wax or paraffin, like Gulf Wax used for canning and sold in supermarkets. Answer from oldtoolfool on reddit.com
Reddit
reddit.com › r/beginnerwoodworking › how to lubricate wood drawer slides? wax?
r/BeginnerWoodWorking on Reddit: How to lubricate wood drawer slides? Wax?
October 7, 2020 -
I made a basic desk out of common lumber.
For the drawers, I didn't use ball-bearing slides in order to save money. So they are just wood sliding on wood. It's ok, but I'd like the action to be smoother.
What can I use to lubricate the wood-on-wood mechanism? I vaguely heard that wax might be an option but am open to hearing of a better product.
Ideally, it'd be cheap, easy to apply, and be long-lasting.
Woodweb
woodweb.com › knowledge_base › Waxing_Wooden_Drawer_Runners.html
Waxing Wooden Drawer Runners
You can buy it in the canning section at the grocery store. Wax up the guides and drawer bottoms or sides that contact the guides very well, then move the drawers in and out to make them work nice and smoothly. From contributor D: Instead of wax, Mohawk's Slideez (#M750-1205) is a far superior ...
Videos
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Sticky drawers? WD40 vs BEESWAX, who wins? #wd40 #beeswax #home ...
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Mystery Method for Slick Sliding Drawers - YouTube
How to Wax Drawer Guides - Today's Homeowner
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Old School Woodworking -The Secret to Smooth Wooden Drawer Slides!
Family Handyman
familyhandyman.com › home › skills › woodworking › furniture
Gulf Wax for Sticky Drawers — The Family Handyman
October 31, 2022 - A sticky drawer can be very frustrating, especially if you use it frequently. Try this quick fix: Rub a block of Gulf Wax along the wooden drawer slides and along any other high-friction points on the drawers.
Facebook
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Are there better waxes for drawer slides?
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NC Woodworker
ncwoodworker.net › home › forums
Paraffin or Beeswax? Which one for drawer slide?
North Carolina Woodworkers
USVintageWood
usvintagewood.com › how-to-make-wood-drawers-slide-easier
Woodworking Tips: How To Make Wood Drawers Slide Easier
March 26, 2025 - Instead, use paraffin wax, beeswax, candle wax, or silicone spray, which lubricate without staining or attracting dirt. For an oil-based option, dry graphite powder is a better choice as it leaves no residue.
A Traditional Life
atraditionallife.com › home › blog › how to use beeswax to deal with sticky, wooden drawers
How to Use Beeswax to Deal With Sticky, Wooden Drawers • A Traditional Life
May 11, 2023 - I quickly applied wax to other two. Even when loaded down with shirts, jeans, socks and such, the drawers still slid smoothing, without catching! Finally, I can get at our clothes without yanking the set across the floor. ... Now, let me be clear: my old wooden drawers still don't slide perfectly.
Canadian Woodworking
forum.canadianwoodworking.com › home
Helping wood to slide well - Canadian Woodworking and Home Improvement Forum
better answers may come along but I've used a candle, rubbed onto the sliding surfaces, when drawers have been sticky. ... There are other paste waxes you can use. I once used WD40 but it didn’t last. A candle rubbed will definitely work or canning paraffin.
Woodworking Talk
woodworkingtalk.com › home › forums › woodworking forum › general woodworking discussions
Wooden drawer guides and silicone oil | Woodworking Talk
I have some "Melamine" edge banding that is very tough and slick. it has hot-melt glue on it that is heated to apply to the edge of a tabletop. it may be worth looking into to see if that will work for your project. ... Gulf wax. My go to dry lube.
Amazon
amazon.com › drawer-wax-sliding-wood › s
Amazon.com: Drawer Wax Sliding Wood
Amazon.com: drawer wax sliding wood
LumberJocks
lumberjocks.com › home › forums › skill share › finishing
Wood lubricant | LumberJocks Woodworking Forum
I use Howard s Feed-N-Wax on wood drawer slides. It has a great action… smooth but controlled.
WonderHowTo
macgyverisms.wonderhowto.com › how-to › make-sticky-stubborn-wooden-drawers-slide-more-smoothly-0146571
How to Make Sticky or Stubborn Wooden Drawers Slide More Smoothly << MacGyverisms :: WonderHowTo
April 29, 2013 - You can use just about anything you have that's waxy or has a similar texture, like silicone spray or plain beeswax. If you don't want to apply a coating, sometimes sanding the sides and runners will help drawers slide easier since wood chips ...
Sawmill Creek
sawmillcreek.org › forums › finishing, design, and finished projects › project finishing
Wax for Drawers | Sawmill Creek Woodworking Community
October 19, 2007 - And, based on how much I used for the table slides and how much is left in the can, I will probably have the same can for quite a while. ... I put a coat of 1 pound blond shellac on the drawer sides and front. Then I wax them on all sides with paste wax including the drawer runner.
Wood Talk Online
woodtalkonline.com › topic › 28917-waxing-drawers
Waxing drawers - General Woodworking Talk - Wood Talk Online
September 23, 2018 - Hi, question....I’m doing my first drawers that are wood on wood and will wax them to slide smoothly. My question is.....should I finish (using arm r seal) and then wax or should I wax the drawer runners and not put finish on them? Also I have Renaissance wax, is this sufficient??
Sawmill Creek
sawmillcreek.org › forums › woodworking topics › general woodworking and power tools
Drawer Friction | Sawmill Creek Woodworking Community
November 11, 2021 - What lube do you recommend for wood on wood drawer slides? I applied car wax which worked for a while but it dried up. Click to expand... What wood on what wood? It may be too late to change but a close grain hardwood species works best. In my experience softwoods have more issues.
RMP Finishes
rmpfinishes.com › home › tips & techniques › fix sticky wooden drawers with clear carnauba wax
Fix Sticky Wooden Drawers Using Clear Carnauba Wax | RMP Finishes
The fix: Real Milk Paint Clear Carnauba Wax. Wood doesn’t have a lot of natural lubrication, which is why it can be hard to open some stuck drawers. This is especially true in the summer.
Published October 2, 2025
Apartment Therapy
apartmenttherapy.com › wood-drawers-candle-fix-37394954
Fix Sticky Drawers Using a Candle with This Easy Hack | Apartment Therapy
April 24, 2024 - Slide the drawer back in place. That’s it! This is a trick I picked up from my days editing at This Old House magazine, where seasoned contractor Tom Silva advised using wax to lubricate the sashes of antique windows. It works just as well on drawers that use the same wood-on-wood sliding mechanism and it’s been a go-to for me ever since.
Woodworking Talk
woodworkingtalk.com › home › forums › woodworking forum › general woodworking discussions
Wax on bare wood, moving parts | Woodworking Talk
Properly fit and a touch of Johnsons paste wax and they should last for generations. ... Traditionally drawer boxes, especially the kind with wood slides are not finished at all. Personally I prefer the wood slides that have a runner underneath ...
OVIS
ovisonline.com › blog › resources-3 › sticky-drawer-how-to-lubricate-metal-or-wood-drawer-slides-25
Sticky Drawer? How to Lubricate Metal or Wood Drawer Slides | OVIS
June 13, 2024 - If the drawer slides are plastic or metal, you can still use the recommended lubricants for wood drawers (like wax or tape), but your best bet would be to purchase and apply white lithium grease.
YouTube
youtube.com › shorts › hiOd3XGssB0
Use Candle Wax for Smooth Running Wooden Drawer Slides - YouTube
Use Candle Wax for Smooth Running Wooden Drawer SlidesDesign Plans: https://jonpeters.com/design-plans/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonpeters_Faceboo...
Published September 17, 2025