Asked on May 25, 2018
How to fix kitchen drawer that scrapes&drops sawdust in lower cabinet!
by
Jmk9478581
+3
We have old, cheap kitchen cabinets that are laminated. We've wanted to replace them for 30 years but other things always came up that needed the money. The worst thing about them is that the drawers will drop sawdust every time they're opened into the bottom cabinets! They are dark and depressing, but we don't think paint will stick, either. I have to keep everything covered in the bottom cabinets, then vacuum them periodically to clean out the sawdust. Any helpful hints out there?? THANKS!!
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The first thing you need to do is find out where they are rubbing, and why. It might be nothing more than loose or missing screws on the drawer slides. If they are cheap cabinet, as you have indicated the drawers and cabinets are most likely made of particl board, and particle board does not hold screws well. If this is the case you have a few options. You can fill the holes with wood putty, and when it dries you put the screws back in. Another option is to put a toothpick into the screw hole and break it off near the surface. Then you just put the screw back into the hole and it should hold.
If your cabinets are pressed sawdust inside a laminate coating, it’s likely moisture & the glue holding the pressed sawdust together is failing. You can try “painting” on a layer of glue where the sawdust is crumbling, or glue & nail a thin layer of “luan” panelling from Lowe’s to bottom of drawer. It’s fairly easy to make new drawers using the old one as a template. Try one to see how you go & gradually replace all the drawers. Hope this helps & good luck.
One could purchase some nylon adhesive tape made for drawers. I would attach it to both the drawer and the slide rail contact surfaces.
Thank you!