What's the best way to make wooden drawers move smoothly again?
Question:I have an old bedroom set that I am going to strip, refinish, and sell. The wood under about 40 years of paint is beautiful. Its in great condition (no dings or scratches) except for the fact that some of the wooden drawers don't slide as smoothly as they once did. What's a good (inexpensive) way to fix these drawers?
Answers:
Try the soap idea and sand the sides of the drawers or track to help it slide. Wood has a tendency to expand and contract due to climate and age.
Get a bar of soap and rub it along the edges - not sure how long this would last though.
Rub candle wax on the parts which come in contact with each other, works as a great lubricant.
Use a non-colored candle in order to avoid staining the wood, as the dyes in candles can be fairly strong.
Wax on the runners.
EDIT: Yes - the wax is being suggested for the wood, not metal parts. Any kind of wax will do; as some have said you might want to be careful of strong colours or scents, but the purpose is simple. Rubbing the wood with wax, a candle, soap, or anything similar leaves a residue behind that is smooth-surfaced so that there is no friction between the wooden parts. It may be that you need to sand them down a little first though, because the wood may have expanded so as it no longer fits the gap so well.
Rub paraffin wax or even a bar of soap on them
Try W D -40 on the metal parts of the drawer. Good luck
Wax with candle, both underside of the drawers at point of contact.
I would suggest using wax. This works great on moving items and also on things like zipper and, in your case, drawers. If you can't find wax you can use crayons just be careful when selecting your colors.
My grandmother taught me the soap trick. Any bar of soap will do. Works well for an extended amount of time. Wax will eventually gum up and become sticky.
Soap, ski wax, WD40. or lightly rub down the runners with fine sandpaper and then rub with wax or soap.
I would not use WD40 - it may damadge and stain the wood. Wax is the best for wood.
Hi
You could used a candle to rub on the runner and under the edge of the drawer for smooth operation
make sure you do the front underneath the drawers to.
But i used Belt dressing stick sold at an auto part for fan belt.
Present sticking.
Reason it will not gum up on the long run and make the drawer sticky
good luck
30 yrs master carpenter
First of all check and see what kind of guide the drawers have. If they are very old they probably glide on a center guide wood to wood. Probably the wood has been chipped on the guide itself. Or plastic piece on the bottom of drawer is broke. I did not read your detail they sell paraffin cheep just for that kind of stuff
i know that my father use some machines when he is replinished the wood but i dont know what is the name of that tool... hehehe... soweee. just use a varnished when u will paint the wood... ok?
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