Trick to Getting Antique Furniture Drawers To Slide Easier

Common Problem When Buying Antique Furniture – One probably I run into often when buying used antique furniture, is drawers that don’t slide smoothly. Sometimes the drawer is in such bad shape it’s not worth the time to practically rebuild the drawer to fix. This problem comes up often when refinishing antique furniture because the pieces don’t have the kind of drawer guides that are used today. Most of the time it’s wood on wood.
However, most often, it’s a simple fix to take a drawer that is rough getting in and out and get it to slide very smoothly.
Here’s what I do:
Sand & Wax The Bottom of the Drawer – I will use sandpaper (120-320 grit depending on how much sanding is needed) and sand the bottom of the drawers, especially on areas that are catching or more rough. If the bottom of the drawer is in really bad shape, you may need to use an electric sander to complete that part of it. Then finish the sanding with a finer sandpaper, like 320 or 400. Then, wipe off the dust thoroughly. Then, use a good furniture wax (I use Johnson’s furniture wax) and wipe the wax all along the parts of the drawer that touch the frame. Try sliding the drawer. If it’s still rough, apply more wax. You won’t believe what a difference this simple trick makes.
You’ll get an idea after working on a few pieces, what drawers can be fixed with this method and what drawers are going to actually need some rebuilding to slide smoothly. As I mentioned in another post, checking out the drawers before buying a furniture piece is one of the most important things you need to look at when trying to decide whether to buy or not.