Kitchen cabinet drawer slides should be durable and still glide easily.
Mechanical drawer slides for kitchen cabinets are designed to be durable and strong enough to support the weight of the contents of the drawer. However, as with any mechanical device, drawer slides can wear out over time due to normal wear and tear or unintended stresses, such as a child using a drawer as a step-stool to climb onto the counter. Fortunately, you can replace kitchen cabinet drawer slides in a few minutes with some basic hand tools.
1
Remove the contents of the drawer. Pull the drawer out until it stops. Lift the front of the drawer and pull the drawer free from the cabinet. Place the drawer on the countertop above the drawer opening.
2
Remove the drawer slides from each side of the drawer by unscrewing the mounting screws on each slide. Remove each of the glides from the inside of the cabinet in the same manner. Set all of the old drawer slide hardware aside.
3
Separate the left and right drawer slides, and place each half on the counter on the appropriate sides of the drawer. Make a pencil mark halfway up one side of the drawer, on both the front and rear edges of the drawer side. Draw a line between the two marks using a straight-edge as a guide. Repeat the process on the opposite side of the drawer.
4
Center the left drawer slide on the side of the drawer using the reference line as a guide. Mark the hole locations for the mounting screws with a pencil, and drill a shallow 3/32-inch diameter pilot hole for each screw into the side of the drawer. Mount the left-side drawer slide onto the drawer with the supplied wood screws using a drill with a screw bit. Repeat the process with the drawer slide on the right side of the drawer.
5
Measure the height of the left side of the drawer opening with a tape measure, and make a mark at the center point. Position the left cabinet slide into the cabinet, centered on the mark. Place a torpedo level on top of the slide and adjust the position of the slide until it is level. Mark the hole locations with a pencil, and remove the slide and level.
6
Drill pilot holes for the mounting screws, then mount the left cabinet slide using the mounting screws. Repeat with the cabinet slide on the right side of the drawer opening.
7
Position the drawer in front of the opening at an angle so that the rollers on the rear of the drawer slides slip into the cabinet slides. Lower the front of the drawer and gently ease the drawer into the cabinet on the slides.
8
Close and then reopen the drawer to test the operation of the drawer slides. The drawer should open and close with ease, and the drawer slides should prevent the drawer from being pulled out of the cabinet. If any adjustments are necessary, lift the drawer out of the drawer slides, loosen the appropriate screws, and adjust the positions of the drawer slides.
Things You Will Need
- Screwdriver
- New drawer slides
- Tape measure
- Pencil
- Tape measure
- Straight-edge
- Power drill with screw tip
- 3/32-inch drill bit
- Torpedo level
Warning
- When drilling with a power drill, wear safety glasses to protect your eyes from flying debris.
About the Author
Chris Baylor has been writing about various topics, focusing primarily on woodworking, since 2006. You can see his work in publications such as "Consumer's Digest," where he wrote the 2009 Best Buys for Power Tools and the 2013 Best Buys for Pressure Washers.
Photo Credits
- Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
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