ᐅ What should I do if the screws in my Ikea Hemnes furniture keep loosening during assembly?

Hello everyone,

I currently have a specific issue with my Ikea Hemnes furniture, more precisely during assembly. I have noticed that the screws I use tend to loosen repeatedly, even though I have tightened them several times. This affects both the larger and smaller screws. As a result, the furniture parts become wobbly after a while or can even start to come apart slightly, which is obviously frustrating and potentially unsafe.

What I am particularly interested in is whether anyone has tips or experience on how to permanently fix this problem. Perhaps there are better screws, special fasteners, or other tricks that improve the stability.

It would also be important to know if this might be related to the materials or the construction, and how much retightening is reasonable before the screws get damaged.

I look forward to useful advice and practical suggestions on how to avoid this annoying need to retighten.

danel schrieb:
the screws I use during assembly keep loosening, even though I have tightened them several times.

This is a common issue with furniture made mainly from particleboard or MDF, which is the case with Hemnes. These materials tend to compress slightly under load, causing screws to loosen over time.

My advice:
- Use threadlocker products, such as low-strength liquid threadlocker (Loctite). This prevents screws from loosening without making them impossible to remove later.
- Be careful not to overtighten, as this can cause the material to crack or break.
- If the holes are worn out, fill them with wood glue and small wood shavings. After drying, the material hardens again, providing a better grip for the screws.

This way, the construction becomes more stable, and the screws stay tight longer.

danel schrieb:
the furniture parts may become wobbly or even start to come apart after some time

That sounds really frustrating; I can understand how annoying it is when something you put effort into assembling yourself doesn’t stay stable.

I’ve also noticed with my Hemnes furniture that the screws tend to loosen over time. I experimented with gently tightening them every few months to help delay the effect.

Are there any areas in your furniture that experience increased stress? One option might be to add extra brackets or supports—not necessarily original ones, but small additions like these often help improve structural stability.

It’s reassuring to know that others have similar experiences and that it’s not all due to mistakes made during assembly.

daalessio schrieb:
Use thread lockers, for example low-strength liquid thread locker (Loctite).

This advice is important and should not be underestimated. Additionally, I recommend the following systematic approach:

- Before final assembly, check all pre-drilled holes for damage or enlargement. Worn-out holes must be repaired, for example, by filling with wood filler or reinforcing with wooden dowels.
- For the screws: don’t just tighten them, but proceed carefully to avoid damaging the material. Excessive tightening can cause material failure.
- Another proven method is to reinforce critical connection points with washers to distribute the compressive load on the material.

This way, a stable connection can be ensured in the long term. Hemnes furniture is well designed with wooden brackets, but most problems arise from material deformation and poor screw fixation.

danel schrieb:
There might be better screws, special locking methods, or other tricks to improve the fastening.

Hello, as a supplement to the previous comments, I would like to address the combination of screw quality and assembly tools. Hemnes furniture often uses chipboard screws, which can loosen under stress.

- Pay attention to proper torque during assembly. A cordless screwdriver with adjustable torque is helpful to avoid overtightening.
- If you use thread-locking compounds, opt for a low-strength type so the furniture can be disassembled later if needed.
- A small investment but useful are threaded inserts (metal inserts), which reinforce the material if you have repaired holes.

Combining these methods significantly increases stability and durability.