If you have antique dressers, vanities, vanities or other types of case-and-drawer furniture, then you may have had problems with drawers that stick. Use and abuse over the years can make drawers difficult to open and close. Fortunately, there are a few simple hints that usually will resolve a sticking drawer.

Remove the drawers. Inspect them for loose joints and broken bits. Reglue loose joints and repair or replace broken bits. If the drawers are sound, lubricate them by rubbing paraffin or candle wax on the underside and very top of the drawers’ side bits and about the borders of the drawer fronts where they slip into the case. Buy paraffin or candles in your grocery store.

Apply cotton drawer slip tape into your wooden drawer runners if the wax lubrication does not free up the sticking drawer. Gently sand the drawer runners with fine grit sandpaper to ensure good adhesion and vacuum up the sanding dust. Cut the tape to length with scissors, peel the backing off and stick it down onto the drawer runners. Purchase drawer slide tape in woodworking, hardware and home centers.

Sand the bottoms of the drawer’s sides with medium-grit sandpaper if wax or drawer slide tape does not free the sticky drawer. Pay special attention to some high spots you see. You would like the bottoms to be as flat and even as possible. Sand a bit, then assess the match. Repeat as needed until you get a good free match. Should you see thick paint around the edges of the drawer, sand away the paint. Lubricate the drawer with wax if needed.

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