How To Take Apart A Dresser Drawer

Knowing how to remove dresser drawers will be handy, as it will be easier to clean it, or move it wherever you want. Moving around bigger pieces of furniture such as a dresser can be a tricky job.

This is especially relevant if you are moving to another house. Also, when doing general house cleaning, or just making touch-ups and rearrangements around the house.

When you know how to get drawers out of a dresser, you'll automatically speed up any job related to it, since the dresser itself will be much lighter.

The secret is to know how to remove drawers without doing any damage to the furniture. The methods and tools you'll have to use depend on the type of slides used for the drawers.

In this guide, we are pointing out some of the most frequent drawer mechanisms and appropriate techniques you can use to remove the drawers as simply and smoothly as possible.

So here's a quick rundown of how to complete this task for the most popular types of drawers.

You should check the type of drawer-slides you have before tackling the removing part. Besides, when the drawers for some reason get stuck – you would have to remove them to identify the issue.

If you are looking for ways and tips on how to remove dresser drawers easily and quickly, then this guide is up to your alley!

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1. How to remove dresser drawers with bottom slide

The simplest way to know that your dresser has the bottom slide is the fact you won't see it, as they are most commonly found in more formally designed drawers.

If your dresser drawers are wider, they will probably come with two slides on the bottom. The double-sliders improve their stability.

You need to see if there are any release mechanisms before removing drawers from the dresser, such as buttons or levers. If there are, it means that the drawer has to be released from the mounting plates and that you need to press the button or lever before pulling the drawer out.

On the other hand, when talking about how to remove dresser drawers with a bottom slide that doesn't have any buttons and leavers, you simply need to wiggle each drawer out and lift them until you hear the ''clicking'' sound.

This, however, means that you might as well exert some pressure on the drawers occasionally.

2. How to remove a drawer without lever

Before checking the tips on how to remove drawers without a lever, you should have a screwdriver, and preferably any type of working gloves near-by.

First, you need to stand in the front of the dresser and pull the drawer out as far as you can. Move the drawer outwards while holding the handle.

If there are no stoppers, each drawer will go out quickly. In case you experience some resistance, try to drift the drawers in question a bit.

If wondering how to remove Ikea drawers, this is the whole process. You need a screwdriver, and once you loosen up the screws, the drawers will come out easily enough.

In case your dresser's drawers have built-in stoppers, just make sure to do the following:

After you pulled out and drifted the drawer, the next step is to slant it in the floor direction.
Push down the sides of the drawer downwards so the back end goes up a bit. This way the wheels will go over the stoppers and the drawer will come out freely.

3. How to remove dresser drawer with center slide

It should be noted that contrary to the other drawer types, dresser drawers are typically wider. Thus, commonly they come with the center sliders.

The purpose of these sliders is to ensure that each drawer is properly attached to the dresser and that you can open and close them smoothly.

In case you have issues when performing these actions, there is a good chance that the extension slide is the issue.

However, there are a few things to consider when looking at how to remove dresser drawers with a center slide.

Firstly, you should check if there is any locking appliance. This is not a common thing, but it is good to be aware of the fact they exist.

In case you are dealing with locking mechanisms, you simply press the releasing button before pulling-out the drawer. When you hear the ''click'' sound, you will know that you successfully disengaged the drawer.

Another thing you should note on how to take dresser drawers out is that there can be a pull-out guard. The pull-out guards are plastic pieces to prevent the drawer from falling entirely.

To get over these guards, you simply need to use a small amount of force until the drawer is unstuck. Just like with the previous types, if you face some resistance – use your strength and wiggle the drawer out.

4. How to remove drawers with stops

Let's talk a bit more in detail about how to remove drawers from dressers that have safety stops.

Stops are usually made from plastic, they are tab-shaped, and their role is to prevent the drawer from going out of the dresser all the way.

To be more picturesque – just imagine if you are in a hurry, and you open the drawer with jewelry faster than you should.

The next scene would look like this: the drawer on the floor, it's content all over the room, not something you'd want to deal with on any occasion.

This is just one of many examples of why stops are needed. The simplest way to remove the drawer is to pull it out, lift the drawer until it becomes clear of the dresser's top, and then release the slides by pressing the slides' levers (or buttons).

Like before, the clicking will be the sign that you've done everything correctly and that the drawer can be removed.

There is a slight difference when the drawer stop is located at the drawer's bottom. In this case, you need to locate the tab with your hand while lifting the drawer.

After you find the tabs, you keep them pressed as you remove the dresser drawer out. The same should be done for all of the drawers.

5. How to remove a drawer with full extension slides

If you have longer drawers, there is a good chance that you will have to know how to work with full-extension slides. The most common drawer dimensions for this slide type are 12 inches.

Depending on the dresser, the full-extension slides can be found on either bottom of the drawers' sides.

Pull the drawer out until the end. Check out the full-extension slides to locate the buttons to press and release each slide.

The bottom full-extension slides work on the same principle as the one with the stops. Instead of pulling the drawer, you need to lift it.

To locate the releasing button (you can't see it), you have to use your hand to locate it. Of course, make sure you check out if there are stoppers or other safety appliances.

Once you sort all of these steps, slowly push the drawer towards you. Keep in mind that if the drawer is stuck, and a bit of force doesn't help, the full-extension slide might be damaged.

I would also point out that these tips are equally applicable for those who want to know more about how to remove desk drawers, or even how to remove drawers from executive desks made of different materials.

6. How to fix dresser drawers that fall out

Malfunctions are not something we like. And it can be really frustrating to be on toes all the time whether the drawer will be stuck again, or will it fall out if you are not careful enough when opening it.

Most of these issues can be dealt with by using simple tools we pretty much have at home. Here is how you can fix dresser's drawers fast and on your own.

To access the drawers' tracks, firstly, you need to remove the drawer from the dresser (consult the chapters above). The crucial thing to do is to check the mounting.

Everything should be in order if the end of the tracks goes to the dresser's back. Make sure that they are secure too.

One of the causes of the drawers falling out is that there is a loose screw somewhere. If that is the case, you'll need the drill to tighten the screws in question.

The problem can also be located within one of the track's sections, so inspect everything thoroughly. In many cases, arrows are pointing the correct direction of the installation form.

If something doesn't match, you should fully remove the track, and reinstall it accordingly.

Finishing Tips

Tip Nr.1: Dealing with woodwork

Since a lot of dressers (especially old-fashioned ones) are made from wood, there are a few things you should note if you want to know how to remove dresser drawers.

When pulling out the drawers, check if the places where the wood joints are damaged. The problem you might face with the older wooden drawers is that with time – wood comes apart.

Another thing that is common for older wooden dressers is that they often used small nails and glue for additional security. This might cause some resistance when removing the drawers, even damage if not seen on time.

However, the advantage is that even if you have to detach some parts in the process, you can put it back together most of the time. If you find this work interesting, you might as well check how to DIY dresser drawers.

Tip Nr.2: Label and double-check

When you have a larger number of drawers, it is a good idea to use the labeling numbers while removing them. This way you will have less trouble putting them back in place later on.

You should always double-check each drawer before returning it to its place, in some cases, you don't have issues removing it, but putting it back.

Check both- the drawers and the dresser to avoid damage

Tip Nr.3: Things to do when the drawer is stuck

Some slides may be broken, or simply stuck for various reasons.

The simplest way to try and solve it is to see if there is some debris in the rails. You can use the knife to remove it and unblock the slides.

In case the slide is broken (whatever type of slide you are dealing with), you can try using the knife again and run it along the tracks.

If that doesn't help, the best thing is to consider changing the whole slide, and this should probably be done by the handy-man.

Tip Nr.4: One more thing about fixing

If you have stripped screws, you might not have to remove the tracks. In many cases, super glue can be used to strengthen them. You can consider it a first-aid move.

It can also be seen as a last resort before purchasing new tracks if the glue doesn't help to fix the problem.

Final thoughts

When learning how to remove dresser drawers, keep in mind that the steps and the challenges are similar, whether you are dealing with the dressers bought in the store or DIY ones.

Different types of slides are used when making all kinds of DIY dresser projects such as DIY Changing Table Dresser, DIY crate dresser, Farmhouse Dresser DIY projects, and so on.

The process of removing dresser drawers is not complicated, but it can be different due to the difference in slides and mechanisms used.