Good evening everyone, I recently purchased the Ikea Brimnes chest of drawers set and noticed during assembly that the drawers do not slide smoothly. Specifically, the drawers do not pull out easily and sometimes stick, especially when fully opening or closing. It feels like the runners are not perfectly aligned or something is causing friction. I have already checked whether the screws are too tight or too loose, but the drawers still catch. Do you know what is typically done to fix this issue? Are there known weak points in the BRIMNES drawers regarding smooth operation? Thanks in advance for any concrete tips on how to check and possibly adjust them.
Basically, the drawer slides in the Ikea BRIMNES series are simple metal rails with a ball bearing mechanism. The jerky movement often results from a slight misalignment or from the rail not being mounted exactly parallel. I recommend the following steps:
- Check if the rail on the cabinet body is completely level and parallel to the floor.
- Make sure the screws are not overtightened, as bending the rail can hinder smooth movement.
- Verify that the drawer itself sits correctly on the guide (sometimes the metal hook is not fully engaged in the sliding rail).
If jamming still occurs after adjustment, a small drop of silicone spray (not oil!) on the sliding rails can help reduce friction.
- Check if the rail on the cabinet body is completely level and parallel to the floor.
- Make sure the screws are not overtightened, as bending the rail can hinder smooth movement.
- Verify that the drawer itself sits correctly on the guide (sometimes the metal hook is not fully engaged in the sliding rail).
If jamming still occurs after adjustment, a small drop of silicone spray (not oil!) on the sliding rails can help reduce friction.
I understand how frustrating this can be. Basically, Ikea drawers are designed for easy use, but precise assembly is crucial. A bit more in detail:
- If the drawer won’t come out, do not force it, as this can bend the runners.
- Check that the runners are fully inserted and that no screws are sticking out or are too loose.
- Sometimes the issue is the drawer bottom not sitting properly on the runner, causing it to jam.
If you like, I can also provide a short step-by-step guide on how to remove and reinstall the runners.
- If the drawer won’t come out, do not force it, as this can bend the runners.
- Check that the runners are fully inserted and that no screws are sticking out or are too loose.
- Sometimes the issue is the drawer bottom not sitting properly on the runner, causing it to jam.
If you like, I can also provide a short step-by-step guide on how to remove and reinstall the runners.
Renla47 schrieb:
Sometimes it's also the drawer bottom that doesn't sit properly on the slide, causing it to stick.That's true, it is often underestimated. The slide must fit precisely into the designated grooves or retaining clips. If the bottom is slightly warped or something doesn't align flush, small edges form that cause sticking when opening. The angle of the drawer also needs to be correct – it helps to keep the drawer perfectly straight and insert it with gentle pressure.
I would like to add that slightly adjusting the drawer slides can sometimes help by loosening the screws, slightly changing the position of the slide, and then tightening them again. Insert the drawer during this process and check if it now operates more smoothly.
A common mistake is attaching the slides completely at the front or back of the cabinet, even though the instructions specify a particular position. Also, overloading the drawers with too much weight can reduce their smooth operation.
A common mistake is attaching the slides completely at the front or back of the cabinet, even though the instructions specify a particular position. Also, overloading the drawers with too much weight can reduce their smooth operation.
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