Remove Drawers

At some point, you'll probably find some reason to remove the drawers from a cabinet, dresser, or similar piece of furniture. The process is usually simple, but it will vary depending on the type of drawer you're working with.

Steps

Method One: Free Rolling

1. Work from top to bottom. If you plan to remove more than one drawer from a piece of furniture, you should start by removing the top drawer first. Work your way down one drawer at a time until you reach the bottom.
   • Removing the upper drawers before removing the lower ones can prevent the piece from becoming too top-heavy, thereby preventing it from wobbling or tipping over as you work. If the piece itself is secured or much heavier than the loaded drawers, however, there is no danger of tipping and the order of removal won't matter.
2. Extend the drawer to its stopping mechanism. Pull the drawer out as far as it will go without offering any resistance. Most drawers will reach a natural stopping point.
   • Stand in front of the piece of furniture and position one hand on either side of the drawer. Keep a little space in between you and the drawer so that there's enough room for the drawer to extend out.
3. Tilt the drawer. Angle the front of the drawer downward, carefully lifting the back end up in the process. You should feel the wheels or back edge lift away from the track.
   • You may need to gently yet firmly tug or wiggle the drawer forward to help free the wheels from the interior track. Do not apply too much pressure, however, since doing so could damage the drawer or attached hardware.
4. Pull straight out. Continue pulling the drawer straight out. Now that the wheels are beyond the stopping mechanism, you should be able to completely remove the drawer from the piece of furniture.

Method Two: Wood Glide

1. Move from top to bottom. Furniture with one drawer is relatively easy to handle, but if you need to remove multiple drawers from one piece of furniture, you need to make sure that you start with the top drawer and gradually work your way down to the bottom drawer.
   • By working from top to bottom, you can prevent the piece from becoming too top-heavy and tipping over. If the furniture body is heavier than the loaded drawers, however, the order of removal won't make much difference.
2. Pull the drawer. Extend the drawer out as far as it will go. Most drawers will naturally stop at a certain point.
   • Position yourself in front of the drawer and place one hand on either side of the drawer face.
   • Maintain some distance when you start, giving the drawer adequate room to extend outward as you pull. If necessary, step back so the drawer can pull out as far as possible.
3. Forcefully tug the drawer out. Continue tugging on the drawer toward your torso, pulling it out as straight and evenly as possible. The drawer should eventually come out completely, but you may need to exert considerable force before it does so.
   • The resistance offered by the drawer will vary based on its construction. Drawers that use a center wooden track are generally more difficult to remove than those with two side wooden tracks.
   • Each drawer should have a plastic "stop" piece, and this piece is responsible for preventing the drawer from falling out accidentally. The stop for center track drawers will usually be fairly rigid, making these drawers more difficult to remove. On the other hand, the stop for side track drawers is usually quite flexible, making such drawers far easier to remove.

Method Three: Metal Glides with Lever

1. Focus on the top drawer. When you need to remove more than one drawer from a piece of furniture, you should usually start with the top drawer. Progressively work your way downward, saving the bottom drawer for last.
   • The order of removal is only important if the loaded drawers are heavier than the body of the furniture. In such cases, the piece can become too top-heavy if you work from the bottom up, and the piece may tip over as a result. Working from the top down prevents this issue from occurring.
2. Open the drawer. Extend the drawer out as far as it will go on its own. Stop only when the drawer reaches its natural stopping point.
   • You should stand in front of the piece of furniture while removing the drawers. Position one hand on either side of the drawer, keeping your hands close to the drawer front and out of the way of the metal tracks.
   • Keep a little space in between your torso and the drawer so that the drawer can extend outward as far as possible without being blocked.
3. Locate the track levers. You should spot one lever in the center of each metal track. The lever can be either straight or curved.
   • Full-extension slides, which are most common on 12-inch (30.5-cm) drawers, will usually have straight tabs. Three-quarter-extension slides, which are more common on 6-inch (15.25-cm) box drawers, typically have curved disconnect levers.
4. Press the levers. Use your left hand to press up on the left-side lever. Use your right hand to simultaneously press down on the right-side lever.
   • For drawers with straight levers, simply lift or depress the lever as far as it will go.
   • For drawers with curved levers, lift or depress the lever until the curve flattens out. You'll need to press directly on the curved or humped portion of the lever to accomplish this.
5. Pull the drawer straight out. While still holding the levers in their correct positions, continue pulling the drawer outward and toward your torso. It should lift straight out.
   • Typically, the metal tracks will continue sticking out from the front side of the piece after you've removed the drawer. Carefully push those tracks inward, moving them in a straight, parallel direction, before handing the piece of furniture further.

Method Four: Stabilizer Screws

1. Work in the correct order. As a general rule, you should remove the top drawer from a piece of furniture first. Gradually work your way down, removing one consecutive drawer after the next, until you finally reach and remove the bottom drawer.
   • Stabilizer screws are generally used on drawers that are expected to hold plenty of heavy materials, so it's extremely important that you remove the drawers in the proper order. Removing the lower drawers first would cause the piece to become too top-heavy, encouraging it to wobble or tip over as a result.
2. Pull out the drawer. Extend the drawer out as far as it naturally goes before reaching its built-in stopping point.
   • Stand in front of the drawer. Keep enough space in between your body and the drawer for the drawer to fully extend into.
   • You'll need to pull the drawer out using the front handle or by placing your hands on either side of the drawer front. Keep your fingers away from the metal tracks on the side of the drawer.
3. Remove the stabilizer screws. Locate the two stabilizer screws on the inside of the drawer body. Remove both screws using the appropriate screwdriver.
   • Note that most drawers of this variety use #8 screws that will need to be removed with a Phillips screwdriver.
4. Release the catch. Locate the catch-and-release tabs on both sides of the drawer. Simultaneously pull upward on both catch mechanisms to release the drawer from the two side tracks.
   • You'll likely need to pinch the catch between your index finger and thumb to maneuver it.
5. Pull the drawer out completely. Continue pulling the drawer outward, keeping it as straight as possible, until it completely lifts away from the piece of furniture.
   • Brace yourself when removing the drawer. Regardless of whether it's full or empty, the drawer will likely be heavy.
   • Check the right interior lip of each drawer you remove for a number decal. These decals indicate which drawer belongs in which cavity, which you'll need to know when you return the drawers to the piece. The top drawer is usually labeled with the number "1."
6. Push in the tracks. Before working with the piece further, push in the center stabilizer track and both side suspension tracks. Push using a straight motion that runs parallel to the tracks.

Method Five: Anti-Tip Mechanism

1. Work from top to bottom. When removing multiple drawers from one piece of furniture, you should start at the top of the piece and gradually work your way down to the bottom drawer.
   • By removing the top drawers first, you can prevent the piece of furniture from becoming too top-heavy. If the piece were to become top-heavy, it would wobble and may even tip over as you work with the remaining drawers.
2. Extend the drawer. Pull the drawer straight out of the piece, stopping only once the drawer resists and refuses to extend out further.
   • Position yourself in front of the piece of furniture. Make sure that there's enough space in between you and the drawer for the drawer to extend out fully.
   • Pull the drawer out by lifting the front handle toward you. If necessary, grab the front face of the drawer from the bottom to help extend it further out. Keep your fingers away from the metal tracks while the drawer is in motion, though.
3. Unscrew the cable. Locate the cable attached to the exterior back sides of the drawer. Use a screwdriver to remove the screws holding that cable in place.
   • The anti-tip cable is a safety feature that prevents more than one drawer from being opened at the same time.
   • On the top and bottom drawers, the cable will be threaded to special inserts at the rear of the drawer.
   • On the middle drawers, the cable will be threaded through eyelets on the rear center of each drawer and the back panel.
   • Note that you'll typically need to use a Phillips screwdriver to detach the cable from each drawer.
4. Press the disconnect tabs. Look toward the back of both the left and right metal tracks. You should be able to find a disconnect tab in the center of each one. Press inward on both disconnect tabs at the same time.
   • Make sure that both tabs are completely depressed. For most drawers, these tabs will not lock into place after pressing them down, so you'll need to continue holding them down until after you've completely removed the drawer.
5. Pull the drawer straight out. Continue pulling the drawer forward, tilting it slightly upward at the same time. You should be able to completely remove it from the piece of furniture.
   • Note that the drawer will likely be very heavy, regardless of whether it's full or not. Prepare yourself accordingly.
   • In many cases, you'll need to return each drawer to the same cavity when re-assembling the piece. Many of these drawers will be labeled with number decals to assist in that process, and the top drawer is usually labeled with the number "1."
6. Push both metal tracks back into the piece. If the metal tracks continue sticking out of the front after you've removed the drawer, you should push them straight back into the piece of furniture before working with it further.

Tips

• If possible, remove the contents of the drawer before lifting the drawer out. Doing so will make the drawer much lighter and easier to remove. It should also reduce your risk of dropping it.

Warnings

• When working with metal drawers, you should consider wearing gloves to protect your skin from any sharp edges.
• Light to moderate weight drawers can usually be removed by one person, but if you plan to remove loaded filing cabinet drawers or other heavy drawers, it will be safer to work with at least one other person.

Things You'll Need

• Phillips screwdriver (optional)

Sources and Citations

See also

• Work Abroad As a Housekeeper
• Clean Drinking Glasses
• Clean Walls with Vinegar
• Use Dishwasher Salt
• Remove Scratches from Glass
• Tie a Handle on a Paper Bag
• Care for Leather Furniture
• Clean Furniture
• Choose Living Room Furniture
• Clean Microsuede Furniture

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