Drawer front reattachment in Exeter
Professional drawer front reattachment services in Exeter and surrounding areas. Local, reliable handyman - no job too small.
Price Guide
£60
Typical Duration
20-30 mins
Location
Exeter, Devon
Loose drawer front reattached securely to the drawer box. Aligned properly so it sits straight and level, secured with better fixings so it won't work loose again.
When The Front Comes Off In Your Hand
You pull the drawer. The front comes away from the box. Now you're holding the decorative panel while the actual drawer is still in the unit.
Awkward. Annoying. Looks broken.
💡 Usually an easy fix: Reattach it properly with better screws and alignment, and it'll be fine. No need to replace the whole drawer or unit.
Why It Happens
| Cause | What's Actually Going On | The Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Cheap screws | Short screws into thin particle board | Longer screws into solid parts + glue |
| Hard pulling | Yanking drawer stresses the fixings | Secure properly, explain gentle use |
| Stripped holes | Original holes now too big for screws | Fill and redrill or use new locations |
| No glue | Just screws, no adhesive | Add glue for permanent bond |
How Drawer Fronts Attach
Different furniture uses different methods:
🔧 Screw-through method (common on flat-pack)
- Screws from inside drawer box into back of front panel
- Simple but relies on good screw hold
- Often uses too-short screws in weak material
🔩 Clip/bracket system (adjustable fronts)
- Brackets screwed to drawer box
- Front clips onto brackets
- Can adjust alignment
- Brackets or clips sometimes break
📦 Glued and screwed (better quality)
- Both glue and screws for strength
- Drawer fronts rarely come loose
- When they do, usually catastrophic (cracked panel)
What I'll Do
| Stage | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Assess | Check why it came loose, what's damaged |
| Reattach | Use better screws, add glue, possibly redrill holes |
| Align | Get it sitting straight and level with other drawers |
📦 You're Left With
- Front securely attached
- Aligned with other drawer fronts
- Won't wobble or pull loose
- Drawer looks proper again
Pricing Guide
| What's Involved | Estimated Time | You'll Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Simple reattachment (good screw holes) | 20 mins | £60 |
| Stripped holes (need reinforcing/relocating) | 30-40 mins | £60 |
| Multiple drawer fronts | 20-30 mins each | £60 per drawer |
Based on £60 minimum (first hour) + £50/hr after.
This Service Is Perfect If...
✅ Front pulled loose - still attached but wobbly
✅ Front came off - completely detached from drawer
✅ Alignment wrong - front's wonky or uneven
✅ Flat-pack furniture - typical cheap screw failure
Why Choose Us for Drawer front reattachment in Exeter?
Front secured properly to drawer box
Aligned straight and level
Won't wobble or pull loose again
Drawer looks and works like new
What to Expect
Step 1: Remove & Assess
Take the drawer out (or if the front's already come off, collect the pieces). Check the damage - are the screw holes still good? Is there cracking? Can I use the existing holes or do I need new ones?
Step 2: Reattach Securely
Clean up the surfaces, add wood glue, use better/longer screws (or new locations if original holes are stripped). Make sure the bond is solid before moving on.
Step 3: Align & Test
This is the fiddly bit - getting the front sitting perfectly straight and aligned with the drawer above/below. Adjust, check, adjust again. Then test the drawer slides smoothly.
🔧 DIY Tips
Want to reattach it yourself? Here's how:
🔧 Tools you'll need
- Screwdriver or drill/driver
- Wood glue
- Longer screws (if originals were short)
- Clamps or masking tape (to hold while glue dries)
- Spirit level (for alignment)
📐 Reattachment process
- Remove drawer from unit completely
- Clean old glue/crud from both surfaces
- Check if screw holes are still good
- If stripped: fill with wood glue + toothpicks, let dry, redrill
- Apply wood glue to contact surfaces
- Position front carefully (check it's level)
- Screw through from inside drawer box
- Use clamps or tape to hold while glue sets
- Leave overnight before using drawer
⚠️ Common mistakes
- Not using glue (just screws won't last)
- Over-tightening screws (cracks the particle board)
- Not checking alignment before glue sets (then it's stuck wonky)
- Using drawer before glue's dry (comes loose again immediately)
💡 Pro trick: Use masking tape as temporary clamps. Stretch it tight across the join and it'll hold the front in position while the glue sets. Much easier than trying to clamp a drawer front. Leave it overnight before using the drawer.
Rather leave it to a pro? No problem - that's what I'm here for. Give me a call.
Good to Know
🎨 Multiple drawers loose? If several fronts are coming loose, it might be worth doing them all at once rather than waiting for each one to fail. I'm already there, already set up - more efficient to do them together.
Kitchen drawer fronts: These get a lot of use and often come loose. Same fix, but worth using really good glue and longer screws because of the frequency of use.
Alignment matters: For furniture with multiple drawers, alignment is crucial. The fronts need to line up nicely or it looks amateur. That's the fiddly part of this job - getting it right takes patience.
Prevention: Don't yank drawers. Pull gently and straight. Especially important for flat-pack furniture where the screws are barely holding anyway.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do drawer fronts come loose?
Usually because they're just screwed on from inside and the screws work loose over time - especially if the drawer gets pulled hard or if kids yank it. Cheaper furniture uses short screws into particle board which just doesn't hold well. Eventually they loosen and the front wobbles or comes right off.
Can you just screw it back on?
Sometimes, but often the original holes are stripped and won't hold a screw anymore. I'll assess whether I can use the existing holes with better screws/glue, or if I need to drill new holes in solid material. Either way, it'll be secure when I'm done.
Will it be aligned properly?
Yes - that's the tricky part. The front needs to sit straight and level, aligned with other drawer fronts. I'll take time to get it right so it looks professional, not 'obviously repaired.'
How long does it take?
Usually 20-30 minutes per drawer front. Remove drawer, reattach front properly, check alignment, adjust if needed. Longer if the fixing points are damaged and need reinforcing.
What if the drawer front is damaged?
If it's just loose screws, easy fix. If the front itself is cracked or the particle board where it attaches has crumbled, might need more work - possibly reinforcing with additional material. I'll advise what's needed.
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