes furniture when screws break?

Hello everyone, I have a problem with my Ikea Hemnes cabinet. During assembly or later repair attempts, some screws broke – for example, the wood screws that are often used in the pre-drilled holes. Now I’m missing support in some areas, and I’m wondering what the best way is to repair this without damaging the furniture or having to take it completely apart. Are there any proven tricks or materials to reinforce the spots where screws have broken off? I usually use the original screws and assembly instructions, but I’ve realized that the wood in those areas is no longer load-bearing. Thanks for your advice!

If the screws break off, you can try inserting a wooden dowel into the hole. Then fill the hole with wood glue, press the dowel in, let it dry, and finally insert new screws. This usually restores a good hold.

Hello Ripifu, I’m familiar with the issue of broken screws in the Ikea Hemnes. Often, the pre-drilled holes are made from lower-quality material, especially particleboard. A good approach is to remove the broken screws completely, then fill the hole with wood glue and wooden dowels or toothpicks. Make sure the glue dries thoroughly (at least 24 hours).

Alternatively, you can use special repair fillers or wood putty, which will stabilize the hole once dried. After that, carefully screw in new screws. It’s best to drill a small pilot hole first with a thinner drill bit to prevent the wood from splitting further.

Have you already removed the broken screws? This is important because broken screw parts in the hole make it harder to insert new screws.

Shawn38 schrieb:
Have you already removed the broken screws?

This question is especially important! As long as the damaged screws remain in the hole, any repair is unlikely to be effective in the long term.

Thank you in advance! Yes, I was able to remove some of the broken screw pieces, but it was very difficult, and in some places, the wood also broke off. I was considering filling the holes with wooden dowels, but how stable is that really, especially for furniture that needs to support some weight? Is there perhaps a way to use metal sleeves or some kind of threaded insert? I’ve seen that some furniture makers use those, but I’m not sure if it makes sense for Hemnes – the material isn’t solid wood but often laminated wood or particleboard.

Metal sleeves only work if the wood is thick and solid enough. In the case of Hemnes, this is rather difficult – it is better to use wood glue and wooden dowels. For increased stability, larger dowels can also be used.