Removing rounded screws?

[CluelessDIYer1]

It seems the previous owner of our house had a thing for rounding screws. Managed to force my way through most but the gate is proving a problem for my lack of expertise/knowledge.

Problem is, the gate blew in the wrong direction with the bad winds the other week & then wouldn't push past the post in the right direction. I had to lever it past the post with a screwdriver.

My guess is it's knackered the hinge as it was blown in the wrong direction?

Anyway so i went to take the hinge off with view to fitting a new hinge (is it as simple as that?) but can't remove the hinges. Some screws are fine, some are rounded...



Bottom one for example is totally round & that's before i got at it.

Shy of taking a sledgehammer to it & belting it off, how do you get these things out so the post is still usable?

 

[big-all]

several choices
the correct bit probably a pozi 2 in this case located with a hammer in this case

a flat bit about 3mm narrower than the "X" to locate in opposite corners again hammered home

file a flat on 2 sides and use a spanner

mole grips or similar on the exposed heads

 

[noseall]

Impact driver.

 

[GaryGarden]

If you are not using the same holes to fix the new hinge then the top two look like the heads would come off with a junior hacksaw, or you could drill the heads off with a good quality HSS drillbit. The other option is a screw extractor and would be the option if you are reusing the holes, some are all in one, you drill in to the screw with one end which creates a left hand thread and then use the other end to remove the screw, the same could be done with a tap set and a smaller diameter LH thread bolt.

 

[cajar]

as said, impact driver with a bit of pressure on it will take them right out. Also could try a small terminal screwdriver or bradawl and clean out the screw heads for a better fit and try a pz2 screwdriver again (dont round the screws if you feel them slipping). Can also file a slot across the screw using a dremel and remove with a slotted screw driver. Lastly you can use a titanium drillbit of the same diameter as the screw shaft and just drill off the head.

Remove the gate from the hinges first so there is no weight on the screws.

 

[CluelessDIYer1]

Thanks guys.

& i forgot to say in the OP but yes - the holes will be re-used. It'll just be a case of renewing the hinge & screws.

That said, watch it turn out to be not the hinge that's busted & the wind will have knackered the gate at a funny angle stopping it from closing.

 

[cajar]

Nah, the hinge itself looks splayed.

 

[Burnerman]

Drill the heads off, and fix a new hinge either just above or below the existing one......that hinge has had a hard time!
John

 

[WabbitPoo]

Take out the three that have heads - the fourth will come out by levering off the hinge. You might destroy the hinge but looks like you'll be replacing that anyway. The fourth hole will be useless, but just use a longer screw in that hole and all would be fine.

 

[foxhole]

Agree with rabbit remove any that will come out and pry off hinge.