Drawer slides problem

[Michael Callender]

Hello, I bought a 2year old home recently been moved in about 3 months. The kitchen drawers won’t stay closed. Not everyone but half will open an inch to 2”. We will close them and they will creep open. Could the slides be dirty what would I use to clean them. Or just replace them.

[Art Mann]

The slides are mounted at an angle. You could probably just move the rear attachment point of the slides down a little to fix the problem.

[Jim Becker]

Also consider that the building/floor may have shifted for a variety of reasons since the cabinets/drawers were installed and you should check that out as it could indicate a problem of some kind. Art's suggestion is a good fix for the immediate problem, however.

[Michael Callender]

I do believe the flooring has shifted.

[Michael Callender]

I put a level on the counter top and it’s out of level.

[Lee Schierer]

You can also place a level on the drawer slide or drawer box.

You might be able to shim the cabinets to level them.

[Michael Callender]

I thinking I will have to use some magnet or other kind of mechanical closers.

[andy bessette]

Replace the slides with self-closing.

[Bill Orbine]

If you have slides that aren't gravity assisted or self closing, then the slides may have worn, damaged or missing catches. For example, the original Accuride 3832 had catches that are rubber sleeves that go on the back end of the slides. Sometimes people remove the catches on purpose because they like operation of the drawers better that way. Of course, if the cabinets get out of level (tilting forward) the the drawers will slide out. Also make sure the slides mounted in the cabinet are secured with enough screws...... Too many times I go handyman people's broken or malfunctioning drawers because some kitchen manufacture don't use enough screws. The weight of the drawers when pulled out often sag the front of the slides in the cabinet. Just a couple ideas I'm adding among the others mentioned here.

[Michael Callender]

These are all good ideas I think I will replace one drawer slides and go from there. I had soft close in my old home they were nice. It’s not really a hazard more annoying then anything.

[glenn bradley]

I put a level on the counter top and it’s out of level.

The floor is a good bet but, I had a pantry pull away from the wall even though it stood on the floor and was "built in".

[Dave Sabo]

I wouldn’t spend any money or time until I verified how far out of level the cabinets are and explore fixing that problem.

Every floor is out of level, it’s just a reality. The cabinet installer’s job is to overcome that condition.

If the cabinets were installed correctly and your floor has moved enough to cause drawers to now open - you HAVE MUCH BIGGER PROBLEMS ! Better save the money you’d spend on runners and put it towards professional help finding out what’s causing that to happen.

[Jim Becker]

Dave just stated in his last paragraph what my concern was, but in a more clear way... ;)

[Nick Lazz]

I would find it hard to believe that the floor fell so far out of level that your drawers open by themselves. I mean, it would be noticeable to the eye I would think. I think Art had the best solution for the meantime until you can determine the actual problem..

[Tom M King]

Is the counter top straight from end to end? What type of floor joists under those cabinets, and are they accessible? It sounds like something more than the slides needs to be adjusted.

[Carl Beckett]

When I was shopping for houses I could not believe some of what I found. A garage post had been removed because it was inconvenient (meant the floors above it sagged!).

Another house the stairway wall had been removed and 'opened up'. Upstairs floors sagged a good 1/4" and was noticeable just looking at the baseboards.

In yet another house I put a pencil on the floor of the kitchen and it would roll all the way to one side.... again a basement load bearing wall had been removed. It was crazy what homeowners had done (part of the problem in my area is very difficult/cantankerous building inspectors motivate diy'ers to avoid them, but that is a different thread)

Definitely worth investigating the cause of the floors going out of level. I could live with a small bit, but not much. The bigger concern is structural deficiency....!!