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HOW TO FIX A STICKY DRAWER

There are several methods for fixing a sticky drawer, although what needs to be tackled before any remedial action is taken is finding out why the drawer is sticking in the first place. Many drawers have runners in metal in this day and age, and perhaps it is a simple matter of adjustment, though establishing where the drawer is rubbing and why is the first step to fixing that sticky drawer.

DRAWERS ON METAL RUNNERS

If a drawer on metal runners is sticking, this would indicate that there is something stopping the mechanism from sliding properly. Take the drawer out, and look at the sliders without the drawer in place. It's easy to do as most drawers on sliders detach by removing a couple of screws. Then, with the drawer out of place, see if the sliders themselves run smoothly. If not, check to see what the obstruction is. Normally what happens when drawers of this nature stick is that screws have become loose and are impeding the sliders. In this case, tighten up the screws, see if the metal sliders now glide correctly, and refit the drawer.

With metal sliders, rust and grit can also be a problem. Here clean the sliders and make sure that rust is rubbed off. You can add a little lubricant though not much and three in one oil is a good bet. Re-fix the drawer to the runners and check again.

DRAWERS WITHOUT RUNNERS

In traditional old furniture, sometimes there are no runners and the drawer slides out of a box shaped insert. Here, obviously something is stopping the drawer from gliding in and out and as a first measure, applying beeswax or candle wax to the areas which appear to be rubbing can free the drawer sufficiently to make it run smoothly.

In cases where wood expansion or detraction has taken place because of dampness, it may be necessary to shave the sides of a drawer or the socket into which it slides. Here, do be careful with traditional and valuable furniture and ask the advice of experts because you may damage the furniture and detract from it's value by modification.

Often on older drawers, what happens is that the surface of the wood upon which the drawer slides gets unevenly worn. Here, piecing in new pieces of wood to bring back the level will help the smooth running of the drawer.

Another reason drawers may be sticking is failure of dove tail joints. Here, taking the drawer to pieces and cleaning the joints will enable you to glue the components back together to achieve a smooth glide. Do mark all pieces before dismantling with a piece of masking tape and writing the piece description so that when you put it back together, the original placement is kept.

DRAWERS ON MODERN FURNITURE.

Often drawers on modern furniture stick because of poor manufacture. Many are flat pack systems that users put together themselves, and misalignment of the runners and parts can make drawers stick. If it is necessary, re-position the runners, though sometimes it is merely a matter of tightening up joints at the four corners of a drawer which may have slipped out of position, causing the base board to drop. If this is the case, re-glue the drawer with the board in place and use clamps to hold the work after checking that your corrections are indeed square. Leave to dry before re-fitting the drawer.

There are always solutions and drawers that stick usually lead to logical common sense repairs that can effectively fix the problem.

Learn more about this author, Rachelle de Bretagne.
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