How to Fix Kitchen Cabinet Drawers? Best DIY Ways

Home Renovations / By

Kitchen cabinets are important in our kitchens as they help in keeping our kitchen space look organized. However, over time the cabinets experience wear and tear and begin having issues such as broken hardware, being misaligned, door banging, or having loose door knobs.

But, the above common kitchen cabinet drawer issues shouldn’t worry you since they are easy to fix. You can fix all these issues with simple DIY solutions.

In this post, we are going to discuss the best DIY ways to solve the most common kitchen cabinet drawer issues.

Everyday Kitchen Cabinet Drawer Issues

Before we discuss the best ways to fix various kitchen cabinet drawer issues, you would like to know which issues are these. Mostly, opening and closing kitchen cabinet drawers many times a day, make them prone to wear and sometimes developing minor issues that require minor repairs. Some of the most common kitchen cabinet drawer issues include;

  • Misaligned and banging doors
  • Loose fronts
  • Broken slides
  • Drawer sticking
  • Bowed drawer bottom

Best DIY Ways to Fix Common Kitchen Cabinet Drawer Issues

Importantly, most of the above problems are easy to fix hence you don’t have to incur the cost of replacing your entire drawer unless it’s completely damaged. In most instances, you simply need to fix the minor issue yourself, and the drawer will remain in good condition for a long time without any major issues.

For instance, sometimes, the problem with the drawers could be as simple as experiencing difficulties pushing your drawer back after pulling it out. Notably, although this is a small problem, if you don’t know how to easily fix it you may incur the cost of hiring a carpenter and experience inconvenience trying different ways to fix the problem.

However, you don’t have to go through these tiring hassles. Simply find the best way to fix the problem and fix it right away.

Now, let’s discuss in detail the most common and best DIY ways to fix different kitchen cabinet drawer issues. Notably, there is no one specific way that you can use to fix all the problems. Therefore, the method you choose should depend on the nature of the kitchen cabinet drawer damage.

By following any of the following best DIY ways of fixing kitchen cabinet drawers below, you will save money, and time and avoid the inconvenience of moving items to separate storage when the kitchen cabinet drawers break and require a replacement and major repairs.

Best Way to Fix Broken DrawersIf, during your regular inspections, you notice your kitchen cabinet drawer is broken, then you need to fix it.

You can follow the following easy-to-follow steps to repair the broken drawer;

  • Remove the broken drawer by gently pulling it out.
  • Remove any nails and screws from the drawer’s broken section.
  • Pull apart the cracked sections.
  • Join the parts by applying wood glue.
  • Clamp the two sections together and allow them to dry.
  • Reinstate the nails and screws.
  • Return the drawer.

Best ways to Fix Loose drawer fronts

Having loose drawer fronts is a common problem too. Mainly, the drawer fronts become loose when the screws are loose. Therefore, you can fix this minor problem, by simply retightening the screws using a screwdriver.

However, sometimes, the screw would keep turning and won’t tighten. In case the screws won’t tighten when you drive them in using a screwdriver, then it could be that the holes are stripped and you need to do a bit more work to ensure the screws tighten properly. The following are simple steps you can follow to tighten the kitchen cabinet drawer screws:

  • Remove the drawer by pulling it out.
  • Remove the screws to detach the drawer front from the drawer box.
  • Fill in the existing holes using a dowel plug since the screws have failed to tighten by simply driving them into the existing holes.
  • Drill new holes.
  • Screw the drawer front back on.

Best Way to Fix Sticking Drawers

In normal circumstances, the drawers should fit properly without sticking. When drawers are sticking, it’s a sign of a problem and you should fix it to avoid major damage to the drawer. Sometimes, sticking can be a result of a build-up of dirt which you can fix by simply cleaning the drawer slides and applying lubricant.

To repair a sticking drawer you need to do the following:

  • Pull out the drawer.
  • Thoroughly clean the drawer slides using soap and water.
  • Tighten any loose screws.
  • Lubricate the slides by applying the recommended lubricant such as wax.
  • Return the drawer to its right position.

How to Fix Damaged Slides

To fix damaged slides, you simply need to replace them. Usually, slides are prone to bending. To replace them follow the steps below;

  • Pull out the drawer.
  • Remove the tracks by unscrewing them.
  • Take the old tracks to the shop to look for and buy identical ones that match the old damaged ones.
  • Fix the new tracks in place by screwing them back.
  • Return the drawer.

How to Best Fix Banging Doors

Normally, the door closing should be quiet. Therefore, if the cabinet doors bang when you shut them, the sound is not only uncomfortable, but the banging can lead to other problems. For instance, the force can cause hinges to loosen over time.

To fix the problem, you can replace the old hinges or drawer sides with new ones.

How to Fix Bowed Bottom

When you notice your drawer has a bowed bottom, it’s a sign it’s holding more weight than it can bear. If you don’t remove some items from it, then it’s likely that after some time it will drop out.

Importantly, if it’s not possible to remove the items may be because you don’t have alternative storage, then you can opt to reinforce the drawer.

You can reinforce the drawer by adding a plywood board over the existing bottom. Follow the following steps;

  • Cut the plywood board into the right size.
  • Apply some wood glue on the plywood.
  • Press the old and the new bottoms to stick them together.

How to Fix Cabinet Doors That Won’t Close

It can be frustrating when you try to keep the cabinet doors closed without success. Maybe, the doors open a few inches after you close them, or swing fully open even after you close them.

Importantly, there is an easy way to ensure the doors stay closed. You only need to attach a magnetic catch to the rail and attach a magnetic plate to the cabinet door corner right opposite the catch. The magnetic pull will ensure the door stays closed.

General Preparation for DIY

While the above ways are easy and convenient as a DIY repair project, they are very specific depending on the nature of the damage. So, how do you prepare before the actual work;

  • Inspect the cabinet drawers. Before embarking on any repair work, first, you need to inspect and assess the nature of the problem. Usually, it is difficult to determine the exact problem with your cabinet when you don’t take a close look at the cabinet drawer to identify the exact problem.
  • Assemble the right repair tools. Usually, to repair the kitchen cabinet drawers you need basic tools such as pliers, a screwdriver, and a drill among others, depending on the nature of the repair work.
  • Get the required materials ready. Apart from tools, you will require materials such as screws, and drawer slides among other materials depending on the exact problem you are fixing.

Kitchen Cabinet Drawers Damage Preventive Measures

Usually, repair works require money and are time-consuming even when they are minor. Therefore, you only need to repair work only when it’s necessary and it shouldn’t be all the time. Notably, you can minimize the number of times you do repairs and still ensure the cabinet drawers remain in good condition almost all the time.

Importantly, there are practical ways you can ensure your cabinet drawers do not break down so often. The following are some of the preventive measures;

  • Regular cleaning of the drawers. Sometimes, the drawers get damaged because there is a lot of debris building up. Therefore, ensure the kitchen cabinet drawers are clean.
  • Lubricate the slides. The drawer slides can get damaged due to wear and tear. Therefore, to reduce the level of wearing off of the moving parts of the drawers, you can lubricate them.
  • Don’t overload the drawers. Sometimes, the drawers can get damaged because they are carrying a heavier load than they can bear. In such instances, the drawer’s hardware can break. Therefore, ensure you don’t overload the kitchen cabinet drawers.
  • Inspect regularly and fix any kitchen cabinet drawer issues promptly. Irrespective of how much careful you are taking care that your kitchen cabinet drawers don’t get damaged, they will likely develop issues due to normal usage over time. Therefore, the best way to ensure they remain in good condition for many years is not to regularly inspect them, and fix any issue you notice promptly.

Conclusion

Importantly, all the above methods are straightforward to do yourself even as a complete beginner. You don’t need to hire an expert.

Lastly, although the methods are suitable for anyone who loves DIY projects, the methods require a little bit of patience and being keen.

Latest posts by paintsgeek (see all)

inherit