How to Fix a Stripped Screw Hole
The screw just spins and never tightens, or the head is chewed up and won't turn at all. Both are easy fixes with things you probably already have: toothpicks, wood glue, a dowel or a rubber band.
What is the screw going into?
Wood, particleboard and drywall need different fixes. In wood, you give the threads fresh material to bite into. In drywall, the gypsum has crumbled and won't hold a screw again, so you need an anchor or a stud. Use the picker below to jump to the right fix.
TRYFind your fix
FIXFix the stripped hole
Start with the quickest fix and work down.
- A longer screw reaches past the stripped part into fresh wood. On a door hinge, a long screw can reach through the door frame into the wall framing behind it for a much stronger hold.
- A screw one gauge thicker also works, if it still fits the hole in the hinge or hardware.
- Match the head size and shape to the original. A bigger head can stick up above a hinge and make the door bind.
- Drive it slowly by hand or at low speed so you don't strip it again.
- Take out the screw and any loose bits of wood.
- Dip wooden toothpicks (or a golf tee, for a bigger hole) in wood glue and push in as many as fit snugly. Tap them in gently.
- Let the glue dry. Check the bottle; waiting overnight gives the strongest result.
- Snap or cut the toothpicks flush with a utility knife.
- Drive the screw back in. Making a small pilot hole first helps it go in straight without splitting the new wood.
- Drill out the damaged hole to a clean, even size that matches a dowel you have; a ¼-inch bit and dowel work for most hinge and furniture screws.
- Vacuum or blow out the dust.
- Cut a piece of dowel about as long as the hole is deep, coat it in wood glue (or two-part epoxy), and tap it in.
- Once dry, trim it flush with a saw or utility knife and sand it smooth.
- Drill a pilot hole a little narrower than the screw, centered on the dowel, and drive the screw.
This is the most permanent fix for hinges, cabinet doors and furniture. Hardware stores also sell snap-off repair inserts that do the same job.
- Stud first: if a stud finder shows wood behind the spot, move the item slightly and screw into the stud. That's the strongest option.
- Light items (frames, small hooks): a plastic ribbed anchor or a threaded drywall anchor.
- Heavier items (shelves, mirrors): a toggle bolt or molly bolt, which grip the back of the wall. Check the package rating.
- The old hole is probably now too big for a small anchor. Use a size up, or patch it and drill a fresh hole an inch or two away.
- Drill the hole size printed on the anchor package (self-drilling anchors need no pilot hole).
- Tap the anchor in flush with a hammer or mallet.
- Drive the screw through your item into the anchor. Stop when it's snug; overtightening crushes the drywall.
- Right bit, hand power: use a manual screwdriver that fits the head exactly. Press down hard and turn slowly counterclockwise.
- Rubber band trick: lay a wide rubber band flat over the head, push the screwdriver through it into the slot, and turn. The rubber fills the worn grooves and adds grip.
- Pliers: if the head sticks up, clamp it with locking pliers and twist it out.
- Screw extractor: set a drill to reverse, drill a small hole in the head with the extractor's drilling end, then let the extractor bite and back the screw out.
Once it's out, fix the hole with one of the steps above, and use a new screw.
The wood may be split or rotted around the hole. Move the hardware slightly to fresh wood, or replace the damaged piece. For a door that keeps sagging, longer hinge screws into the framing usually solve it.
TIPSAvoid stripping screws next time
Drill a pilot hole
Slightly narrower than the screw. It guides the screw and stops hardwood splitting.
Use the right bit
Match the bit type and size to the screw head. A worn bit strips heads fast.
Slow down
Use a low clutch setting on your drill, or finish the last turns by hand.
Soft screws by hand
Brass and slotted screws strip easily. This Old House recommends turning them by hand.
FAQCommon questions
Can I just use a bigger screw?
Often, yes. A longer one is usually better than a much thicker one, because the head still needs to fit the hardware. On hinges, match the head size so the door doesn't bind.
Wood glue or super glue for the toothpick fix?
Wood glue. It soaks into the fibers and bonds the toothpicks to the wood. Let it dry before driving the screw.
Does the toothpick trick work in drywall?
Not well. Drywall is crumbly gypsum, not wood, so the screw has nothing solid to grip. Use an anchor or screw into a stud.
Why does my cabinet hinge keep coming loose?
Particleboard and MDF crumble when a screw is overtightened or the door is yanked. A glued-in dowel or a repair insert gives the screw solid material to grip.
What's a screw extractor?
A hardened bit with reverse threads. Drilled into a damaged screw head with the drill in reverse, it bites in and turns the screw out.