Screw won't come out

[ToTheCrystalDome]

Hello!

I'm trying to replace a TV which is on a wall-mounted bracket. I've been able to remove the first two screws connecting the TV to the bracket but the other two just go round and round and won't come out.

As you can tell, DIY is not my thing but I'd really like to sort this out myself without having to ask OH for help (particularly seeing as he is away until Christmas Eve).

Any tips for getting these screws out please? (Short of hacksawing the heads off!). Thank you!

IS it a big enough screwdriver of the right head type? Sounds like maybe not

I had this exact problem , my partner and his dad went to put my tv on the wall but said it wasn't the right bracket then put the stand on the tv instead but then realised it was the right bracket, but then couldn't take the last screw out of the stand as it was rounded off, I tried everything flat head screw driver , Alan key , elastic band on the end of a screw driver 🤦🏻‍♀️ I think they got it out in the end with a screw retractor kit or a drill

It sounds like the plugs are no longer secured to the wall, I would just pull it out, should come out plugs and all.

Oh, I'm sorry, are the screws going into the TV or the wall?

The screws are going into the TV.

It's not the screwdriver as the whole screw is turning and I can even twist it with my fingers but it just won't come out.

Depends where the screws are and what is causing them to rotate.

Sometimes you need to put some upwards force on a screw to get it out and normally you can do this by using pliers to gently put upwards pressure (pull out) on the head while screwing it out. You might find as someone else said that if they are just rotating you can pull them straight out anyway.

I've done this with an over enthusiastic electric screwdriver and damaged the head. I managed to wedge a flat head screwdriver in the gap and and work it out very slowly. It's really frustrating!

Can you get your nails in between the head of screw and the surface of the TV?

Just about for one of them.

And are they strong enough to pull? Another method might be to see if you can loop a thin wire or string round the head and pull out that way. However if it won’t slide straight out then not sure what you can do.

I've tried pulling one of them out with pliers but it won't budge!

Can you put the blade of a knife flat behind the screw to apply a bit of outward pressure whilst using a screw driver to turn the screw?

Sometimes screws have small nuts which are usually seated in a correspondingly shaped recess. Perhaps the nut has come out from the recess and so is just turning with the nut on it but getting no resistance because it’s out of the recess.

I don’t know if I’ve managed to describe what I mean. It will be worth a try though.

I will definitely give that a go, thank you!

Yes, unscrewing while pulling is likely to be the best bet. Either the threads have gone or it's a nut out of place, as a pp said.

Get a flat bladed screwdriver under the head and lever it out a bit while unscrewing.

If it's spinning but not backing out, use pliers to grab as you pull and turn

This, or even better, do it using a pair of mini mole grips instead of pliers.

Absolute worst case, you have to drill the top of the screw out. Start with a smaller drill bit and work your way up through the sizes until the head comes off

Thank you everyone. Will have another attempt tomorrow! 🪛

If it feels like the "nut" or holder is turning inside the TV, and you have tried putting the screw under load, the next drastic solution would be to take the back cover of the TV and see if you can attack it from the inside.

Generally not possible these days, nor advisable, especially if it's under warranty still

Why is it not possible?

Use glue from a glue stick on the end of a pen. Press it into the screw head. ( don't have excess glue) Let the glue set fully then it will pull straight out