How to Add Drawer Runners to Old Dressers

Examine Drawers and Dresser Interior Walls

• 1

  Remove the drawers from the dresser. Identify whether the drawers had wood or metal runners. Look at the interior walls of the dresser to determine the condition of existing wood or metal runners.

• 2

  Loosen screws attaching metal runners and remove them.

• 3

  Use a hacksaw and carefully saw away non-working wood runners that you wish to replace. Take a file to remove small wood chunks. Sand until the surface is flat and smooth. Repeat this process to remove rails on the drawers.

• 4

  Mark the beginning and end points for the runners inside the dresser and on the sides of each drawer with a carpenter’s pencil. Use the marks to position the new runners.

• 5

  Purchase wood pieces to install wood runners, or metal drawer slides.

Adding Wood Runners

• 6

  Measure the length for the new wood runners according to your marks on the inside cabinet.

• 7

  Cut 1-by-2 strips to make a top and bottom runner for inside the dresser. This means cutting four strips for each drawer. Cut two 1-by-1 strips for the glides to attach to the side of each drawer.

• 8

  Run a bead of contact cement along the sides of the drawers. Attach the 1-by-1 glide strips. Allow the contact cement to dry according to the manufacturer’s directions.

• 9

  Insert the drawer inside the dresser. Mark inside of the dresser according to where the bottom edge of the upper and lower drawer glides should begin and end.

• 10

  Use a straight edge to draw guidelines for the upper and lower rails on the left and right sides for each drawer.

• 11

  Run a bead of contact cement along the edge of each rail piece. Place the lower rail piece 1/16 inch below the guide line, and the upper rail piece 1/16 inch above the guide line. Wood naturally expands. The 1/16 inch difference will provide an expansion gap. Allow the interior rail pieces to dry for 24 hours.

• 12

  Glide the drawers into the cabinetry once the rails have dried.

Adding Metal Glides

• 13

  Lay the drawers on their sides with the left edge facing. Place the metal glide unit on top. Mark the screw holes on the drawer.

• 14

  Drill a small starter hole, following the screw marks. Complete attaching the screws with a screwdriver. Flip the drawers over so the right edge is facing you and repeat this step.

• 15

  Insert the drawers inside the dresser, one at a time, and mark the location on the inside walls for the rail units. Drill starter holes and attach the rails to the walls.