Repairing Broken Drawer Guides

Drawers serve a very important purpose in the home. Aside from providing essential and convenient storage, they act as a quick and easy repository to stash clutter – such as when unexpected guests come a calling.

The problem is that the “temporary” clutter that a drawer houses is often anything but that, and as a result, the drawer can experience a blowout from too much stuff. In addition, the drawer “guides” can suffer a meltdown from too much weight.

Drawers serve a very important purpose in the home. Aside from providing essential and convenient storage, they act as a quick and easy repository to stash clutter – such as when unexpected guests come a calling.

The problem is that the “temporary” clutter that a drawer houses is often anything but that, and as a result, the drawer can experience a blowout from too much stuff. In addition, the drawer “guides” can suffer a meltdown from too much weight.

A typical drawer is constructed of five pieces – the front, two sides, the back and the bottom. The pieces are held together with glue, nails, screws or a combination. There are also other connection techniques such as a routed “dovetail” and/or a “rabbet” connection that add both strength and durability.

The five piece assemblage doesn’t become a full fledged drawer until the guides are mounted. The guides are the hardware that permits the drawer to be easily moved in and out of the opening. They also prevent the back of the drawer from rising when the drawer is opened beyond the halfway point.

There are two basic types of guides – side-mounted and center-mounted. There are several variations of both of these types.

Side-mounted guides are generally considered to provide the smoothest operation. The two most popular styles of side-mounted guides consist of a pair of nylon wheels that ride inside each set of tracks. The other, commonly known as a “full-extension guide,” consists of telescoping tracks that ride on ball bearings. In addition to increased carrying capacity, a full-extension guide will permit the drawer to be pulled all the way out of the opening, thus, allowing the rearmost section of the drawer to be easily accessed.

A center-mounted drawer guide, as the name implies, consists of a single guide rail that is mounted on center above or below the drawer and is fastened to both the inside face and rear of the cabinet. A nylon guide is attached to the back panel of the drawer. The guide rides along the rail, keeping the drawer centered as it is opened or closed, preventing the drawer from tipping when it is pulled out beyond the halfway point. A majority of the weight of the drawer is borne by a couple of L-shaped nylon pads that are fastened to the lower inside corners of the drawer opening.

Center-mounted guides are less expensive and easier to install. However, they neither operate as smoothly as nor have the weight carrying capacity of their side-mounted counterparts. And like the side-mounted guides, there are several variations of the center-mounted drawer guide.

Bulging drawers and damaged guides are especially common in children’s bedrooms and in the kitchen where drawers are pushed to the limit. Sometimes kids don’t understand the relationship between a sluggish drawer and what they put into it. Kids believe that the more stuff they can cram into a drawer the better.

Moms and dads, if you value your furniture and cabinets and don’t want to spend lots of time making drawer repairs, it’s worth having a discussion about just how much “stuff” should be put into a drawer and what the consequences are when they become overloaded. It also helps to remind children that a drawer should not be used as a step when seeking higher ground in the bedroom or kitchen.

The same holds true with kitchen drawers that house silverware and cutlery where weight, not volume, is the culprit. In this case, you can prevent a drawer and/or guide meltdown and improve operation by distributing the load among two or more drawers. If your drawers shimmy or are difficult to operate, a drawer guide repair or replacement may be in your future.

The nylon rollers on side-mounted guides can become worn or damaged, which require the replacement of that portion of the guide system. To do this, remove the drawer from the opening, flip it over and, using a screwdriver, remove the screws that hold the roller portion of the guide in place. In some cases, the roller will be mounted to the case and not the drawer. Install the new roller by reversing the steps used to remove it. Check the condition of the other guide and, if questionable, replace it at the same time.

The item first to fail on a center-mounted guide is usually the nylon guide that is fastened to the back panel. Over time, it can become worn or broken. Again, remove the drawer and, using a screwdriver, remove it and install a matching replacement which can usually be found at your local hardware store. Hard-to-find models can be ordered through a custom cabinet or furniture maker in your area.

If you are constantly having problems with the drawers in your kitchen due to flimsy drawer construction or cheap guides, consider replacing both the drawers and glides. The existing drawer faces can usually be attached to the new drawer boxes, thus not requiring painting or staining. A custom cabinet shop in your area is your best resource for drawer and guide replacement.

Converting a drawer into a “smooth operator” will make life around the house less frustrating and improve safety and convenience as well.

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