Does this Internet hack work for hiding screw heads?

You’ve probably spent a lot of time woodworking projects and know that visible nails and screws are the most obvious signs that you’re an amateur. It is difficult to hide nails and screws in woodworking projects. This is because it takes skill and time. This is why we tried this hack online, which claims to be a foolproof and easy way to join wood without any visible nails or screws.

@hjemmelagdehjem

a quick tip to hide screws #fyp #fy #hack #oppussing #viral #diy

Original sound – Plomeroenphoenix

How it works

Pre-drilling holes and countersinking fasteners beneath the wood’s surface is the most common way to hide screws in woodworking projects. Then, you cut and install tapered wooden plugs that will fill the holes. This is a difficult task for beginners in woodworking. Dowel joinery and biscuit joining are alternatives. However, unlike tapered plugs which do not require metal fasteners, these options can be done with a lot of skill or specialized equipment. This is where the simple hack comes in.

Gather all the necessary tools for the job. You’ll also need the following tools:

• A straight-edged, sharp chisel with medium blade width.
• A small hammer (or mallet) with which to hit your chisel.
• Wood screws with small heads that can penetrate wood to a minimum of 3/4 inch.
• Wood glue
• A small adjustable clamp, or a roll of wide masking tap;
• Sheet of 120-grit Sandpaper

1. To butt-join a board to another, chisel a thin piece of wood at 90 degrees from its top. This hack is only for 90-degree butt joints. The end of one board must be against the end on the other at 90 degrees.
2. Leave the flap of wood at one end and lift it up. Next, drive a small screw through the wood underneath the flap into the piece you are joining.
3. After the joint has been sealed, apply wood glue underneath the flap. Once it dries, clamp it or tape it down. Once the glue has dried completely, remove the tape or clamp and sand the area.

Results

This hack was very simple to use. I had my flaps chiseled and my screws driven in no time. The glue dried in five minutes. After a couple hours, the sanding was complete and I had a neat butt joint without visible screws. Although the results were good, they weren’t perfect. The flap that I had chiseled was visible even after glue dried. I therefore sanded it until it felt smooth.

Potential Problems

While this hack will save you time, it can also cause damage to your workpiece if you are not experienced. You could end up spending more time using a sander or having to start over if you make a mistake with your chisel.

Before you attempt this hack, make sure your chisel has a sharp edge. A dull chisel will not be able to cut the wood fibers well enough to separate a flat, crisp flap from the board. The cutting edge of a chisel should be placed on the board’s end grains. If you chisel too close the top surface, the flap may come loose from the rest. If you chisel too low, the flap could become unnecessarily thick.

My test was conducted using spruce (a softwood). Although it is possible to do this hack in hardwood, it will be much more difficult than chiseling the flap. Softwood doesn’t require you to pre-drill holes to attach the screws. This will help to prevent splitting. Softwood fibers are flexible enough that they rarely split. Pre-drill hardwood because splitting is almost always possible.