How to Free a Stuck or Sticky Drawer

If your home has any older, built-in cabinets or wooden furniture, you may have a problem with sticking drawers.

One of the things that can cause a drawer to stick is when too much paint builds up on the side of the drawer. In this case, the side of the drawer rubs up against the cabinet, causing the drawer to stick.

The easiest way to remove heavy paint build-up is to apply heat with a heat gun. Then simply lift off the softened paint with a putty knife.

Drawer sides that are rubbing can also often be improved by sanding them down slightly with a 60 grit sandpaper wrapped around a block of wood.

Another potential problem is that sometimes the wooden drawer glide on the bottom is not properly aligned and rubs against the mating drawer glide inside. This wood on wood friction can make a drawer tough to operate.

A stick of paraffin wax can be rubbed on a drawer glide to make it operate more smoothly. You can even use an old candle or a bar of soap for the same results.

In fact, you can tune up your drawers by using wax to lubricate any of the wooden surfaces that rub against each other.