Fixing Stripped Screw Holes

Photos by Bill Gehr

Self-drilling drywall anchors work great when searching for a secure foundation for fasteners in an RV that have pulled out of a wall.

Driving screws into RV paneling or a cabinet structure for the first time seems to present few issues. For the most part they will hold tight — but remove and replace the screw a few times (or add some weight) and the wood turns to sawdust as the hole becomes stripped and enlarged.

Window shades are especially vulnerable after multiple tugs on the material to pull them down — and forget about hanging heavy stuff on hooks. There are a few remedies that have been tired for years, such as stuffing a toothpick into the hole and re-setting the screw so the threads get a bite. This works, but not always, especially if the screw is holding something that sees heavy usage or is under tension. Of course, you can always use glue, but that’s not the best way to go unless you want the screw to be permanent.

Screws in thin paneling have a tendency to rip out when any weight is applied. Stripped threads in the wood make it impossible to secure the screws. Anchors can also be used to fix stripped screw holes behind window shades, valances, brackets and hinges throughout an RV.

A trick we found years ago is to use a self-drilling drywall anchor.

Drywall anchors are available in metal or plastic and although they are designed to be driven into drywall, which is rather soft, they work amazingly well in paneling or soft wood. These anchors have a cutting “bit” at the end, which first makes a hole so that the spiral threads will work their way in until tight against the surface. To use, simply drive the anchors using a Phillips bit in a screw gun; unless you’re going through a stripped hole, you’ll have to drill a pilot hole, which may not be necessary when using the steel anchors. It only takes a few seconds to seat the anchors.

It’s important that you use the right size anchor for the job, based on the screw size and weight-holding capability. Also, you’ll have to determine the width of the wall to make sure the anchor won’t penetrate an exterior panel. Anchors are available in various lengths.

Once the anchors are seated into the wall, the screws that hold the hook in place have a solid foundation and will not back out. Just tighten them down and you’re all set.

Once you seat the anchor, the provided screw can be driven into the center. Doing so expands the anchor, providing enough grip for holding brackets, hooks, hinges or anything else up to the rated capacity. We usually get the ones that are rated for 50 pounds, which is more than enough to support projects in an RV. A metal version works best if it’s being driven into a stud. A box of six anchors sells for only a few bucks and is available in any hardware or home improvement store and, of course, online.

We found these anchors to be a valuable asset when hanging hooks on the fabric-covered divider walls in a fifth wheel storage compartment. While hook-and-loop fasteners will sometimes adhere to the fabric, the result is not normally long term. Anchors provide a much more solid base for screwing in hooks for holding cables, hoses and cords against the storage divider wall; using screws alone eventually will work their way loose.

Keep a box of these anchors on hand; you never know when you’ll need to fix a stripped screw hole.