How to Fix a Dresser Drawer
Three main things go wrong with dresser drawers, especially when you are looking at modern furniture. The pieces come apart, the plastic track slides break, and the wood swells when it is exposed to humidity. While you would not want to use these repair techniques on a valuable antique, you can use these tips to repair newer dresser drawers. Wood glue will hold the pieces together, replacing the track slides will allow the drawer to slide properly, and planing or sanding wood that has swollen due to moisture will allow the drawer to function properly. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Medium-grit sandpaper
- Yellow wood glue
- Clamps or weights
- Replacement track slide
- Screwdriver
- Hand plane
Instructions
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Use sandpaper to clean residue off of the wood before gluing. Sand the ridges where the pieces of wood were originally joined, by using a short, firm scrubbing motion. This is to remove old glue and any dirt that has built up on the wood surface. Run a thin line of wood glue inside the ridge where the wood pieces meet, put the pieces together, and use either clamps or weights to hold the pieces together until the glue dries completely.
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Use a screwdriver to remove and replace the track slide. Turn the drawer upside down, and unscrew the old plastic track slide by turning the screwdriver counterclockwise. Position the new track slide directly over the screw holes and replace the screws.
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Assorted hand planers Turn the knob on the hand plane, setting it to a thin depth, if the drawer is sticking. Pull the drawer back and forth a couple of times, paying attention to where the drawer and dresser frame are rubbing, so you know which area of the drawer is swollen. Remove the drawer, position it with the part that sticks facing you. Put the plane against the drawer, and applying light pressure, begin to rub in smooth strokes that follow the grain. Replace the drawer. If it does not stick, you are done. If it still sticks, remove it and plane the wood again.
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Tips & Warnings
Remove the old track slide and take it with you to the hardware store when you buy the new one. You won't have to drill new holes in the drawer to get the slide lined up correctly if you get the right one.
References
- Photo Credit drawer handles image by jovica antoski from Fotolia.com sandpapier image by Thomas Aumann from Fotolia.com screwdriver image by Aleksandr Lukin from Fotolia.com wood planes from another era image by monamakela.com from Fotolia.com
