HOW TO FIX A DRAWER THAT OPENS BY ITSELF
It can be incredibly annoying when you have a drawer that continuously insists on opening by itself with no explanation as to why it is happening. Not only is it a huge aggravation, but it is also a potential hazard –especially if you have young children in the home.
So, how do you fix a drawer that keeps opening by itself? Below, property and DIY expert Gregory Smith at PriceYourJob.co.uk goes over everything you need to know…
How to Fix a Drawer That Opens by Itself
The first step would be to check the weight in the drawer. If there are a lot of heavy things at the front of the drawer, then a simple shift in items may be the answer to your creeping drawer problem. If this fails, however, you may need to adjust the glides. This is a relatively simple task and can easily be completed as an at-home DIY project.
The last thing you want to have to do is completely replace your drawer or, even worse, replace the entire cabinet. In this article, we will explain how to adjust the glides on your self-opening drawer, as well as some other possible causes of a creeping drawer.
Do you have a drawer that has a mind of its own and keeps opening by itself? There are a few different methods when it comes to fixing a drawer that opens by itself. The best methods for fixing a creeping drawer are listed below.
Check The Weight Distribution
You may have gotten into a habit of just throwing things into the front of a drawer without really taking much thought into it. This is especially true for people who have busy lives. Throwing things into the front of a drawer can cause a lot of extra weight on the front of the drawer and may be the reason why it is falling open.
Before taking any extravagant measures to fix your creeping drawer, take a moment to have a look inside it. A little bit of rearranging may be the key when it comes to stopping your drawer from having a mind of its own and opening it every time you leave the room.
Where possible, try to put the heaviest objects towards the back or middle of the drawer and leave room at the front for lighter items. Use logic when arranging your drawer items, and try to ensure that the weight within the drawer is distributed as evenly as possible.
Is The Drawer on a Tilted Surface?
If the above method fails, it would be worth checking if your cabinet is tilted or if it is lying on a tilted floor. The best way to check this is to use a level and place it on the top of the cabinet in question. If the bubble in the level tends towards the back of the cabinet, this might indicate the problem.
It’s not always possible to shift the tilt on a cabinet, but placing something underneath the front of the cabinet to level it out may just help. Try to get the bubble on your level as close to the centre as possible. If it is not possible to adjust the tilt on your cabinet, you would then need to adjust the glides and tracks on the drawer and cabinet, ensuring that the bubble on your level is centred as you do so. Below is a step-by-step guide on adjusting the glides and tracks on your drawer and cabinet.
Adjust The Drawer Glides
Although drawer glides come in a variety of styles, the vast majority of them attach to the drawers and cabinets with the use of screws. It is common that one of these screws may have become loose, and this will, of course, cause the glide to become uneven. If this is the case, take the following course of action:
Step One
Pull your drawer completely out of the cabinet that holds it.
Step Two
Place your drawer on a level surface and then rest a level on top of one of the glides. If you can move this glide easily, this indicates that it is loose. Wiggle it up and down until the bubble on your level is completely centred. Then, simply tighten all of the screws in place to keep your glide in this centred position. If your glide is not loose but your level indicates that it is not centred, all you need to do is undo the screws, adjust the glide to the centred position, and then re-tighten the screws.
Step Three
Take a look inside the cabinet that holds the drawer. Place your level on the top of one of the tracks that hold the drawer and check if the bubble is centred. Adjust the track accordingly so that it is centred by loosening the screws and then re-tightening them in the correct position. Do the same with the track on the other side of the cabinet.
Step Four
If there is a centre track present, check this, as it may have come loose. If that is the case, re-attach the centre track to the cabinet facing and tighten the screws so that it stays in place.
Why Does My Drawer Keep Opening by Itself? The Causes
There are a number of reasons why your drawer may be opening by itself. Below are some of the main reasons for a creeping drawer.
There Are Too Many Heavy Items in The Front
You may have too many heavy items in the front of the drawer, which is causing it to open. For example, a kitchen drawer may have all of the utensils at the front for ease of access. However, this leaves little weight in the back of the drawer. Another example may be a file cabinet where heavy books are stored at the front, and lighter books are stored at the back. This can cause your drawer to open by itself.
The Cabinet is Tilted
Another possible cause of a drawer that opens by itself is a drawer that lies within a tilted cabinet. It is possible that the cabinet itself has been constructed in a way that causes it to tilt or that it has become damaged, resulting in a slight tilt. Alternatively, the cabinet may be resting on uneven flooring, leaving it to lean forward slightly. This could, therefore, cause your drawers to open on their own.
The Glides or Tracks Have Come Loose
Most drawers are made up of glides and tracks, which are fitted with screws. It is common that these screws can become loose, either on the drawer glides or on the tracks within the cabinet.
Alternatively, the tracks or glides may not have been originally fitted completely centred, resulting in them being slightly tilted. If the glides or tracks slant slightly towards the front of the cabinet, this may cause your drawer to open by itself.
Final Thoughts
A drawer that keeps opening by itself can be very annoying and can even be dangerous. This is especially true for those who have children that can easily accidentally run into an open drawer.
There are a number of reasons why a drawer may be opening by itself. The most common reasons include bad weight distribution, a tilted cabinet, and the tracks or glides that have come loose. A drawer that opens by itself is an easy fix and can be done by almost anyone in the home.
MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR… GREGORY SMITH: “Gregory Smith has worked in the property and construction industry for over 20 years. He currently continues to work on domestic building projects while also providing expert comments in the property and construction field for PriceYourJob. He has worked with PriceYourJob for the past 4 years and has been published in a range of reputable publications.”
