How to Reinforce Your Storage Drawers

Storage Drawers Blog

Image Source: https://au.rs-online.com/web/p/drawer-storage/9097000

Overloading causes a drawer bottom to sag. Unsurprisingly, this is a common problem faced by people everywhere. Most of the time, the storage drawers sag because people overload them. In such a scenario, the base starts to sag, making it hard to open and close the drawers. If you have a sagging drawer, don’t fret – you can quickly reinforce it. Reinforcing the drawer is simple and easy. In its simplest form, all you need is to attach a correctly sized piece of plywood to the underside of the drawer base.

Why do storage drawers sag?

The main reason for storage drawers sagging is over-stuffing. Especially in homes with limited storage, people tend to stuff their drawers to hide clutter. As the base of most storage drawers is fibreboard, which is softer than wood, overloading leads it to sag. It happens because it usually rests in grooves at the bottom of the drawer without any additional support. If you keep overloading the drawer, over time, the base cannot stand the weight of the items, will sag, and fall out of the grooves. Hence, it would be best if you didn’t overload the drawers.

How to reinforce the storage drawer?

There are several ways to reinforce a storage drawer. The easiest method is as follows:

Empty the drawer, remove it, and invert it. Apply a liberal quantity of glue to the base and attach a correct piece of plywood (usually ¼ inch smaller on each side than the base) and let the glue dry. Once it dries off, your drawer will be strengthened, and the bottom will not sag anymore. Reinsert the drawer, and you can open and close it without any hassles.

Some other ways to strengthen the bottom, whether it is fitted with fibreboard or wooden bases, are as under:

  • Place the drawer bottom in the grooves in the drawer frame. Then screw in three pan-head screws through the back of the drawer and into the bottom of the drawer taking care to space the screws evenly alongside the back. Remember that it only works for wood or plywood. For a fibreboard bottom, you’ll have to drive short screws from the inside of the drawer into the groove just above the fibreboard. When the screws tighten against the fibreboard, they squeeze it into place.
  • Cut a 1-inch-wide nylon strap to match the length of the drawer. Attach the ends of the strap to a small L-brace with a short machine screw and nut. Screw the front of the L-brace to the front of the drawer, taking care to slide the brace between the bottom and the front. Ensure the screw isn’t long enough to pierce through to the front of the drawer. Stretch out the strap along the bottom to the back of the drawer. Fasten the second brace to the drawer’s back, along the outside edge. It will strengthen the base by distributing the weight along the length of the strap.
  • Pour some carpenter’s glue inside each groove of the drawer frame. After that, press the fibreboard into the grooves. If necessary, bend it slightly to place it in the last groove. Wipe out the glue oozing out from the tracks using a damp rag. Place the drawer upside down and glue a 3/8-by-2/4-inch piece of lumber to the back of the frame and the fibreboard. Then turn the drawer right-side up, and place a 1 1/2-by-1 1/2-inch corner brace on top of the fibreboard alongside the rear of the drawer and over the centre of the wood block. Afterward, secure the brace to the back of the drawer with two 1/2-inch wood screws and a screwdriver. Then drive two 1-inch screws across the bottom of the mount through the fibreboard and into the wood block.

You can also reinforce your plastic organiser to make them stronger:

Use plastic or metal brackets to reinforce the corners of the drawers. These can be attached to the inside corners with screws or adhesive. Use reinforcing strips on the sides of the drawers. These could be wood, metal, or plastic and attached with screws or adhesive. You can also use reinforcing plates to strengthen the bottom. You can use screws or adhesive to give extra support and strength to the plastic.

Always be cautious while reinforcing storage drawers because they can still break or damage if overloaded. If you are looking for reliable and robust storage solutions, click here to see the various options at attractive prices.

Related posts

Leave a Comment