Have you ever become frustrated while taking out a simple dresser drawer? Usually, most dresser drawers come with a center metal slide. How do I remove the dresser drawer with a center metal slide an easy way without any hassle? I often find questioning myself, especially when I am in a hurry, getting ready for work or a dinner date and it is stuck. I cannot find the dress I want to wear, and I get the sudden urge to remove the whole drawer! Aghhh!!!I am sure you do not take out your dresser for a reason that silly! Yet at some point in using, you might need to remove the dresser drawer. For a quick repair, or cleaning, or when you are moving the furniture in the house.
DO not worry. No need to struggle like me to take out a simple dresser drawer.
Here are some easy hacks that will save your time and energy. With a few sweats, you will get to know how to remove a dresser drawer with a center metal slide. Besides this, in this article, I have shared some tips to take out drawers that have the bottom. I also took the liberty to share a few life hacking dresser drawer organizing tips with you. This includes a bonus section on how to fix broken drawers.
Begin with clearing out everything inside the drawer. After it is lighter in weight than before, you can bring it out of the slide using some simple tricks. There are two categories of central metal slides drawer.
- Drawers with center metal glides that comes with levers.
- Drawers with center metal slides without a lever.
Step by step I will deliberate how to remove both types of dresser drawers:
Center Metal Slides With Lever:
Usually, dresser drawers with metal slides come with track levers. These levers work as the locking mechanism of the drawer. These are opposite on each side. When you press one lever down, tug up the other handle. That is the basic mechanism to unlock the drawer from the slide.
Removing the dresser drawer with central slides is effortless. If you already know which shape of levers you need to remove your drawer with a center metal slide. The structure of the track buttons differs from the variety of the dressers. For full-extension drawers, the slides usually include straight levers. For smaller drawers with three-quarter slides, levers are curvy.
Start with the top drawer first. Pull out the drawer as far as it can go. Locate the track levers on both sides. Press both your hands on each side of the dresser drawer.
With one hand push the lever up that looks like a plastic clip. This will unlock one side of the drawer. On the other side press it down.
It is simpler to press a straight lever than a curved one. You must push the lever down as much as it goes. For curved levers, push the curved area until it flattens out.
Make sure you press the levers at the same time.
Now you can lift the drawer and pull it out from the slides.
When you remove your drawers, you might notice sticky grease in your hands. It is very natural, as grease keeps the slides smooth. Now that you removed the drawer you can now see the ball bearings of the glides that the drawer slides onto.
You can now put back the drawer onto the slides. Set the side of the drawer on the ball bearing lines on each side and the role it is in. You might need to do the role a few times to make it work smoothly. Make sure you do not push it too hard. Slide it inside with gentle force otherwise, you might damage the drawer.
Some extra knowledge will give you a proper idea about dresser drawer center tracks. They call these tracks roller slides. The lightweight dresser drawer needs installing a center mount drawer track. It stays on the bottom of the center slides. You can install this track beneath the center of the drawer and usually uses finger joints.
Center Metal Slides Without a Lever:
Remove dresser drawers without a lever in metal glides with few hassles. Apply a few tricks, a dash of work in method, and some regular handy tools. Usually, drawers those slides on metal glides do not need much pressure in removal. Damages or blockage in extension slides can make the drawer stuck sometimes.
Tools:
You will need a few tools depending on the variety of your dresser and the mechanism of the drawers. The most common tools are a simple hammer, screwdriver or a pry bar if needed. Additionally, you may keep a putty knife near you, in case you need to inspect the slides for damages.
Below I shared six simple steps to remove a dresser drawer with a center metal slide that does not come with a lever. Read away and gloat how handy you can be in the time of need.
- Step-1: Empty the drawer, starting with the top drawer:
Like the metal slides with a lever, remove all the things inside the drawer first. Start working on the top drawer. Working from the top drawer to shifting to the bottom is less dangerous. Make your process less risky and prevent overloading this way.
Otherwise, starting with the second drawer can create the risk of getting hurt easily.
- Step-2: Look for a release mechanism near drawer slides.
Locate the release mechanism of the drawer slides. On the drawer mount, there should not be more than two or three metal slides. Front slide locks include small rings. Look for more issues before trying to lift the drawer. The hard part is to reach where the centers are. After dictating the release mechanism, it becomes easier to release drawer slides.
- Step-3: Unscrew all the screws on the slides.
The next step is to detach all the screws from the slides. Use a screwdriver and tweeze all the screws. Sometimes you might find screws on the dresser side of the unit as well. You can use a standard-nosed tweezer to remove a spike.
- Step-4: Lift the front side of the drawer.
This is a tricky part. No need to get all worked up though. It is easier than it sounds. Your work gets much easier if you try approaching from the front side and pulling the drawer. You may need to wiggle a bit in case wood pieces jam inside. Try extending your arms and pulling the drawer towards you until it moves.
Keep in mind, that you need to give gentle and balanced pressure. For old drawer, it is likely to break quick. Make sure to stretch your arm and put the pressure on the drawer at the same time.
If you are still unable to wiggle it out, some obstacles inside jammed the drawer. In that case, use a tool like a dovetail to apply extra force on the metal slides. Be aware of not getting yourself hurt in the process.
- Step-5: Detach the self-closing exit tracks.
You can close the door tracks on their own without using any external forces like power drilling..
- Step-6: Examine the slides
Finally, inspect the slides for damages with a putty knife. It is hard to check for obstructions on the slides with the drawer inside.
If nothing works, you may need to use heavy forces to remove the dresser drawer. In that case, you might break it. Though it rarely happens. Still, it is better to call a repair person or a professional before trying to remove the drawer with force.
Reasons Why Dresser Drawers Might Get Jammed:
- Rust on the metal parts of the drawer: Metal parts of the drawers grow rust with age. The more dirt and dust get into the joints the more it corrodes. As a reason the chances of drawers getting stuck while opening gets higher. Old dressers usually hold the possibilities to get corroded fast. The solution is to either replace it or polish the furniture again.
- Budding Debris: There may be debris growing inside the drawer slides. Tiny bits can stick in the dribbles and start hindering the drawer to function in the proper way. Always clean your dresser drawers to avoid this issue.
- Humid Weather: Weather impacts furniture in great measure. Humid weather increases the chances of wood getting swell. It can cause the drawers to get jammed. Apply lubricant oil to make it work with the required smoothness again.
Remove Dresser Drawer with Bottom Slides without Further Annoyance:
There are some tips for helpful bottom slides dresser drawers.
Start by tugging the drawer out as much as possible using both hands.
Slightly lift the front part up at an angle. You can separate the bottom part now from the top of the dresser chassis.
If your drawer comes with a lever or button under the drawer, press it to release the drawer slides.
It might still be difficult to pull it out if something is stuck inside. In that case, try shoving and rolling it on the slide two or three more times in and out.
At the preceding, tug the whole drawer out using the same angle as before and remove it from the frame.
Few Hacks on Keeping Your Dresser Drawer Tip-Top:
- First step is to remove everything inside of the drawer. Give a good thought about your often-used items and the items you do not use often. Separate the items that are reusable. Set things aside. Now it is time to clean your dresser drawer. Happy cleaning!
- After cleaning, I usually put an old calendar page or old newspaper page on the bottom of the inside drawer. It helps to keep the clothes separate from the wood board of the drawer bottom and get it dirty. You can use a rubber cloth or other types of sheets of your choice as a cover as well.
- Make a list of everything in your possession and what you are planning to put in the dresser. It is better to keep regularly used clothes on the top drawers so you can get them the easy way when in hurry. Put your undergarments and tank tops in one drawer. T-shirts and tops go in another and keep party or dinner dressed in a different drawer. Work clothes are best put in the first or second drawer for easy reach when needed.
- It is better if you label your items. You can categorize your belongings based on the materials of the clothing as well. For example, your silk dress can be on one side, whereas cotton dresses remain on the other side of the drawer.
- You can also categorize your possessions based on clothing types. Like pants are on one side, exercise suits are in another drawer. It all depends on items and your level of necessity. Labeling your items also depends on the number of drawers you have.
- You should avoid putting heavy or fluffy clothes in your dresser drawers. For example, jeans, jackets, or raincoats. Otherwise, it might get messy inside. Trust me, you will not want that in a time hurry. It is better to keep these bulky clothes in the closet rather than in a dresser. You can even put them hanging on hooks somewhere in your room.
Tips for Fixing a Broken Dresser Drawer:
Fixing a broken drawer is not that hard. Keep a few things in mind. Make a checklist like the below and follow the steps.
- Start with removing the two remaining sides of the drawer. Be careful about the sharp edges.
- Shear off the useless ends of the shell.
- Take a measure of the old and new or repaired drawer to see if it fits.
- Apply a hand saw and a circular saw, and cut out the parts you need fixing out of plywood.
- Next, separate the drawer from the chassis and use a nail gun to assemble all the parts, front, back, and sides.
- Last but not least reassemble the drawer into the chassis.
FAQ
- How Do You Remove A Dresser Drawer With A Metal Glide On The Bottom?
Initially try pulling the drawer all the way out. Then, lift it slightly at an angle that the bottom of the drawer is separated from the dresser top. Look for a lever or button under the drawer and press it to release the drawer slides. If you are still feeling a little bit of difficulty, try wiggling the drawer a bit. Finally, with gentle force pull the drawer out at the same angle.
- How to Remove the Drawers Out Of a Center Metal Glide?
Try pulling out the top drawer first. Grab both sides of the drawer and pull it open as far as possible. Center of each drawer track you will find track levers. Locate and press them. You can easily remove the drawer now.
- How Do You Remove Drawer Slides?
The first step is to pull the drawer slide out as far as it goes. Then you need to look for a lever or a button under the drawer. If you find one, press it. You are supposed to hear a click that will eventually release the slide. Now, you can easily take out the drawer. However, if you do not find any lever under the drawer (as some drawers do not have one) you may need to remove the drawer manually using a screwdriver, hammer, and a pry bar.
- How Do You Remove A Soft Close Drawer Without A Lever?
Start with pulling out the drawer as far as you can.
Locate the holding screws or retention clips on the side of the glides.
Ensure that you open the drawer in a fully extended position.
Try to yank it forward when you lift the front portion of the drawer.
Conclusion:
Removing the dresser drawer might seem difficult. If you can follow the right instructions in the proper way with less hassle you can make it work. Reading this article might come in handy in your everyday life. A well-organized dresser can make your everyday life a lot easier. Keep it tidy and organized, and live a productive, peaceful day out of all the mess.