Tricks that will help you quickly and reliably screw a self-tapping screw into a loose hole

People working in the construction industry know what a problem it can be if you need to insert a self-tapping screw into an old hole. And it is already loose, does not hold the clutch, and the bolt just fails. How can you get rid of this problem quickly and easily? I offer you several options, and it’s up to you to choose which one is right for your situation.

Using a dowel

Plastic dowels will perfectly perform the function of a hole expander. And you can already screw screws into them. First place it in the hole and then screw in your bolt.

Use of glue

If you have a heat gun, the problem with a loose hole is very easy to solve. Just put the gun on charge, wait for the glue stick to melt, and pour a few drops into the hole. Wait until the glue starts to harden (not completely!) and screw in the self-tapping screw. You can pour ordinary PVA into the hole. The effect will be the same.

Moreover, you can not only immediately screw a self-tapping screw into the hole, but first insert the dowel, and only after that the metal itself. And for holes that are too wide, first fill in the glue, then insert the dowel, then more glue, and only then the self-tapping screw.

Wood use

If you're driving a self-tapping screw into wood, the easiest option is to fill the loose hole with the same or different wood. You just need to take a small piece of twig, insert it into the hole and twist what you need. For this, construction stores sell so-called “chopiks” for furniture, which have the official name “shkant”. These are special round wooden sticks of different sizes, designed for such situations.

Additional materials

If you screw a self-tapping screw into a harder surface, such as metal, brick, etc., you can literally buy a little plumbing linen. Just wind a small pigtail around the self-tapping screw and it will fit into the hole perfectly “hard”.

Well, if there are no devices at hand at all, and you need to screw in the screw urgently and tightly, just a plastic bag can help out. Simply insert the cellophane before screwing in your bolt. Turn the self-tapping screw a little before pushing it in with a screwdriver or a regular screwdriver.

Using a larger screw

And of course, the easiest way is to just take a large self-tapping screw. More than the one that was in the hole before.

There are many options for how to securely screw a self-tapping screw into a larger hole. And it's up to you to choose which one suits you best.