Here's what happened. Monday, I cleaned the humidifiers using vinegar per the directions. Apparently, the vinegar got into the drawer under the counter where I was letting the parts soak.

The next morning, the drawer opens only a couple of inches and gets stuck. That's when I saw the inside was wet with mostly vinegar and some water. I sprayed CLP into the metal slide glides. And I've aired it out to dry until now and it's still stuck. There's nothing physically blocking the drawer from the inside. I think the wood is warped.

I have two furniture jacks that I can use to push that drawer out from the inside. But I thought to ask if anyone has any other ideas that I can try that may be non-destructive first. At worst, I can get someone to repair the drawer. But I think they would also have to think of a way to get the drawer out first.

Below are pictures of the bottom of the drawer and the drawer opened to the point where it gets stuck.

Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.





Bcereuss gave me the idea of at least taking a look at how the cabinets are installed. It does look like metal sliders and the cabinet part is attached with a screw up front that I can't get to.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Rey HRH,

Disconnect the rails from their mount at the back?

Ventilate that cabinet for another week or so?

quote:

Originally posted by bcereuss:
Disconnect the rails from their mount at the back?

I think the rails are connected to the cabinet where I can't reach them but that gives me an idea to check how the other drawers are installed. Thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by Some Shot:
Ventilate that cabinet for another week or so?

I'm in AZ and I'm used to stuff getting dry here pretty quick but I may try that also.

Unless the vinegar got into the track and rollers and gummed them up sounds like the wood expanded, think I'd let it sit, maybe put a small fan in the area to help dry and see if it contracts enough to open.

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
Unless the vinegar got into the track and rollers and gummed them up sounds like the wood expanded, think I'd let it sit, maybe put a small fan in the area to help dry and see if it contracts enough to open.

I squirted enough CLP to clean out any gunk. I guess I'll wait another week. Maybe particle / composite board is different but I would think when things expand, they expand more along the length.

But thanks for the advice of waiting; I'd rather wait than try and force the issue now.

The left side of the drawer has clearly expanded from being soaked. You can see how it’s bent at the back of the drawer compared to the other side. There’s a channel in the sides, front and back that holds the drawer bottom. The part of the left side below that channel is bent outward and catching the slide rail.

It looks to me like unscrewing the back of the slide rail from the cabinet will relieve the pressure and allow further opening of the drawer, but it probably won’t go past the face of the cabinet. I’m going to guess that side of the drawer is shot and will need replacing.

They're still going to be screwed in at the front face of the opening, and unlikely to get past. I'd avoid unscrewing them if I could help it, but if you do, be very careful. The plastic gets old and breaks easily, and even though they make hundreds that look the same, finding the same ones may prove a nightmare.

Conversely...

If the face of the drawer is held on with screws (could be brads) and not part of the actual drawer, you could remove the face of the drawer, detach and spread the rear brackets, then push the drawer in all the way to the back wall to see if you can get it out that way. Or get it stuck even worse.

Looks like the drawer sides and bottom were made out of "melamine" which is basically particle board or MDF(multi density fiber)(agriculturial by product) ( that has a hard surface coating )that when it gets wet and allowed to expand things happen..... Dought if you are able to remove drawer that will ever return to fit properly without it being all structually sound...... If not reusealble then possibly have a local cabinet maker make a new drawer box or if you are so inclined to try and make a replacement.......... good luck.. retired cabinet here 35rs experience........... drill sgt.

I had similar issues with my 1981 vintage kitchen drawers and decided to replace them all with these from

https://www.barkerdoor.com/

I can’t remember where I got my replacement slides from though.

Sawzall time. Save the face, build a new box.

Looks like the outward expansion is the problem so spraying the area with any liquid is counterproductive. CLP is worse than the vinegar as that won't quickly evaporate.
I'd try unscrewing anything you can and hope that will relieve the interference in the rolling mechanism enough to get things moving

quote:

Originally posted by 220-9er:
Looks like the outward expansion is the problem so spraying the area with any liquid is counterproductive. CLP is worse than the vinegar as that won't quickly evaporate.

Yep.

Another issue is that once particleboard gets wet and expands, it typically doesn't contract back much even after the liquid evaporates, and it tends to warp permanently.

Usually, once particleboard gets soaked, it's done.

So you're almost certainly going to have to replace the drawer.

As a result, I wouldn't bother with any clever attempt to get the drawer out whole. Salvage the face and hardware, but just chop up the box to get it out.

Yup, it’s time for a “brute force and ignorance” approach. There is no saving the box of the drawer. If you can get the front off easily, do that then cut up the rest to get it out without damaging the rails or cabinet body. If not, just cut the front part of the box off just beyond the countertop in the second picture, then cut the box of the drawer in half from front to back. A sawzall is your friend.