# How to make painted drawers slide smoothly? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 21, 2018, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-painted-drawers-slide-smoothly/818327 "2018-07-21T14:49:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2018, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-painted-drawers-slide-smoothly/818327/1 "2018-07-21T14:49:43Z")
Recently moved and the kitchen drawers are freshly painted. However, this is old cabinetry so the wooden drawers are meant to slide along the wooden “rails” they rest on. Problem is that the new paint is somewhat tacky even after several weeks, so the drawers are very difficult to open and close. Anyone got a solution? I thought of graphite powder but I’m not sure it would work for this. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2018, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-painted-drawers-slide-smoothly/818327/2 "2018-07-21T15:04:11Z")
Graphite works best on metal (and could be a bit messy?) Rub the rails with some dry-ish bath soap, it’s done the trick for me. ---
**Author:** ![mind\_the\_gap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ea666f/32.png) [@mind\_the\_gap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mind_the_gap)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2018, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-painted-drawers-slide-smoothly/818327/3 "2018-07-21T15:08:33Z")
The rails shouldn’t have been painted, especially not with latex paint. The stuff never really gets hard. If you can scrape off the paint from the surfaces that are supposed to slide,do so. Then rub candle wax on those surfaces to act as a clean dry lubricant. The wax may help even if you can’t remove the paint. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2018, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-painted-drawers-slide-smoothly/818327/4 "2018-07-21T15:13:54Z")
My first thought was **beeswax**. ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2018, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-painted-drawers-slide-smoothly/818327/5 "2018-07-21T15:14:43Z")
Pain in the butt , sorry, but nothing is going to beat a careful use of sandpaper on the sliding surfaces. ---
**Author:** ![Oddball\_92](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b3f665/32.png) [@Oddball\_92](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oddball_92)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2018, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-painted-drawers-slide-smoothly/818327/6 "2018-07-21T15:17:04Z")
Try sanding off the paint on the parts of the drawers that actually come in contact with each other and then rub a candle along the slides. The wax should lube up the wood. ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2018, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-painted-drawers-slide-smoothly/818327/7 "2018-07-21T15:22:19Z")
I’ll second the candle wax. First thing I’d try is rubbing down contact areas with a candle. That alone might do the trick. ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2018, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-painted-drawers-slide-smoothly/818327/8 "2018-07-21T15:26:46Z")
Slick Strips. Teflon adhesive tap you apply to the rail that’s attached to the cabinet. Easy to install, works fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2018, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-painted-drawers-slide-smoothly/818327/9 "2018-07-21T15:35:37Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > My first thought was **beeswax**. Beeswax is too soft for long term sliding smoothness. I learned that the hard way :smack: I prefer paraffin wax over candle wax. After scraping/sanding the paint on the rails away I would put down a coat of shellac before the wax. It dries hard, without any odor and makes a nice seal coat so the wax stays on the shellac instead of absorbing into the wood. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2018, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-painted-drawers-slide-smoothly/818327/10 "2018-07-21T15:55:42Z")
Candles often have dyes and other stuff mixed in that might not make them ideal. I’d use paraffin after removing the paint from the mating surfaces. Nylon tape might be easier. > **[Fix Stuck Wooden Drawer Slides with These Easy Hacks](https://www.familyhandyman.com/article/wooden-drawer-slides-stuck-fix/)** > > Wooden drawer slides have real advantages over their metal counterparts, not to mention they're an integral part of fine woodworking. But if those drawers get sticky, you need to know how to fix them. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2018, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-painted-drawers-slide-smoothly/818327/11 "2018-07-21T16:21:48Z")
Paint will naturally wear off the rails. Friction is a powerful force. 😉 You can speed up the process by scraping it off. Fresh latex paint will come off easily. Bar Soap or paraffin will make the drawer slide as intended. ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2018, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-painted-drawers-slide-smoothly/818327/12 "2018-07-21T18:24:16Z")
you can use rubbing alcohol or other mineral spirits to remove paint. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2018, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-painted-drawers-slide-smoothly/818327/13 "2018-07-21T21:11:58Z")
> [@Alpha\_Twit](#): > > Pain in the butt , sorry, but nothing is going to beat a careful use of sandpaper on the sliding surfaces. This. ---
**Author:** ![GMANCANADA](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gmancanada/32/2837_2.png) [@GMANCANADA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GMANCANADA)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-painted-drawers-slide-smoothly/818327/14 "2018-07-23T13:18:42Z")
I had a similar situation with a yard sae find old re-painted dresser. I tried sanding and then wax, that worked, but was a pain in the butt. In the end I used this "slippery tape. It worked great. [http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=32182&cat=1,110,43466,32182](http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=32182&cat=1,110,43466,32182) ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-painted-drawers-slide-smoothly/818327/15 "2018-07-23T14:30:25Z")
> [@GMANCANADA](#): > > I had a similar situation with a yard sae find old re-painted dresser. > > I tried sanding and then wax, that worked, but was a pain in the butt. > > In the end I used this "slippery tape. It worked great. > > [Woodworking Hand & Power Tools & Accessories - Lee Valley Tools](http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=32182&cat=1,110,43466,32182) Yup, if the sanding and wax doesn’t work, go with [UHMWP](https://www.mcmaster.com/#uhmw-polyethylene-tape/=1du72re) tape.