Thread: sticking drawers

Originally Posted by Gordo78

I'm fixing up a chest of drawers and the drawers keep sticking on the runners. They have timber drawers sitting on timber runners.

Any suggestions to make then slide smoothly?

I am sure that some of the gurus here will have beeter answers thn me , but try the basics first. Have you tried the obvious old wives solution, A wax candle rubbed on the runner?? I find this often works.

If the runner is on the bottom of the drawer try sanding a small amount off,
does it happen all the time or only at certain times. If it isnt happening all the time, it is probably the movement of the timber, either you have differing woods moving at different rates or, you just need to give the runner room to expand and contract with the local humidity level.

Good luck

I've had success rubbing the runners and drawer bottoms with a candle.

The wax worked well as a lubricant.

Cheers,
Andrew

Originally Posted by Gra

I am sure that some of the gurus here will have beeter answers thn me , but try the basics first. Have you tried the obvious old wives solution, A wax candle rubbed on the runner?? I find this often works.

If the runner is on the bottom of the drawer try sanding a small amount off,
does it happen all the time or only at certain times. If it isnt happening all the time, it is probably the movement of the timber, either you have differing woods moving at different rates or, you just need to give the runner room to expand and contract with the local humidity level.

Good luck

It happens all the time. I sanded the battom of the drawers, but not the top of the runners. Might give this a try, then try some wax.

Thanks

Stay true to the darkside .... use soap!
Soap seems to "stay softer longer" than wax, especially candle wax. Just wipe the sliding surfaces with a block of soap, the drawer glides and the dresser smells nice.
Fletty

Try putting some talc on the runners - another old-timers' trick.

Originally Posted by Gordo78

Any suggestions to make then slide smoothly?

Lose some weight or buy bigger drawers.

Al

Don't forget to look at the sides as often they are sticking as well. A bit of candle wax on them is ofton also needed.


Peter.

the old soap trick works very well.
i've used it myself on an old chest.
another chest i restored, was in much poorer condition whereby the runners had grooves worn into them. each runner had a different degree of deterioration. on one of them, i took the runner out and turned it upside down, the underneath part was perfect. the second runner was'nt too bad, and i just built it up with plastibond and sanded flush.
the third one, i had to take it out rout off the damaged section and glue a new piece in to take it's place. all the drawers opened and shut perfectly after that.(i did surprise myself)
regards
blockhed

Seeing as no one has mentioned this yet, another trick for worn runners is that seeing you are eventually going to have to replace them (ie plane them down and replace), why not use strips of polyethylene (PE) instead. Attaching the PE is the tricky bit because it won't take a glue. However, if the PE is thick enough you can countersink nail or screw. The other way is to recess PE strips into the drawer rail. I have also heard about using 1/2" black irrigation PE tubing sliced lengthwise and pushed onto drawer rails but I have no idea how long that stayed put.

When my Drawers get sticky, I figure a shower is in the near future

Sorry, I jest to much.

Seriously, Are you talking of "Stuck in the cabinet and can't pull out or push in"? Often this is because of poorly designed or built or lack of guides. Or the Sides are too tall.

You didn't speak of the type of the cabinet construction. Is the drawer in a face trimmed hole in the cabinet? Is there a Dust frame? do you have a center bar on the dust frame? Do you have side guides either side of the drawer on the frame? A picture would be a great help.

If you have side glides on the drawers ways, too tight will cause sticking on humid days as well as too loose will allow the drawer to rack and bind on dry days. Adjust the guides for a better fit.

Sometimes with dust frames of different woods, there might be a descrepency in the wood thickness, making a lip that will catch the drawers, sanding usually salves this.
A cheap parlar trick for old warn out furniture where the drawers stick. is to push a thumbtack into the warn area where the sides glide. This provides a slick dombed surface that the wood sides can slither across.

Best would be to elaborate on the carcus and drawer construction. and attach photos for more help.

In the past I have tried most of the above. One idea not mentioned yet has worked for me - strips of laminate - easy to cut to size - easy to attach - the drawer slides easily.
Regards,
Bob

Another one I have read about is drawing pins pushed into the drawer runners, about three per runner, front, back and middle.

I have always used canning parafin wax , not a candle, candles have alot of impurities and are generally a hard wax. Ive never tried soap but the soaps stateside are really soft

Originally Posted by 8ball

I have always used canning parafin wax , not a candle, candles have alot of impurities and are generally a hard wax. Ive never tried soap but the soaps stateside are really soft

We have a brand called sunlight which is pure soap that would probably suit this application, if it's slightly oversize use solvol which contains gravel for removing all sorts of things from hands (including skin)