Drawer stops

[Richard Madden]

My son just showed me on facetime, a night stand purchased for my grandsons room, and the question about drawer stops came up. I'm familiar with the hinge type and the piece of wood screwed to a drawer back that is turned up to catch on a face frame or rail, but this one has me baffled because there is no face frame and no rails between drawers. The inside of the cabinet is flush on the sides (no face frame) with guide rails that fit grooves in the drawers. I'm thinking a spring loaded button of some sort on the drawer that could pop into a hole drilled in the side of the cabinet, but I want to ask if anyone has any suggestions. We just don't want the little guy pulling a drawer out all the way and get hurt.

[Mike Gresham]

Turn the turn stop around so to speak. Notch the back of the drawer for the pass through and screw the stop to the underside of the top.

[glenn bradley]

Turn the turn stop around so to speak. Notch the back of the drawer for the pass through and screw the stop to the underside of the top.

Ding! I would do this. I have also seen folks use screw-eyes and picture frame hanging wire. This seems fussy to me and depends on good material for the screw-eyes to screw into; not often found on mew commercial children's furnishings.

[Paul Girouard]

That would only work on the top drawer , if it's a bank of drawers it's another kettle of fish.

But yes on the top drawer a rectangular block screwed to the under side of the top could work , with a notch in the drawer back, align block to notch , slide drawer into the opening then twist the block 90 degrees , drawer won't come out of top slot.

If it's a bank of drawers the lower drawers need another idea. And the OP mentioned "Drawers" / more than one.

Poor design by the original builder of the night stand it would seem.

[Richard Madden]

Turn the turn stop around so to speak. Notch the back of the drawer for the pass through and screw the stop to the underside of the top.

You lost me, Mike.
This night stand has three drawers, and no face frame, and no rail between the drawers. The inside top and sides are flush...even the drawer bottoms are flush. Very cheap. I think it was one of those online purchases.

[Adam Herman]

how about a length of small chain screwed to the the back, then run it over the back of the drawer and screw the chain in there? a bit fiddly and maybe a bit of a pain, but it would work.

[Paul Girouard]

You lost me, Mike.
This night stand has three drawers, and no face frame, and no rail between the drawers. The inside top and sides are flush...even the drawer bottoms are flush. Very cheap. I think it was one of those online purchases.

Read my post I think that will flesh out Mike's idea.
Seeing you have three drawers the same idea to add a cleat to the drawer bottoms may work , notching and aligning the cleats may be a issue , but with a rectangular cleat / stop , the notches don't need to be spot on , use one screw to attach the stop , twist it 90 degrees then on the lower two throw another screw or two thru the drawer bottom into the cleat on the under side of the drawer.

It's not like you need to remove the drawers frequently , if ever. So it's a one and done kind of adjustment , unless some thing breaks.

[Adam Herman]

wouldn't this create a situation in which all the drawers would open when you open the top one and if you slide out a drawer above another, the bottom one will slide all the way out?

[Paul Girouard]

wouldn't this create a situation in which all the drawers would open when you open the top one and if you slide out a drawer above another, the bottom one will slide all the way out?


It might , yes , BUT tell the kid not to pull all the drawers out at once! Ikea's been running commercials about this where dresser have fallen over onto kids, so they recommend screwing them to the wall.

BUT sure there may be limitations to the "fix" that we're talking about due to poor design to begin with.
Nothing perfect.

[Jerry Miner]

I have used a "turn button" for this. Requires some clearance between drawers (or you could cut down the drawer side between stop block and turn button):

342761 342762

[Robert Engel]

Is this a common problem? I've never heard of it.

[Richard Madden]

Is this a common problem? I've never heard of it.

You're not alone, Robert, this was new to me. Probably not too uncommon with cheaply made foreign made stuff.

[Vince Shriver]

A picture really is worth a thousand words. Thanks for posting, Jerry.

[Keith Westfall]

Drill a hole in the side of the drawer towards the top and front. Then route a slot from that hole, towards the back of the drawer.

Set the drawer in place (extended) and mark a point in a location that will keep the drawer from coming all the way out. (Has to allow the drawer to close as well) and put a washer head screw in. remove the screw to remove the drawer.

[Paul Girouard]

Bust this end table up and build a proper one, might be faster than most of the suggested solutions ! LOL

[Prashun Patel]

Too late to buy bottom mount metal slides?

[Richard Madden]

bust this end table up and build a proper one, might be faster than most of the suggested solutions ! Lol

good idea!!!