Why IKEA Cam Locks Break — and the $3 Fix

The Cam Lock Problem

The IKEA cam lock is a small metal disc that turns to pull two pieces of particleboard together. It's the joint that holds most IKEA furniture together — and the one that fails most often. Here's why it breaks and the cheap fix.

Why It Breaks

• Over-tightened: turned past the 180° click, the cam strips the particleboard hole.
• Wrong screw length: a short cam screw in a thick panel doesn't reach the cam.
• Misaligned: the cam screw enters at an angle, so the cam pulls the joint crooked and the edge of the hole chips.

The $3 Fix: A Larger Cam

A hardware store sells #15 cam lock nuts and screws in a slightly larger size. Drill the stripped hole out to the new cam's diameter, drop in the larger cam, and use the matching screw. The joint is now stronger than original.

The Backup Fix: Wood Filler and a Dowel

If the hole is too damaged for a larger cam, fill it with wood filler, drill a pilot hole, and glue in a hardwood dowel. Re-drill the cam hole into the dowel. The repair holds as well as new.

Don't Reuse a Stripped Cam

A cam that's pulled out once will pull out again. Replace the hardware or repair the hole — a "tighten it harder" approach splits the panel.

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