Help, It's Stuck!

Don't you hate it when your drawers get all sticky? Note: (This is different from your bottom falling out, which may be next) Actually, we like that our drawers still get sticky sometimes! It gives us something to do! You know, it's a shame to have beautiful drawers that have become stuck or otherwise, wedged in so tightly you have to call in a professional to remove them. If left unattended for a long period of time, you may find it hard to even pull it out. Who knows what would happen if you snatched it really hard. Yes, that is disgusting. We know. It is quite embarrassing, isn't it. But don't worry! We are about to tell you how to remedy this uncomfortable situation right in the privacy of your own home. No salesman will call. You won't need any complicated tools, either - a screw driver, possibly a pair of pliers, a clamp or two... but really, some cases are delicate and you may have to call someone with the proper expertise to examine your drawers before you try remove them yourself (and make a big mess.) Two Trannies have a lot of experience in this area and would be delighted to help you out of a jam. If there's one thing that gets us up and working in a hurry, it's sticky drawers! (this pic has nothing to do with the article. it was "built" of many flipped and rotated shots of my work ) There are all sorts of drawers and ways to make them slide but just a few attributes which make them slide well or bind easily. 1- the drawer's sides must be parallel to each other. 2- the "runner(s)" or other guiding members must be parallel with each other and the drawer side. 3- the space between the drawer sides and the runners must fit just enough to allow free motion and not much more. Wooden drawers and runners have problems related to the seasons. The dry winter shrinks the wood and the muggy summer expands it. The old masters would choose materials that were seasonally stable for drawer sides and their runners, so if you have an antique with sticking drawers, moisture content shouldn't be a problem. Usually it is because someone "repaired" it with some glue but didn't...what. Put a clamp on it! Modern metal runners have their problems, too but even as the runner technology gets more complicated, the same rules apply and you can fix this! Usually, screws are the problem. They back out and then the runner starts to tilt and scrape. You know what to do about that. Fill the hole with wood (a match stick, golf tee, tooth pic) Squirt a little glue in there, too, then drive the screw back in. If you're dealing with particle board, push steel wool into the hole. Another common failure with metal runners is the wheels fall off. You'd be lucky to reassemble one and have it perform well, so the runner would have to be replaced. Replace all four parts because they're probably about shot, too. They are sold in sets anyway. Then there are the little plastic brackets that hold many different styles of runners to the back of a cabinet. Some of them are flimsy and some can be brittle and the usual problem is that the runner just popped out of it's bracket. You can pop 'em right back in but it won't stay there unless it is screwed in. Finally, you should check both the drawer sides and the runners to make sure they are all in the same plane. That is, not leaning this way and that but standing straight upright. Call or comment with your particular sticky situation and we will do our best to help.