ᐅ What advice do you have for dealing with issues with Ikea Brimnes drawers?

Hello everyone,

I recently started having an issue with the drawers of my Ikea Brimnes wardrobe. Specifically, one of the lower drawers sticks when pulled out and doesn’t close properly anymore, which significantly limits its use. The drawer is correctly seated in the frame, and I have already checked for any obstructions or jams, but there aren’t any. I’m interested to know if anyone else has had similar experiences with the Brimnes drawers and what solutions or tips you would recommend for problems with the mechanism or similar malfunctions. A lasting solution would be especially important to me, as I use the drawer regularly and can’t keep readjusting it. Thanks in advance for your helpful responses!

Check if the drawer slides are properly engaged and not bent. Often, a slight adjustment of the runners is enough to eliminate any hooking.

Hello Naumeo,

to properly identify the problem, I would first check the alignment of the drawer slides. Especially with Brimnes, it is common for the metal rails on the sides to be slightly bent or to shift due to stress. This causes drawers to stick.

Preparation:
- Fully pull out and remove the drawer
- Inspect the rails for any deformations, dents, or bent spots
- Check the sliding mechanism (plastic rollers or metal glides)

If you don’t find any bent rails, I recommend loosening all screws on the side panels and gently realigning the slides until they run parallel and the drawer slides back smoothly without sticking.

Important: Small tilts are often overlooked. A simple spirit level test along the rails will provide clarity. Please let me know if you need more detailed help with the adjustment or if the rails are unexpectedly damaged.

In addition to the tips from GIPAPO and TEBILO: Sometimes the issue is related to how the drawer is loaded. Uneven weight distribution can affect the smoothness of operation. I would recommend not overloading the drawer and distributing heavy items across several drawers in the lower area. If possible, try lightly removing and reinserting the drawers. This often helps improve alignment.

Thanks for the quick replies!

[@GIPAPO, post: c0m1o9, member: XXX]
Check if the drawer slides are properly engaged and not bent.

Yes, the slides are undamaged and properly engaged. No bending visible.

[@TEBILO, post: y0j7f6, member: XXX]
Preparation:
- Fully pull out and remove the drawer
- Inspect the slides for deformations, dents, or bends
- Check the insertion mechanism (plastic rollers or metal glides)

I have done all that, unfortunately without success. The drawer still sticks as soon as it is almost fully open.

I am wondering if this model sometimes has issues with the built-in side guides or plasticizer settings? How exactly should the adjustment be made here? I think the problem is not caused by external damage but rather small manufacturing tolerances or assembly inaccuracies.

I’m familiar with the Ikea Brimnes issue with sagging drawers too! 😅

Here’s a small tip that worked wonders for me:
Sometimes it helps to lightly apply a bit of silicone spray to the drawer sides – but be careful to use only a small amount, otherwise it gets too slippery and causes too many sliding issues! 😉

It’s important to spray only on the rollers or drawer slides, not on the wooden parts, otherwise it becomes greasy and attracts dust. After that, the drawer usually operates smoothly and without problems again.

Sometimes a little tuning with small tricks is what saves the day!