Did you know there are two types of crosshead screws?
25/4/2026
Translation: Megan Cornish
Pictures: Simon Balissat
There are two types of crosshead screws – and I don’t mean the size of the slots. One type tightens very firmly, the other strips easily. Using the wrong screwdriver can end in disaster.
Jokes about Ikea furniture and how difficult it is to assemble are part of the basic repertoire of every mediocre German comedian. They usually end with a chauvinistic punchline about how women are better at reading instructions and men are better at assembling things, or vice versa. Haha. Funny.
Recently, I channelled my inner Mario Barth (one such comedian) and neared despair over a screw that just refused to turn into the long, steel plate of a bed frame. The instructions were crystal clear. It was the right screw and the right hole. But I couldn’t get anywhere with either a screwdriver or a power drill. What? Is this a manufacturing defect?
A quick search led me to this Reddit thread, which describes my exact problem. User Tom_Traill explains that Ikea primarily supplies Pozidriv screws, not Phillips screws. Pozidriv screws can’t be tightened with a Phillips screwdriver because they spin with even minimal resistance. This is intentional to prevent the screws from stripping or breaking. In my case, however, they won’t even screw in.
The subtle difference
And – what a surprise – my bed also arrived with only Pozidriv screws. They differ in one respect: there’s a Phillips screw on the left and a Pozidriv on the right. You can recognise the Pozidriv screws by the small notches between the slots.
Suddenly, it makes sense that my electric screwdriver box has twice as many crosshead bits as other attachments. In fact, they’re also labelled differently. PZ for Pozidriv, PH for Philips.
Lo and behold, it worked with the right attachment.
Header image: Simon Balissat
Simon Balissat
Teamleader Editorial
Simon.Balissat@digitecgalaxus.chWhen I flew the family nest over 15 years ago, I suddenly had to cook for myself. But it wasn’t long until this necessity became a virtue. Today, rattling those pots and pans is a fundamental part of my life. I’m a true foodie and devour everything from junk food to star-awarded cuisine. Literally. I eat way too fast.
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