How to Install New Drawer Slides Onto Old Cabinets

Remove the top drawer from the cabinet and set it aside on a flat surface. Draw a line around the existing drawer slides installed inside the cabinet using the pencil. Unscrew the inside cabinet slides using a screwdriver and set them aside. Draw a line around the track slides on the drawer. Remove the track using the screwdriver and set it aside. Repeat marking the tracks and removing them on each drawer and cabinet space.

Examine the current screw holes to determine if they are strong enough to hold the new drawer slides. Insert a screw into the hole and turn it. If it falls out or sits loosely, the old cabinet is not strong enough to hold new sliding tracks. The screw holes are acceptable if the screw sits securely in the hole.

Separate the sliding tracks from the base tracks. Place the base tracks inside the cabinet. Place them inside the pencil lines if the holes are strong enough and install them using the screwdriver and the sliding track installation screws. If the screw holes are not strong enough, place the base track above or below the screw holes, so you create new holes during the track installation.

Line the sliding tracks up to the side of the drawer. If you have installed the base tracks inside the cabinet inside the pencil lines, install the sliding tracks on the drawer inside the pencil lines to ensure they are even when inserting the drawer into the cabinet unit. If you have moved the base tracks up or down, ensure that the drawer slides are moved in the same direction on the drawer to ensure the tracks match up. Use the measuring tape to determine the exact amount you have moved the base tracks in the cabinet.

Install the sliding tracks on the drawer using the installation screws and a screwdriver. When done, push the drawer in place in the cabinet frame by inserting the sliding tracks on the drawer into the base tracks inside the cabinet. Repeat Steps 1 through 5 for any additional drawers.