There are commerical "screw out" kits that have a drill end and a
reverse thread end that should back the screw out

Another way is a piece of copper pipe just big enough that the screw
head will bit inside the pipe, use a file to cut teeth into the end of
the pipe, then use that to drill out a CORE that contains the screw
and a tiny bit of wood. Then plug the hole with a piece of dowel and
glue, and drive new screws when you put the trim back

You really are NOT going to be able to drill out the entire screw
(especially if it is a steel screw) unless you have a solid carbide
drill bit (mucho expensive and usually very brittle)- and trying to
keep the drill bit ONLY on the screw is not usually going to work, you
will wind up butchering the surrounding wood anyway

Sears has a screw out kit for around $19 (maybe less - it's been a
while since I checked the prices)

OR, if you can get behind the trim and use a recip saw to cut off the
screw, then work to get the screw out.

Sometimes, if the screw head is really buggered up, you can use a
Dremel tool and a cutoff wheel to cut a slot in what remains of the
head and get the screw out. And sometimes putting a screwdriver in
the screw and giveing a a good wack with a hammer will lossen it up so
it can be removed

John

On 4 Jul 2005 15:07:56 -0700, "Greg" wrote:

I have several screws that need to be removed from a 2x6 piece of wood
that forms the base of my raised stove hearth. I've tried drilling
into them to be able to remove the board, but my bits won't cut into
the metal and my bit is dulled. What type of bit would penetrate into
the screw? I need to remove the boards so I can lay a Pergo-type floor
underneath them, trim the boards, re-paint and replace the boards
around the hearth.

Greg