How to Glue a Desk Drawer

Remove the drawer from the chest unit to examine it from all angles. Use the screwdriver to remove any metal sliding tracks installed on the two side panels on the drawer. This allows you to examine the drawer build in greater detail.

Locate the back corners of the drawer and find the two areas where the back panel attaches to the side panels. Add a line of glue between the end panel and one of the side panels if there is a gap between the two in the corner. Apply pressure between the two pieces to reconnect them. Repeat this step for the opposite back corner.

Inspect the front of the drawer directly behind the front face panel, where the side panels attach to the front panel. Add a line of glue vertically between the side panel and the front face on both sides of the drawer if there is gap between the wood panels. Apply pressure to push the side panels to the front face after adding the glue.

Turn the drawer upside down and examine the perimeter of the drawer bottom in relation to the drawer frame of the side and end panels. Locate any wide gaps between the bottom panel and the drawer’s frame; apply a line of wood glue in those gaps. When done, apply pressure to the entire bottom panel so that it lies flat on the drawer frame. Let all of the wood glue on the drawer dry.

Reattach the sliding tracks on the two side panels using the same installation screws and the installation holes already drilled in the two side panels. Reinsert the drawer into the chest using the sliding tracks as your guide.