Repair a drawer bottom

If you have an old chest of drawers chances are that sooner or later the bottom will drop out! Here's a few quick tips for fixing up damaged drawers:

 

YOU WILL NEED:

Pinch bar
End-cutting pliers, nail puller, or nail punch and hammer
Nails
Timber
Tape measure
Wooden mallet or hammer
Alcolin Fast Set Wood Glue
Gator clamps
Block plane or hand plane
Screwdriver and screws (if needed)
Wooden matchsticks (optional)
120-grit sandpaper and timber block
Woodoc 10 sealer or paint
A candle or paraffin wax

HERE'S HOW:

1. To replace a drawer bottom, gently prise out and remove nails. You can use a small claw hammer or a pair of pliers to do this.

2. Remove the old drawer bottom and use this as a template to cut out a new piece using hardboard, 3mm supawood or plywood.

3. Slide the new board into place and use small panel pins to hold firmly in the grooves.

More drawer fix ups:

To repair out-of-square joints: Use a hammer with a block of timber and gently knock it apart. Re-glue with Alcolin Fast Set Wood Glue and reassemble the drawer. Wipe off any excess glue with a damp cloth. Check the diagonal measurements before clamping into place and leaving to dry.

If the bottom edges of a drawer are worn: Use a block or hand plane to create a straight surface. Glue new strips of timber, slightly larger than needed, to each edge, and clamp. When dry, plane until level with the old edge.

Tighten a loose knob with a screwdriver: If the hole is stripped, replace the screw(s) with a slightly larger one. Or insert a matchstick dipped in Alcolin Wood Glue into the hole before driving in the screw.

To fix a sticking drawer: Locate the parts that are binding and sand with coarse abrasive paper. Apply a wood sealer (or paint) to prevent future swelling. Lubricate runners and guides with paraffin wax.

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