How to Open a Stuck Drawer
Opening a Stuck Drawer
Tip: Fixing a Sticking Drawer
April 25, 2011
Have a drawer that doesn't open and close smoothly? Remove the drawer and clean the wooden rails that support the drawer. Clean off any dust or dirt with a damp rag. Then, rub with a candle stub (over the wood rails) a thin layer of wax. The wax will help the drawer to glide smoothly once its back in place. Now you have a drawer that will glide in and out smoothly!
By dorothy wedenoja from New Creek, WV
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Questions
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Question: Opening a Stuck Desk Drawer?
I have an old oak banker's desk with one stuck drawer on the bottom left, any suggestions?
The desk is in excellent shape, just this drawer will not open. I have tried everything I can think of.
By Emmy
Answers
Lizzyanny
Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 226 Feedbacks
February 1, 2014 0 found this helpful
Best Answer
Run a knife blade around the top sides and bottom to check for a latch. Sometimes they are well hidden. If you can turn the desk over you may see a latch or lock.
Take the other drawers out to try and find a pinch point if you have not found a latch or lock.
February 1, 2014 0 found this helpful
Best Answer
I posted before if there is a drawer on top take it out to see if there is something holding the bottom drawer in. then use the file to sand it down then use wax ton the runners or bottom of the drawer it might be that the runners need to be fixed.
susan
Silver Feedback Medal for All Time! 472 Feedbacks
February 3, 2014 0 found this helpful
Best Answer
Some desks used a latch for security. Opening another, specific drawer will release the latch, allowing you to open the bottom drawer.
Question: Repaired (Glued) Drawer Will Not Open?
January 4, 2021
My husband glued (wood glue) the track (like the one shown) which had come loose on the bottom of his dresser drawer (it's the one above the one I took out). He put it back into the dresser before it was completely dry. 8 years later, it still won't open.
Drawers are closed from each other. Any ideas? I think the only thing in it is t-shirts, but would like to sell dresser and who would want a dresser with a drawer that won't open?
Answers
gggd
Bronze Feedback Medal for 2021. 15 Feedbacks
January 5, 2021 0 found this helpful
Best Answer
Hopefully, you can remove the back of the dresser and gain access to the drawer from the back. I would remove all the drawers you can, take off the back, then turn over onto top of dresser. From there, you should be able to do some light tapping with a hammer to force the drawer slide free without damaging the drawer. If lucky, with the back off, if you need to, you can get the divider off that separates drawers from each other, to give you more access to all parts of the stuck drawer.
Then a heat gun to soften the glue, and a chisel to help scrape the glue off the slide, will cure the problem. Good luck and lets us know how it goes.
Question: Opening a Stuck Drawer?
March 24, 2013
I would like some advice on how to unstick two drawers in a chimney cabinet (a built in cabinet of drawers, next to a chimney). The drawers do "not" have knobs, although they have holes where knobs once resided! There is not access to them from the top or bottom. Any advice? I would love to know if there is anything in them and if possible, use them for storage once I get them open. Thank you.
By sasvermont
Answers
Lilac
Silver Feedback Medal for All Time! 450 Feedbacks
March 26, 2013 0 found this helpful
If you can find a long screw that fits the hole you can screw it in and pull. However you might not get an even pull. You can get two small screws, screw then in one on each side and use them as handles to pull out the drawer.
If the edges of the drawer have been painted over they might be stuck. Take a small knife and go around the edges to cut the paint. Since you will have made two holes with the two small screws, use wood puddy to fill them in.
March 26, 2013 0 found this helpful
Have you tried sticking the hook end of a metal close hanger or an ice pick in the holes and then kinda pulling at an angle to open the drawers? I'd work with the top drawer first and then you'd have access to the second drawer.
March 26, 2013 0 found this helpful
Use a long nail or awl to put in the holes; ones that fit fairly snugly and that you can still remove later. then try pulling them open. Have you considered removing knobs from other cupboards or drawers temporarily and putting them in the holes?
Because of their location near a chimney, the drawers may be warped. Make sure the paint I see on them hasn't sealed them shut. If so, use a putty knife to go around the edges a couple of times, prying slightly as you go.
March 26, 2013 1 found this helpful
Get an old fashioned bottle cap opener,useful for
opening coke or beer bottles,place the hook of the
opener under the drawer (hook up)gently pry along several places it will open do the lower drawer first . Never be without these openers great for opening vacuem sealed jars to Go for it
Reply Was this helpful? 1
March 26, 2013 0 found this helpful
Try using the top of a wire hanger threaded into the holes for the knobs. You should be able to put one in each hole and, at the same time, pull it opened.
March 26, 2013 0 found this helpful
Get an old fashioned "molly bolt" from the hardware store - small enough diameter to feed through the hole, and long enough so you can unfold the "wings" inside the drawer. Then grab the "head" with pliers or vise grips and wiggle and pull... Good luck! Maybe there will be something FUN or valuable in the drawers?
Question: Desk Drawer Stuck Closed?
April 26, 2020
The desk is a very old French provincial style. I took the drawers out to move it and when putting them back, one didn't go in correctly. Now it doesn't budge when I pull. There is nothing blocking from inside contents.
I can jiggle it up and down, but it does not pull out at all. Any suggestions out there I would be grateful. 
Thanks and be safe!
Question: Options for Unjamming a Drawer?
August 16, 2010
I have a chest of drawers and the drawers do not come out all the way. There is something stuck behind a drawer and I'm unable to reach back far enough to get it out.
Any suggestions?
By ilovesophie from Laurel, MT
Answers
Joan
Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 186 Feedbacks
August 16, 2010 0 found this helpful
Sometimes I have been able to use something like a screw driver or the blade of a knife, sometimes use the handle of a long spoon and reach in to jiggle the jammed item loose. I usually manage to get the item worked loose.
Marjorie
Silver Feedback Medal for All Time! 290 Feedbacks
August 16, 2010 0 found this helpful
Try using a wooden ruler and see if you can move whatever is making the drawer stick out of the way, so you can easily open it.
Lilac
Silver Feedback Medal for All Time! 450 Feedbacks
August 19, 2010 0 found this helpful
Empty the drawer then try. If that doesn't work, empty all the drawers and turn the chest on its side or upside down. Whatever it is should fall out.
There is one last hope if those don't work. See if the back will come off the chest. That will do it for sure.
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