by C. A. Pruit

Created on: July 03, 2007   Last Updated: April 13, 2011

It's a problem that plagues everyone at one time or another in their life. You go to the kitchen drawer or maybe the dresser and just about dislocate your arm when you pull on the drawer, and it doesn't move. This use to be a more pervasive problem than it is today because many advances have been made in drawer design. The all wood drawer design is being replace by composite woods with metal glides and rollers.

The old all wooden drawers were susceptible to the weather, and atmospheric conditions. Because they were made of wood which is an organic material, it would often swell or split and crack.

The new drawer designs have just about eleminated the old problems, but still have their own problems that have to be corrected occasionally.

The first thing you want to do if you are experiencing a sticking drawer is to examine it and determine where it is rubbing. You will want to make corrections to the problem, starting with the least involved fix. For instance, if it is an all wooden drawer, see if it can be corrected by applying saddle soap or linseed oil to the area. If it is more severe, determine whether it can be bent back into place or not. This can be achieved by using a spray bottle and a clamp. First spray the warped area with water, to bring it to a point where it can be slowly straightened. When you have a good saturation of water, take a straight piece of wood and clamp it directly alongside the bent piece of wood. If the warp is severe, you may want to do this in stages. Keep checking the wood to make sure it has enough moisture to allow movement without cracking. Again, take your time. For severe warps, this procedure could take a few days. If the drawer is split or cracked, you may want to consider whether it would be worth your time to remove the effected piece and replace it. This would depend upon how comfortable you are working with wood and finishes.

Repairing more modern drawers are a little bit different. The first thing you want to look for are any loose screws or brackets on the rails. These could easily be fixed by taking a screw just a little bit larger and just prior to reattaching the piece, place a drop of gorilla glue onto the screw. It is often more difficult to repair a piece of composite wood that has been chipped or damaged. Again, this would depend on your level of comfort with woodworking.

Generally, if a newer drawer is stuck, it has more to do with the railings or stops which can easily be replaced. It will also help to add some oil to the slides for better operation.

The main key to repairing drawers, just like anything is to take your time and do a thorough examination before beginning any repairs.

The main benefit to doing this is you will save yourself a lot of money. And it may just give you some credits with your family.

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