Building furniture is one of those things that always looks easier than it is. You breeze through the instructions, look at a few diagrams and assume you’ll be finished without 30 minutes. Two hours later, your hands are blistered, and you’re still not finished.
Loads of things tend to go wrong when building all kinds of furniture, but loose screws are easily the most common. You try to screw a bolt in, but it just keeps turning round and round. There’s no grip, so you’re left with a loose screw – and a wobbly piece of furniture! You try different screws to solve the problem, though this usually weakens the material and makes an even bigger issue.
You’re beginning to wish you’d paid extra and hired a pro to build your furniture, but don’t give up yet! There are ways to tighten loose screws without messing up your brand-new furniture.
This is a contributed post.
USE A THREAD LOCKER
What the heck is a thread locker? It’s almost like a special type of glue used for securing screws into holes and preventing them from getting loose. Different brands exist, though Loctite is the most widely used and trusted.
All you have to do is clean the screw and apply the adhesive to the little ridges. Then, screw in as normal, and the thread locker sets. You don’t need much of the stuff, but it will hold the screw in place and stop it from coming loose. It’s a really good option if you’re building furniture that moves a lot – like desk chairs or anything that gets put under load.
TRY A WASHER
Many times, your screw goes in pretty well, but the top bit just keeps spinning. This normally means the head isn’t getting enough purchase or support from the material below. Whether this is wood or metal, some washers will do the trick.
A washer sits on the surface you’re screwing into, and the head ends up flat against it. There’s more purchase for the head and more resistance for it to screw into, securing the screw in place. Make sure you pick the right washer size if you go for this option to avoid overlapping.
PUT THE SCREW IN AN ANCHOR
Either of the previous options will work for wood and metal, though this final one is only for wooden pieces of furniture. You might prefer to use a screw anchor to secure an annoying screw in place. This is ideal when it just spins around and around and feels like the hole is too big for the screw.
An “anchor” is a small rubber bit of tubing with ridges that fits around the screw. You place it in the hole and screw the screw into place. It fits securely in the anchor, solving your rotating screw problem.
Is it easier to get someone else to build your furniture? Yes, but it’s all part of the excitement of renovating your home or moving house. You need to go through the process of building things, as it makes you feel more connected to them. Hopefully, these tips mean you don’t have to worry about loose screws during the DIY process anymore!
Do you have any home DIY tips?
Olivia x
olivialucieblake.com 