How to open jammed wooden drawers

Two of the drawers of my father's roll top bureau are stuck. The drawers have hooks at the back. I have taken the bottom 2 drawers out and can see a piece of wood with a horizontal bit sticking out to the side. I have reached in with my arm and released the drawers, but they got stuck again. Any ideas about how to keep them from locking?

Judy
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December 8, 20190 found this helpful

You can coat the bottom of the edges of the drawers with soap.

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poehere
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December 9, 20190 found this helpful

If this seems to be an issue and the bit is sticking and locking each time the drawer is put it, then cut it off or sand it down. It sounds like this is some sort of safety latch on the back of the drawer to hold it in place and you may not need it anymore.

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Pghgirl40
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December 9, 20190 found this helpful

There are a bunch of good videos on working with roll top desks and doing minor repairs on YouTube. Here is one:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNIl7_2-7ag

If you know the brand of your desk, you may find something specific to your piece.

I suggest watching a few of these and hopefully that will help you figure out what you have going on.

I know from my own roll piece (mine has a draw door roll--not the roll top but it has the same issues as a roll top sometimes), that there are stops and things that can get turned that need turned back.

Also, if you have keys on the drawers, they can get jammed up if the key does not fully release the lock.

I would not put anything on the drawers until you are sure of the problem. Soaps and waxes can damage the wood very easily.

Since you can get other drawers out, that should make any minor tweaks easier to make.

Post back how it goes!

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Catherine
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September 5, 20210 found this helpful

I use dry soap too and I use talc too. The advantage of talc is that you can make it fall on a part that you can not reach. Talc can also keep two floor slats from squeaking, just by pouring some between the two planks.

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By Danielle Smyth Updated February 10, 2021

A stuck drawer is right up in the top three most frustrating everyday problems, along with tangled headphone cords and toast landing butter-side down. Unlike those other problems, you can usually fix a jammed dresser drawer for good with a little effort and some basic tools.

Using WD-40 on wood drawers helps protect them from moisture and remove stains, but it will not lubricate them. It’s a common misconception that WD-40 will help unstick a jammed drawer. In fact, it's a degreaser and water repellent.

Instead, for standard wooden sliding drawers without rails, consider common wax or nylon dresser tape. Ovis Online experts explain you can rub paraffin wax, unscented candle wax or beeswax onto the drawer's planes of contact over and over to create a smooth surface. If you're not sure about the quality of the wax you have on hand, specially-made furniture wax is also available.

Dresser tape is another solution. A roll of self-adhering nylon drawer slide tape can be applied to both the underside of the drawer and the inside of the dresser where the two will touch to all but eliminate friction and sticking.

Drawers using rails, either metal or plastic, require a different approach. If your dresser drawer won't open all the way, you should first remove the drawer entirely and inspect the rails for damage. Even small bends or dents can cause the rails to be unusable. In this case, the rails may need to be replaced.

Over time, the screws or glue keeping the rails in place may also break or weaken and need correction, say the writers at Dummies. If the rails are not damaged and the connections are appropriately tight, the entire mechanism may need to be cleaned and lubricated.

First, clean the rail and the castors, if any, with a damp cloth to remove any dust or dirt. Apply a white lithium lubricant to the rails and castors. Wipe away any excess lubricant and test the drawer for ease of use. If it still sticks, something else may be causing it. The entire dresser frame may be swollen or bent, which will have to be addressed.

Wooden drawers without rails can stick because they're swollen with moisture. If the wood is swollen, you can draw out the moisture by placing the dresser in an air-conditioned room. Alternatively, direct a hair dryer over the wood or place a traditional halogen or incandescent light underneath the dresser and direct the light upward overnight.

A Ray of Sunlight writers state that sanding down the sides of the drawer also can help reduce sticking. Be sure to look for scuff marks and sand only the areas that are sticking, testing the fit as you go to avoid removing too much material. To prevent future swelling and sticking, seal the wood by applying more layers of wax over the surface of the furniture, a technique that's been used since before recorded history, says the Smithsonian’s Museum Conservation Institute team. Alternatively, apply one of the many commercially available sealants.

Whatever sealant you choose, be sure that the dresser is as dry and clean as possible before addressing current or potential swelling. Don't risk causing additional damage to the wood, either by unnecessarily removing material or by sealing in moisture instead of out. If a dresser drawer won’t open all the way, you should check the underside and rails of the drawer. Some drawer rails include a sort of brake at the back end to prevent the drawer from accidentally being pulled out all the way. You can bypass the brake by finding the lever or set of levers and holding them down while removing the back end.