Extracting Rusted Furniture Bolts From Outdoor Furniture

[Neocleous]

Hi everyone,

I have some old garden furniture and all of the screws have totally corroded. The bolts are 6 x 90mm and they are stripping or worse the head just comes off.

I’ve tried a bolt extractor but the friction seems too much for it to grip before it strips the thread it has cut.

Does anyone have any suggestions for getting out long screws from wood?

Thanks

 

[Inspector]

Burn the wood and sift the ashes. Easy to find them that way.

Pete

 

[rogxwhit]

In the title you mention 'furniture bolts' as if they were an item, then alternate between bolts & screws in the text. Slightly confusing! But I'd always start with a good hammering! Use a punch as necessary. Rust expands into the wood and it's surface is uneven - this is why it grips the wood more than when the hardware was new. Hammering in line disturbs the rubbish and loosens it, and loosens the fit. Then you have a better chance by doing the sorts of things you've been doing.

Pete's answer, though, would be quicker ...

 

[Neocleous]

When I say furniture bolts I’m talking about these things

 

[rogxwhit]

Ok - screws! So you tried screw extractors, the sort where you drill a hole then screw the extractor in anti-clockwise & keep turning?

 

[Neocleous]

Yes, they bite but the friction is too high. I’ll try giving it a bash with a hammer and centre punch to see if that loosens the corrosion enough for them to work

 

[rogxwhit]

Give them a real good thumping. Don't pussy cat about. And the drill / extractor (you have a set?) needs to be gauged to the screw judiciously, ie to be as large as possible whilst still leaving enough meat in the screw to grip. Good luck.

 

[Tris]

Try tightening them before undoing, might do the trick if they aren't too far gone.

 

[gcusick]

Drill around the offending screw with a hollow drill. Something like this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07T4Y3CMJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
then remove the remains with fine-nosed pliers. Alternatively, @Inspector has it right!

 

[--Tom--]

I find a driver in a brace gives a lot of controlled torque. If the head snaps then at least you can separate the pieces, and then use a plug cutter if needed to extract the old screw thread.
If they’re fused right - do you need to remove them though? Sometimes more effort than worth trying to dismantle

 

[Neocleous]

Unfortunately I’ve started now and some of the heads have sheared off so I have to sort them now.

 

[Orraloon]

Plug cutters work for short screws but you can make a longer one from steel tube by just filing teeth in the end of it.
Remove Damaged Headless Screws from Wood FAST - YouTube
That will be the neatest fix. A less neat way is drill a hole alongside the broken screw then using a punch knock the screw over into the new hole.
By the way when you replace the screws use stainless or galvanised. Those ones are not suited to being outside.
Regards
John

 

[Kittyhawk]

Further to Inspector Pete's suggestion, I'm pretty keen on using heat to free gummed up things.
I've no idea if this would work but if you have a big soldering iron you could try applying if to the head of the screw for a few minutes.. Even a miniscule heat expansion can break the bond between metal and rust and the heat may also char the timber surrounding the screw sufficiently to enable you to back it out.

 

[Superduner]

These work well, and there is a "mole grip" version as well (second link)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00NBSVYOY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1
https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B07677TBQ6/ref=emc_b_5_t

 

[Neocleous]

Funnily enough I’ve had those in my basket for ages for this job. I thought I would have issues.
I’m going to give everyone’s suggestions a go tonight after work. I’ll keep everyone posted

 

[Richard_C]

What are you trying to save here?

I had some rotten garden furniture and wanted to save some fittings for a repurpose job. Sledgehammer, pry bar, and occasional rough drilling did the job quickly and rendered the furniture car-boot sized for the trip to the recycle centre (tip, in old parlance). If you are trying to rescue the wood, that or Inspector's method won't be helpful.

If it's all fairly sound, why take it apart?