ᐅ Are there any tips on how to make IKEA Hemnes drawers slide more smoothly?
Created on: 20 Feb 2019 08:37
R
robar
Hello everyone,
I have a Hemnes chest of drawers from IKEA at home with several drawers. Over time, I’ve noticed that the drawers have become a bit harder to open and close, which naturally affects the convenience. I suspect this is due to the drawer slides, but I’m not sure how best to maintain them or if there are any specific tips to make the drawers glide more smoothly again.
Does anyone have advice on how to improve the sliding of the IKEA Hemnes drawers without fully dismantling them or replacing the slides? What maintenance steps are recommended, and are there things to avoid to prevent damaging the mechanism?
I look forward to your expert suggestions!
I have a Hemnes chest of drawers from IKEA at home with several drawers. Over time, I’ve noticed that the drawers have become a bit harder to open and close, which naturally affects the convenience. I suspect this is due to the drawer slides, but I’m not sure how best to maintain them or if there are any specific tips to make the drawers glide more smoothly again.
Does anyone have advice on how to improve the sliding of the IKEA Hemnes drawers without fully dismantling them or replacing the slides? What maintenance steps are recommended, and are there things to avoid to prevent damaging the mechanism?
I look forward to your expert suggestions!
meGreg schrieb:
What I also did once: I rinsed the drawers in the shower with warm water to remove the coarse dirt, then let everything dry thoroughly before lubricating them.Thanks for the suggestion; it sounds a bit unusual but practical. Since the Hemnes is made of solid wood, wouldn’t moisture damage be less likely to occur?
Or should you dry it completely right afterwards and possibly store it in a warm place? I’d prefer not to risk any warping.
robar schrieb:
Since Hemnes is made of solid wood, moisture damage wouldn’t occur as quickly, right?That’s correct, Hemnes is solid wood, but the material is still quite sensitive to moisture. With the method described by meGreg, the wooden structure ideally shouldn’t come into direct contact with large amounts of water. The drawers themselves are partially veneered or treated, so I would recommend:
- Only remove the runners and clean them separately
- Wipe the wooden parts with a damp cloth, not wet
- After cleaning, allow everything to dry completely, preferably at room temperature and away from direct sunlight
This way you can avoid unwanted swelling or warping.
RABLA schrieb:
Silicone spray helps the most.I agree with that.
And another tip: If your sliding tracks are quite old and heavily bent, ordering new ones might be a good idea. They are affordable at IKEA and easy to install.
neoren schrieb:
And one more tip: If your running rails are quite old and heavily bent, it might be worthwhile to reorder new ones.Exactly, wear on the running rails cannot be permanently fixed through maintenance. Once the metal rails are bent, replacement is the most sustainable solution. You can also purchase modern, smooth-running rails from IKEA, which significantly improve sliding performance.
Additionally, I recommend checking for damaged plastic gliders during the replacement to completely eliminate any noise and movement issues.
Some time ago, I completely disassembled the Hemnes drawers and cleaned the runners with a soft cloth and a small amount of alcohol. Afterwards, I applied a light silicone spray. Since then, everything runs more smoothly.
Important: Avoid oily lubricants, as they attract dust. It's better to use silicone- or PTFE-based products.
Important: Avoid oily lubricants, as they attract dust. It's better to use silicone- or PTFE-based products.
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