How do I fix this wooden (chipboard) drawer?
August 9, 2013 9:35 AM Subscribe
Simple question: This drawer has come unstuck, and after three attempts at fixing it with superglue and overnight "clamping" (wedged under a stack of books) I am being driven to despair.
How the hell do I make this thing stay back together? Is "gorilla glue" going to do the trick?
Drawer in question
Thanks for saving my sanity.
Yes, Gorilla Glue will work. I have repaired an extremely similar drawer in exactly the same way with Gorilla Glue. Follow the instructions on the bottle (requires you to dampen the surface, and some other stuff).
posted by phunniemee at 9:39 AM on August 9, 2013
posted by phunniemee at 9:39 AM on August 9, 2013
If you're not worried about how it will look, just use nails. If you're worried about how it will look, use those really slim nails that don't have a big flat head, tap them in slightly past the surface, and fill the resulting little holes with a mixture of glue and sawdust.
Gorilla Glue will also do the trick, though. I just like hammering things.
posted by elizardbits at 9:40 AM on August 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
Gorilla Glue will also do the trick, though. I just like hammering things.
posted by elizardbits at 9:40 AM on August 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
Superglue is not for joining porous surfaces like wood. You need to use wood glue. Gorilla Glue will work, too, but actual wood glue should be fine. And properly clamped.
You'll probably need to remove (i.e. scrape) any superglue remnants first.
posted by Thorzdad at 9:40 AM on August 9, 2013 [3 favorites]
You'll probably need to remove (i.e. scrape) any superglue remnants first.
posted by Thorzdad at 9:40 AM on August 9, 2013 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: Also, Gorilla Glue make their own "wood glue"... should I go for this or their all-purpose superglue?
Apologies, my ignorance has no limits when it comes to DIY.
posted by FuckingAwesome at 9:41 AM on August 9, 2013
Apologies, my ignorance has no limits when it comes to DIY.
posted by FuckingAwesome at 9:41 AM on August 9, 2013
I've always gone with L brackets if gluing didn't work.
posted by crocomancer at 9:50 AM on August 9, 2013
posted by crocomancer at 9:50 AM on August 9, 2013
Superglue is great for applications where there is no gap, which is exactly unlike wood.
Gorilla glue will do a better job of things, but the problem you're going to run into is that chipboard is not super strong in and of itself and the part that has come off is the part that's under stress when you open the drawer, so you may just end up ripping off a thin lair of Gorilla glue impregnated chipboard in a couple months. Also, polyurethane glues, like Gorilla glue, foams upon curing and might very well lift a stack of books, leaving you with a drawer that doesn't close right. There will also be glue squeezeout that you will have to clean up.
I'd lightly sand the mating surfaces (as Thorzdad suggests) apply some Tightbond II to each surface, then use rope and a stick to squeeze the drawer side to side and front to back (Like this from here.) Bring the pressure up evenly and be careful not to overtorque things or you'll be rebuilding the entire drawer. Having an extra set of hands to hold things while you work is handy (and why quick grip clamps, which let's you work the clamp with one hand, are so popular.) Putting some finishing nails through the side into the front is not a bad idea, nor is some sort of internal corner bracket, but for chipboard, both would require predrilling the appropriate sized holes (and in an annoying little corner) which you may not be equipped to do.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 9:53 AM on August 9, 2013 [3 favorites]
Gorilla glue will do a better job of things, but the problem you're going to run into is that chipboard is not super strong in and of itself and the part that has come off is the part that's under stress when you open the drawer, so you may just end up ripping off a thin lair of Gorilla glue impregnated chipboard in a couple months. Also, polyurethane glues, like Gorilla glue, foams upon curing and might very well lift a stack of books, leaving you with a drawer that doesn't close right. There will also be glue squeezeout that you will have to clean up.
I'd lightly sand the mating surfaces (as Thorzdad suggests) apply some Tightbond II to each surface, then use rope and a stick to squeeze the drawer side to side and front to back (Like this from here.) Bring the pressure up evenly and be careful not to overtorque things or you'll be rebuilding the entire drawer. Having an extra set of hands to hold things while you work is handy (and why quick grip clamps, which let's you work the clamp with one hand, are so popular.) Putting some finishing nails through the side into the front is not a bad idea, nor is some sort of internal corner bracket, but for chipboard, both would require predrilling the appropriate sized holes (and in an annoying little corner) which you may not be equipped to do.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 9:53 AM on August 9, 2013 [3 favorites]
The one I used was this one, and it worked perfectly for my purposes.
posted by phunniemee at 9:56 AM on August 9, 2013
posted by phunniemee at 9:56 AM on August 9, 2013
I agree with mochapickle that L-brackets should be used, in addition to the glue. Screw them in the inside corners of the drawer, to reinforce the bond. It will just cost a couple bucks. Predrill the screw holes, as Kid Charlemange said.
posted by Midnight Skulker at 10:09 AM on August 9, 2013
posted by Midnight Skulker at 10:09 AM on August 9, 2013
I uh, maybe slammed a drawer so hard once that I knocked the front off, and wood glue did the trick. You do have to keep it under pressure with clamps or a great heavy weight - I can't remember what we used. But plain old wood glue should do the trick.
posted by Medieval Maven at 10:15 AM on August 9, 2013
posted by Medieval Maven at 10:15 AM on August 9, 2013
I was going to suggest tacks, but if they stick out or work out at all, they will catch as you close the drawer, so I'm sold on the L-brackets.
It's good practice to use regular wood glue in addition to the brackets; wood glue is cheap and makes a good seal in this application. The screws in the bracket will apply the desired pressure to the glue joint, so you don't need to worry about clamps.
Check the rest of the joints as well, both the sides to each other as well as to the base, while you're at it. I find it odd that the back right corner has a different joint than the back left.
posted by Sunburnt at 10:34 AM on August 9, 2013
It's good practice to use regular wood glue in addition to the brackets; wood glue is cheap and makes a good seal in this application. The screws in the bracket will apply the desired pressure to the glue joint, so you don't need to worry about clamps.
Check the rest of the joints as well, both the sides to each other as well as to the base, while you're at it. I find it odd that the back right corner has a different joint than the back left.
posted by Sunburnt at 10:34 AM on August 9, 2013
Get actual wood glue from a hardware store.
Apply glue to the front groove and where the sides meet the drawer front.
Put it together.
Apply some pressure on it to hold it together, eg wrap a bungie cord around it or clamp it or put a weight on top.
Immediately wipe the excess glue off with a damp cloth.
Leave overnight.
posted by w0mbat at 10:35 AM on August 9, 2013
Apply glue to the front groove and where the sides meet the drawer front.
Put it together.
Apply some pressure on it to hold it together, eg wrap a bungie cord around it or clamp it or put a weight on top.
Immediately wipe the excess glue off with a damp cloth.
Leave overnight.
posted by w0mbat at 10:35 AM on August 9, 2013
Kid Charlemagne is exactly right. The right way to do this is to sand down the surfaces, apply some wood glue, and clamp the whole thing together. The even better way is to reinforce this with some brackets or finish nails, but you would need to pre-drill first in order to avoid splitting the wood. Looking at your picture I feel like your drawer is solid pine and not particle board, but regardless pre-drilling is a very good move.
Superglue is not an appropriate glue for this application. Gorilla glue is strong enough, but it gets all foamy while it's curing and tends to push apart the surfaces you are trying to glue together and make a big, difficult-to-clean-up mess. I hate gorilla glue, I have no idea why it's become so popular.
Wood glue, such as Tightbond, is the correct glue for what you are trying to do. It is easy to use, cleans up with water, won't separate your surfaces, and if used properly will create a joint that is stronger than the original wood.
If you are ever curious about what the correct glue is for a situation, I cannot recommend www.thistothat.com highly enough. It's one of my favorite single-serving websites.
posted by Scientist at 10:50 AM on August 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
Superglue is not an appropriate glue for this application. Gorilla glue is strong enough, but it gets all foamy while it's curing and tends to push apart the surfaces you are trying to glue together and make a big, difficult-to-clean-up mess. I hate gorilla glue, I have no idea why it's become so popular.
Wood glue, such as Tightbond, is the correct glue for what you are trying to do. It is easy to use, cleans up with water, won't separate your surfaces, and if used properly will create a joint that is stronger than the original wood.
If you are ever curious about what the correct glue is for a situation, I cannot recommend www.thistothat.com highly enough. It's one of my favorite single-serving websites.
posted by Scientist at 10:50 AM on August 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
Use woodglue, not superglue.
posted by windykites at 10:52 AM on August 9, 2013
posted by windykites at 10:52 AM on August 9, 2013
And listen to Thorzdad and remove anything left-on-the-pieces superglue. Wood glue sticks really poorly to that stuff.
posted by Namlit at 11:03 AM on August 9, 2013
posted by Namlit at 11:03 AM on August 9, 2013
If it's any consolation, that's a really crappily built drawer, designed by someone just about as clueless about woodworking as you were when you asked this question. Now that you've been informed that superglue is inappropriate for wood, you probably know more than the person who designed this hunk-of junk-drawer. Hope that makes you feel better.
So anyways, everyone is right that superglue was not a good choice. Glue designed for wood would have worked better, but may not work so well now that the mating surfaces are saturated with super glue. It may not be possible to restore those mating surfaces to an easily glueable state, because the superglue is in, not just on, the wood. So, while more glue will help, at this point I think you're also going to need some metal fasteners. I hate L-brackets, but they'd be better than nothing if they are what you find easiest to work with. Personally I'd use several tiny brads on each side, going through the drawer sides and into the front piece.
I'd sand and/or use a utility knife to remove any lumps of hardened glue on the mating surfaces. Then I'd put the parts together dry (without glue) and while dry-fit I'd figure out how I was going to clamp it such that the mating surfaces would come together tightly (particularly difficult with miter joints; you have my sympathy). Once I had the clamping arrangement puzzled out, I'd take it apart, apply glue and reclamp. I would probably even slather glue in the slot that accepts the drawer bottom, for a little extra holding power; normally this is a bad idea, but this is basically disposable furniture anyhow, right? After the glue had dried completely (several hours, since the residual superglue will prevent absorption of the wood glue and slow down curing), I'd gingerly drill the necessary holes and add my fasteners of choice. And that would be it.
posted by jon1270 at 12:40 PM on August 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
So anyways, everyone is right that superglue was not a good choice. Glue designed for wood would have worked better, but may not work so well now that the mating surfaces are saturated with super glue. It may not be possible to restore those mating surfaces to an easily glueable state, because the superglue is in, not just on, the wood. So, while more glue will help, at this point I think you're also going to need some metal fasteners. I hate L-brackets, but they'd be better than nothing if they are what you find easiest to work with. Personally I'd use several tiny brads on each side, going through the drawer sides and into the front piece.
I'd sand and/or use a utility knife to remove any lumps of hardened glue on the mating surfaces. Then I'd put the parts together dry (without glue) and while dry-fit I'd figure out how I was going to clamp it such that the mating surfaces would come together tightly (particularly difficult with miter joints; you have my sympathy). Once I had the clamping arrangement puzzled out, I'd take it apart, apply glue and reclamp. I would probably even slather glue in the slot that accepts the drawer bottom, for a little extra holding power; normally this is a bad idea, but this is basically disposable furniture anyhow, right? After the glue had dried completely (several hours, since the residual superglue will prevent absorption of the wood glue and slow down curing), I'd gingerly drill the necessary holes and add my fasteners of choice. And that would be it.
posted by jon1270 at 12:40 PM on August 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
If you use L brackets you'll have to get screws that are short enough that they don't poke through the other side of the wood. Those can be hard to find, and I never trust the bite of screws that short, especially in particle board. You have to pre-drill, and then make sure you don't over-tighten them. If you do use brackets, I'd say also use wood glue on the joints, and also if it were me I'd epoxy the brackets just to feel more confident.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 2:25 PM on August 9, 2013
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 2:25 PM on August 9, 2013
If I were fixing this drawer, I'd certainly glue it up as everyone has suggested, AND I'd finish by nailing it, using brads, entering through the sides and penetrating into the front. As you say you're DIY challenged: brads are skinny nails with little or no head. You can buy them in little blister packs at the hardware store. I'd go with something like 1 1/4" long #17 brads, but really I'd go with whatever I could find in the basement. You don't need to predrill holes for nails this skinny.
posted by mr vino at 2:37 PM on August 9, 2013
posted by mr vino at 2:37 PM on August 9, 2013
First of all, always listen to jon1270's woodworking advice. That guy knows his shit.
Second, I'd remove the drawer face from the front of the box -- it looks like it's attached with those four screws in the corners there -- and work on the repair like that. The face won't be in the way as you work, and it'll cover the screws or nails you're going to resort to to pull this all together.
For clamping, a couple of strips of painter's tape on each corner (err, horizontally across the joint, not vertically along it), will do an okay job. I disagree with jon1270 here: I'd go ahead and use the fasteners (teeny screws, dropped into pilot holes) right from the start. They'll act as tighter clamps than the tape. Clean up the glue that squeezes out.
When it's dry, reattach the face.
posted by notyou at 2:44 PM on August 9, 2013
Second, I'd remove the drawer face from the front of the box -- it looks like it's attached with those four screws in the corners there -- and work on the repair like that. The face won't be in the way as you work, and it'll cover the screws or nails you're going to resort to to pull this all together.
For clamping, a couple of strips of painter's tape on each corner (err, horizontally across the joint, not vertically along it), will do an okay job. I disagree with jon1270 here: I'd go ahead and use the fasteners (teeny screws, dropped into pilot holes) right from the start. They'll act as tighter clamps than the tape. Clean up the glue that squeezes out.
When it's dry, reattach the face.
posted by notyou at 2:44 PM on August 9, 2013
Not a good job for superglue. You could use Elmers or get some carpenters/wood glue, which will work better. Scrape off any old glue if you can. Adding L brackets - 1 on each of the side, and 2 on the base - is also a good idea.
posted by theora55 at 3:50 PM on August 9, 2013
posted by theora55 at 3:50 PM on August 9, 2013
If it's any consolation, that's a really crappily built drawer, designed by someone just about as clueless about woodworking as you were when you asked this question.
Heh. I was going to comment about the mitered front which was going to be buried behind an attached drawer face, but let it slide.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 7:40 PM on August 9, 2013
Heh. I was going to comment about the mitered front which was going to be buried behind an attached drawer face, but let it slide.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 7:40 PM on August 9, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by mochapickle at 9:38 AM on August 9, 2013 [3 favorites]