How to Replace a Wooden Drawer Slide With a Metal One

While wooden drawers slides can be effective and attractive, you may wish to update your existing slides in exchange for metal ones. Metal slides typically operate more smoothly than all but the rarest wooden ones. You can remove the wooden drawer slides from a cabinet drawer and replace them with metal drawer slides as a do-it-yourself project. The critical part of the replacement process is aligning the slides correctly. Take your time to make sure that the slides are correctly aligned, and you will be rewarded with a smooth-functioning drawer.

Screwdriver
Metal replacement drawer slides, set of 2, with mounting screws
Pencil

Instructions

- 1
  Remove the drawer from the cabinet opening and set it on a work surface.
- 2
  Unscrew the wooden drawer slides, one of which is located on each side of the drawer, with a screwdriver.
- 3
  Reach into the drawer opening in the cabinet and unscrew the corresponding part of each wooden drawer slide. One is located on the inside of the cabinet on each side of the drawer opening.
- 4
  Separate the replacement drawer slides into two parts, drawer mount and cabinet mount.
- 5
  Align one drawer mount on each side of the drawer in the place where you removed the wooden drawer slides. Screw the replacement slides to the drawer with a screwdriver and the provided mounting screws.
- 6
  Center the drawer in the opening of the cabinet and mark the location of each drawer-mounted slide onto the sides of the drawer opening, using a pencil.
- 7
  Align the cabinet-mount portion of the replacement slides on either side of the drawer opening in the cabinet with the corresponding pencil marks. Screw the slides in place with a screwdriver and the provided screws.
- 8
  Slide the drawer into the opening so that the drawer and cabinet portions of the slides fit together and the drawer can slide in and out.

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