Hello everyone, I am currently assembling my IKEA Hemnes bed and I’m facing an issue where some screws don’t catch properly and just spin freely. These are the included wood screws, which are supposed to go into pre-drilled holes, but in some cases, I no longer feel any resistance—it’s as if the screw can’t find any grip. I have checked whether the holes are damaged or too large, but visually everything seems fine. Has anyone experienced this problem or have tips on how to secure these screws properly anyway? Are there perhaps tricks with alternative screws, wood glue, or other methods to make the joints load-bearing? It is important to me that the furniture remains stable and safe in the end, especially since it’s a bed. Thanks in advance for your help!
A precise analysis helps: Often the problem is that the pre-drilled holes in MDF or solid wood in Hemnes furniture are too large due to using a drill bit with too big a diameter. If the screw has too much play in the hole, it loses its grip. My recommendation in these cases is as follows:
- Unscrew the screw and thoroughly clean the hole, removing all wood chips.
- Fill the hole several times with some wood glue using toothpicks or small wooden sticks. Break the sticks into smaller pieces and push them into the hole together with the glue to create volume.
- Trim any protruding parts flush.
- Then carefully screw the screw back in; this usually improves the hold significantly.
Alternatively, for joints under greater stress, you can use common furniture fasteners with dowels or knock-in nuts, depending on how much effort you want to invest. Stability is especially important for beds. By the way, re-cutting the screw thread or switching to screws with a larger diameter can also help, but you should carefully check the furniture surface to avoid damage.
I would be interested to know if the problem with the affected screws always occurs on the same component or if it is randomly distributed.
- Unscrew the screw and thoroughly clean the hole, removing all wood chips.
- Fill the hole several times with some wood glue using toothpicks or small wooden sticks. Break the sticks into smaller pieces and push them into the hole together with the glue to create volume.
- Trim any protruding parts flush.
- Then carefully screw the screw back in; this usually improves the hold significantly.
Alternatively, for joints under greater stress, you can use common furniture fasteners with dowels or knock-in nuts, depending on how much effort you want to invest. Stability is especially important for beds. By the way, re-cutting the screw thread or switching to screws with a larger diameter can also help, but you should carefully check the furniture surface to avoid damage.
I would be interested to know if the problem with the affected screws always occurs on the same component or if it is randomly distributed.
I’d like to add a helpful step-by-step method that has worked well for me when IKEA Hemnes screws no longer hold:
1. First, thoroughly clean the hole, as wood chips or manufacturing residues can affect the fit.
2. Then, fill the interior of the hole with a medium-viscosity wood glue.
3. Cut several thin wooden sticks or toothpicks to suitable lengths and press them into the hole so they fill the interior well.
4. Apply wood glue on top and use pliers to twist the sticks inside the hole multiple times to ensure the glue spreads evenly and the cavities are filled.
5. Trim any excess material flush with the surface and allow it to dry for at least 1-2 hours.
6. Finally, slowly reinsert the original screws.
This results in a much firmer connection, as the glue combined with the wooden sticks acts as a filler that secures the screw threads. It is important to use only screws from the IKEA set or comparable ones with the same diameter to distribute the load evenly.
If you want to test the stability, after drying, gently apply some force to the connection to check if it holds up under stress. Avoid over-tightening, as this could further damage the wood.
I hope this detailed guide helps you securely assemble your Hemnes pieces.
1. First, thoroughly clean the hole, as wood chips or manufacturing residues can affect the fit.
2. Then, fill the interior of the hole with a medium-viscosity wood glue.
3. Cut several thin wooden sticks or toothpicks to suitable lengths and press them into the hole so they fill the interior well.
4. Apply wood glue on top and use pliers to twist the sticks inside the hole multiple times to ensure the glue spreads evenly and the cavities are filled.
5. Trim any excess material flush with the surface and allow it to dry for at least 1-2 hours.
6. Finally, slowly reinsert the original screws.
This results in a much firmer connection, as the glue combined with the wooden sticks acts as a filler that secures the screw threads. It is important to use only screws from the IKEA set or comparable ones with the same diameter to distribute the load evenly.
If you want to test the stability, after drying, gently apply some force to the connection to check if it holds up under stress. Avoid over-tightening, as this could further damage the wood.
I hope this detailed guide helps you securely assemble your Hemnes pieces.
It’s interesting how quickly some people rely on wooden dowels and glue—I think that only solves part of the problem. After all, IKEA furniture is designed for straightforward self-assembly without requiring the end user to improvise.
That sounds professional but is a bit exaggerated for average assemblies. In my opinion, IKEA should simply do better preparation and adjust the screws more precisely—because this problem often arises from manufacturing tolerances, which shouldn’t be fixed just by goodwill.
Relying heavily on such ‘better-than-IKEA’ fixes is not very sustainable and seems like an encouragement to buy extra hardware. For a bed, you have safety requirements that improv tricks can’t really meet. Anyone who wants stability here should consider replacing the screws right away or contacting IKEA customer service—anything else is just patchwork.
fredle schrieb:
I’m happy to add some step-by-step advice that has worked for me when IKEA Hemnes screws no longer hold:
That sounds professional but is a bit exaggerated for average assemblies. In my opinion, IKEA should simply do better preparation and adjust the screws more precisely—because this problem often arises from manufacturing tolerances, which shouldn’t be fixed just by goodwill.
kulau schrieb:
Alternatively, for heavily loaded joints you can also use common furniture connectors with dowels or knock-in nuts
Relying heavily on such ‘better-than-IKEA’ fixes is not very sustainable and seems like an encouragement to buy extra hardware. For a bed, you have safety requirements that improv tricks can’t really meet. Anyone who wants stability here should consider replacing the screws right away or contacting IKEA customer service—anything else is just patchwork.
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