How to Remove Drawers with Metal Glides and No Levers

It could be a dresser or cabinet or any similar type of furniture. The need to get drawers out can arrive anytime and when it does you must not get stuck with clueless scenes.

Having to deal with a situation where you need to Remove Drawer with Full Extension Slides or perhaps something that involves undermount drawer slides are not typically very confusing. But there are certain types of drawers that can become a pain to remove. 

For example, when the drawers have metal glides and no levers. It’s tricky then to remove the drawers as you are more likely to not know what the stopping mechanism is. But of course, it’s not impossible to find a way. Let’s talk about it and find out how to remove drawers with metal glides and no levers.

Let’s Find Out How to Remove Drawers with Metal Glides and No Levers.

There are several methods that work for such scenarios. Let me include the most common case. You would need a screwdriver and a work glove that are thick enough. 

How to Remove Drawers with Metal Glides and No Levers but Plastic Stops. 

Instead of the lever, there should be another stopping and release mechanism and usually, it’s a plastic stop. Now there are several sorts of plastic stops. The common type looks like a tiny tab and it strays on the very back or side of drawer.

Whenever you try to open the drawer, it would travel until a specific distance thanks to these stops, which otherwise would have come out in your hands. The worst case falls down and cause a mishap.

So, these are basically the mechanism that stops removal of your drawer, and we need to disable that mechanism before carefully taking drawer out. You would need a screwdriver to make the stop loosen a bit or simply for removing it.  

If you are not sure whether the drawer actually has a plastic stop, maybe confirm it by trying to open it all the way. The ones that stop at ¾ distance of entire way, would have stops in metal glides built-in. Now that you are sure of it, follow the steps:

• Make the drawer completely empty. You want to remove all its content to make it lightweight and easy to handle. A partially full drawer is also okay however it’s still best to keep things empty when handling.
• In the case of a cabinet or dresser drawer, you want to begin from topmost one. Gradually and serially move downwards. This will avoid any sort of tipping or imbalance-related issues.
• As you’ll try to take the drawer out, obviously stop won’t let at some point. You never want to apply force at those points. That’s purely breaking the stop and of course, you would be reusing it so a big no.
• The main target here is trying to disengage that stop from part that’s basically not allowing removal. You want to very gently and at a small amount back up the drawer. Then try to raise the drawer front a few inches. So that the box is sufficiently pivoting. And you can slightly lower that stop. And the cabinet facing is cleared easily that way.
• One of your hands should be beneath the backside of drawer. So that you can give it the support while pulling it with gentle force. As soon as the stop manages to clear facing, drawer will be all free for you to remove. You can simply bring both of your hands forward and place each on the sides of drawer. Then as usual try to lift the drawer out of cabinet and it should be easy to remove.

Tips – With metal glides that basically slide using plastic-made wheels, a little bit of lift and pull action is necessary. You would have the wheels work through curvy section. This should be on the very back of glides. And then try lifting the front side while sort of pulling it. Try a bit of wiggling and this should make the drawer come out with very little effort.

Product recommendation

To ensure your safety measure, check out Mechanix Wear: DuraHide FastFit Leather Work Gloves, one of the thickest work gloves to prevent injury to your hand.

Product Recommendation

In this situation, you might need a long screwdriver to reach out inside. In case you need it, you can check out Klein Tools 85072 Long Blade Slotted and Phillips Screwdriver, which is strong and long enough to fulfill your needs.

With Bendable Plastic Drawer Stops.

In this case, try opening the drawer as far as it goes. So that you can use a screwdriver to reach inside. Then find out where each stop is located basically. You would need to use your hands and sense them with touching. Or grab a flashlight to find things. Once you discover them, try to bend or rotate those. Then the screw that holds it in a drawer, unscrew it and get stops out of the way by rotating them. The ones that won’t rotate needs to be taken off as usual. And you should be able to get out the drawer afterwards.

Wrap up

And that’s pretty much it. This is the most common method on how to remove drawers with metal glides with no levers. Make sure you don’t try anything outside of your knowledge. Stories of people forcing the drawer out because something does not allow it to come outside and then ending up breaking the whole mechanism as well as slightly damaging the drawer are not rare.

Don’t add more to those stories and try things wisely. If you feel like the method is not enough and your drawer is still not coming out, you need a professional to visit and have a look.