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We have a set of sliding kitchen drawers which came loose, probably due to overloading, damaging the holes which they screwed into, as in this image:

Damaged screw hole

The screws themselves look like this: (apologies if "screw" is the wrong word)

Screw

We reordered the drawers to make use of the remaining undamaged screw holes, but they've come loose again, and now there are no undamaged screw holes to use.

Is it possible to repair the damage, such that we could reattach the sliders, or do we need to replace the whole enclosure?

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  • Can you access the back of the board? Then you could use a screw with nut and washer on the other side.
    – Toffomat
    Commented Sep 19, 2018 at 10:56
  • @Toffomat unfortunately not - this is part of a fitted kitchen, and the boards are flush against two other sets of boards.
    – Simon
    Commented Sep 19, 2018 at 13:47
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    If the boards are flush against two other boards then can you use a much longer screw to reach the other board? Or possibly go all the way through with a nut and a bolt.
    – Platinum Goose
    Commented Sep 19, 2018 at 13:50
  • @PlatinumGoose it might be possible - it would depend on how the holes are distributed on the neighbouring board. I'd also be a little worried that I'd now be ruining four boards, not two.
    – Simon
    Commented Sep 19, 2018 at 13:53

2 Answers 2

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I think you have two options here.

Either you repair that hole by filling it with epoxy resin or another suitable filler. After that you may have to drill it again to make sure it has the right diameter and position.

Or you drill a bigger hole and use an insert nut (see wikipedia). Then you also have to replace the special scew depicted by a suitable countersunk machine screw. Of course it depends on the thickness of your board, whether you can use an insert nut.

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    mixing some (1:3) sawdust with the epoxy will make it cheaper and easier to work.
    – dandavis
    Commented Sep 19, 2018 at 18:26
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I have used tooth picks and white glue to fill stripped holes, I don't know how well that will work on particle board. If a toothpick won't work I would get a 1/2" dowel drill a 1/2" hole and glue the dowel in place once the glue is dry drill a pilot hole for the screw and this will be stronger than the original particle board.

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