There is hardly anything more frustrating in DIY than loosening a turned screw. It no longer goes further into the workpiece, but can no longer be turned out.
In a nutshell
- try the simple solution with canning gum first
- does not require any special tools
- use a suitable screwdriver
Table of contents
- canning gum method
- More options
- screw extraction set
- torx bit
- angle grinder
- frequently asked Questions
canning gum method
If a screw has turned round, there are a number of possible solutions. However, before using expensive equipment or heavy machinery, the simplest method should be tried first.
What is needed?
- high quality canning gum
- suitable screwdriver
Tip: If you don't have any gum on hand, you can also use commercially available aluminum foil. To do this, fold the foil several times and then proceed as in the instructions.
Put on the canning gum
Place the canning gum with the wide side in the middle of the screw so that the Slot or the cross in the screw head covered by the rubber.
Tip: Please just put the canning gum on the screw once and don't take it twice. This would cause the rubber to lose its grip and the screwdriver cannot grip.
Fix canning gum
Put your thumb and forefinger on the rubber and fix it on the screw head. However, the fingers must not rest on the screw, but only next to it. Feel free to press the canning gum a little harder so that it cannot slip.
Find the right screwdriver
If the rubber is well placed and fixed, the screwdriver is used. Now place it on the rubber-covered drive of the screw. Make sure the tip of the blade is the right size. This should not be larger than the drive but not too small either.
A notice: Blade tip refers to the top end of the screwdriver.
turn screw
If the screwdriver sits well in the rounded screw, you can turn it slowly. Watch the screw as you do this. Does she turn? Then you can now slowly unscrew the screw.
If the screw cannot be turned, you can try a slightly larger screwdriver. It may have a better grip and be able to move the screw.
More options
If the screw is turned too round, it no longer offers a grip for the blade tip of the screwdriver with the gum. There are other ways to remove the screw here. Rounded screws can also be loosened with these tools:
screw extraction set
In this way you can unscrew a rounded screw. The center of the screw head is first punched with a center punch. Then drill a hole in the screw there. Turn the appropriate screw extractor counterclockwise into this hole and can then remove the rounded screw. These sets can be purchased in well-stocked hardware stores.
torx bit
Another option is to use a torx bit. To do this, the screw must be drilled, the Torx bit hammered into the resulting hole and then unscrewed. This method requires finesse and some practice.
angle grinder
You can also use an angle grinder to cut a slot in the screw head. You can then unscrew the screw with a slotted screwdriver.
A notice: Be careful though. It can happen that the slot becomes too deep or too wide and the screw head is damaged so badly that part of it breaks off.
frequently asked Questions
This often happens when working with too much force or an improper blade tip. Especially when using tips that are too small, the head of the screw wears out so much that a normal screwdriver can no longer grip it. But material fatigue or inferior material can also lead to rounded screws.
Particularly important: stop turning. Even with more power you will not reach your goal. Rather, even more material is removed and the screw is turned even more round. Remove the screwdriver, take a deep breath and get a canning gum.
This is not recommended. Even if you subsequently cut a slit in the screw head or otherwise restore the hold for the blade tip, the material of the screw is already very weak. You run the risk of the screw breaking during further use.
