Sticky Dresser Drawer

[Rebecca Stapler]

We have a 30-year-old dresser with 3 drawers. It's all wood, and doesn't have any casters or sliders to make opening the drawers smooth. My husband currently uses it, but we would like to give it to my 4-year-old son because it's the perfect size for his clothes.

But you really have to tug on the drawers to get them open and push hard to get them closed.

Is there a way to get them to open more smoothly? My first thought was WD-40, but it's all wood so that doesn't seem like a great idea to put WD-40 on it.

[jba302]

Take the drawers out, make sure the dresser and drawers are in good shape. A bit of light sanding, then paraffin or graphite should do the trick.

[GuitarStv]

+1 to jba's advice.

Don't use WD-40, that'll just make a sticky coating on the drawers so they'll be even harder to use.

[Nords]

A bit of light sanding, then paraffin or graphite should do the trick.

I can affirm that surf wax paraffin does not work well in warm, humid climates. 

You could try ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene film tape like "Nylo glide tape":
http://www.amazon.com/Nylo-Tape-10-mil-thick-feet/product-reviews/B001DT12LI

We haven't found it in local stores and we can't get it shipped to Hawaii, but we're going to track some down in Houston next month and smuggle it across state lines in our luggage.

[Russ]

You could try ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene film tape like "Nylo glide tape":
http://www.amazon.com/Nylo-Tape-10-mil-thick-feet/product-reviews/B001DT12LI

http://www.mcmaster.com/#surface-protection-tape

same stuff, way cheaper

[jba302]

I can affirm that surf wax paraffin does not work well in warm, humid climates. 

We haven't found it in local stores and we can't get it shipped to Hawaii, but we're going to track some down in Houston next month and smuggle it across state lines in our luggage.

Graphite would still work where you are, it works better in humid climates and has a super low coefficient of friction. Although I actually just looked at a pencil as I was typing this and realized it would probably look like shit to coat the wood in black powder. So, perhaps a poor suggestion.

[Nords]

You could try ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene film tape like "Nylo glide tape":
http://www.amazon.com/Nylo-Tape-10-mil-thick-feet/product-reviews/B001DT12LI

http://www.mcmaster.com/#surface-protection-tape

same stuff, way cheaper

Excellent, thanks.

It's for a set of dresser drawers whose sliding surfaces are wood-to-wood.  The dresser is at least 40 years old (military surplus) and worthless, but rugged.  It's already been through at least one military career, and our daughter's about to take it through another.

I was pretty sure that French chalk was outdated tech.

[fidgiegirl]

I used beeswax when I had a similar problem, but ours was a squeaking drawer.  Worked great.

[ChrisLansing]

A bar of soap will do the trick.    Rub the soap bar on the bottoms of the drawers - anyplace it comes into contact with the frame of the dresser.   

[margered]

Make sure the joints of the drawers and the frame aren't loose.