What Makes Wooden Drawers Slide Easier?

Realignment

• A drawer often sticks because it has dislodged from its tracks. Before you start a drawer repair project, remove the drawer entirely from its tracks and realign it. Make sure that nothing is obstructing the track and use a wet paper towel to clean out any dust or dirt from the grooves in the track. Cleaning and repositioning the drawer often helps the drawer slide easier.

Lubricants

• Lubricants can help a wooden drawer slide more efficiently. You can use paraffin, candle wax or furniture oil to rub along areas of the drawer that stick. It is important to use a small amount of lubricant to avoid damaging unprotected wood that does not have a finished surface. Lubricants can be applied with a soft towel, cotton swab or the tip of your finger.

Roller Inspection

• Some wooden drawer problems are caused by defective hardware. It is important to carefully inspect the rollers to ensure that they are not damaged, dented or dysfunctional. If the rollers are sticky, you can apply lubricants to the rollers to make sure they rotate and spin freely. If the rollers are defective, you may need to replace them.

Sandpaper

• Sandpaper can be used to make wooden drawers slide more easily. You can temporarily attach a piece of low-grit sandpaper to the drawer where it sticks and gently open and close the drawer. The back-and-forth motion will rub the sandpaper across the sticky area and remove any excess wood, stain or paint.