Desk Drawer Keeps Sliding Open

It can be one of the most annoying things in the world 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 considerable 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? The first step would be to check the weight in the drawer. If there are many heavy items at the front, then a shift in items may be the answer to your creeping drawer problem. If this fails, 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.

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How to Fix a Drawer That Opens by Itself

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 putting much thought into it. This is especially true for people who have busy lives. Throwing stuff into the front of a drawer can cause a lot of extra weight at the front of the drawer and may be the reason it is falling open.

Before taking any extreme 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 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 sitting on a sloped 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 could be the problem.

It is 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 center 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 centered 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 cabinet with the use of screws. Commonly, 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 centered. Then, simply tighten all of the screws in place to keep your glide in this position. If your glide is not loose, but your level indicates that it is not centered, all you need to do is undo the screws, adjust the glide to the centered 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 holds the drawer and check if the bubble is centered. Adjust the track accordingly so that it is centered 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 center track present, check this as it may have come loose. If that is the case, re-attach the center 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 your drawer may be opening by itself. Below we explore 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 that 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 centered, 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.

Drawer Keeps Opening by Itself? The Bottom Line

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 a drawer may be opening by itself. The most common reasons include bad weight distribution, a tilted cabinet, or the tracks or glides have come loose.

A drawer that opens by itself is an easy fix and can be done by almost anyone in the home.