How to Repair Old Kitchen Cabinets & Drawers

Problems with cabinet drawers mostly pertain to slides, screws and the length and thickness of the drawer tracks. Slides, which are metal hardware pieces attached to the side of the drawer, sometimes are not long enough and the cabinet drawer cannot be pulled out enough. If the slides are longer, however, you can cut them down to size. A thin track will cause the wheels to jump off the track and the drawers will stick. You can replace thin tracks by using thin wood strips on both sides of the cabinet drawer to help move the track nearer to the sides of the drawer.

Things You'll Need

• Screws
• 2 pieces of thin cardboard
• Electric saw
• Pencil
• Nail
• Hammer

Instructions

1. Tap the drawer to see if the slide is jammed. Tapping the drawer helps it jump back into place. If this does not work, it may be a loose or missing screw that holds the slide in place. Replace missing screws or tighten if necessary.

2. Check the ball bearing and other parts to see if anything appears broken. A ball bearing is located at the sides of the drawer to assist with the rolling in and out movement of the drawer. It decreases any kind of friction that rotation causes while opening and closing the drawer. If the slide does not work, it may be more than just a jam. Go to a cabinet maker or home supply company to find the parts for replacement. You may have to take slides or parts along with you.

3. Check to see if the slide has swollen due to water damage or any type of absorption. If so, use a pencil to make a line to measure the drawer to see how much to cut off from both sides of the drawer. Do not cut off more than 1/16 inch on both sides. Use an electric saw to do the cutting. Cut close to the line you measured.

4. Check to see if the drawer slides were cut too small. Measure using a tape measure to see exactly how wide the drawer should have been. Cut two pieces of thin cardboard to match the measurements on both sides. Loosen the screws by unscrewing them, and place the cardboard on both sides right next to the where the screws are located.

5. Check to see if the drawer is broken. Go to the home depot store with the drawer measurements, and ask the sales personnel to cut out a piece of wood using the same measurement. Try to use a similar kind of wood to the original drawer. You can also cut the piece of wood yourself using an electric saw with the similar measurements as the previous piece of wood, and replace it by nailing it in with nails and a hammer.

Tips & Warnings

• Be sure to assess damages before buying new cabinet drawers. Make sure you have the budget to fix the damages.

• Use a repair kit to fix any damages to the cabinet drawers. Make sure that the repair kit contains glue to replace any loose parts you may find.

References

• Cabinet Drawer Repair