Think I have messed up this IKEA desk

sand_hun

Hello, I just put together a Vebjorn Ikea desk for a home office. The assembly is 99% complete but I have a problem with the draws! They have got stuck and I cannot seem to take them out and am worried I will damage the unit if I am too forceful. Any ideas how I can resolve this issue or will it be a case of calling IKEA and asking for one of their specialists to come out to fix it!

Is anyone here familiar with this type of furniture/assembly? Thanks

teaselMay

are there screws inside the top drawer holding the runners on? If so undo those screws, that should allow you to remove the drawer despite the runners being stuck. then you'll be able to see what's going on

ThisIsWeird

Dismantle as much as you can. For instance, can you remove that top drawer fascia? If so, can you then dismantle the drawer sides?
I take it they don't come out at all?

housebuyer143

When you do get it apart, are these screws, screwed in enough? Kind of looks like they are not fully done up. That may be your problem. 

kimwp

I think you've probably put the wrong bit on a runner on at least one of those drawers and then it's all jammed in together, they can be a bit fiddly to get the wheel in to the right bit unless you are checking.

I think gently jiggling them to try and loosen the top drawer or dismantling the unit is the best bet, I don't think you'll be able to get the runners off with the drawers in place.

sand_hun

teaselMay said:

are there screws inside the top drawer holding the runners on? If so undo those screws, that should allow you to remove the drawer despite the runners being stuck. then you'll be able to see what's going on

No, if I have understood you correctly, the screws holding the runners are attached to the outside of the draws

sand_hun

ThisIsWeird said:

Dismantle as much as you can. For I stance, can you remove that top drawer fascia? If so, can you then dismantle the drawer sides?
I take it they don't come out at all?

There's a little bit of movement, but not much. I think they may be too close together and are somehow catching. Also, you see how the bottom draw is bigger than the other 3? Well I put that one in originally and it slid back and forth just fine on the mechanism, however I noticed that it wasn't sitting flush at the bottom, i.e., there was like a 1 inch gap. 

As to whether I can remove the top draw fascia, it was a good idea, but it's held in place by some 'camlocks' I can't easily get to them so I cannot take the fascia off.

sand_hun

kimwp said:

I think you've probably put the wrong bit on a runner on at least one of those drawers and then it's all jammed in together, they can be a bit fiddly to get the wheel in to the right bit unless you are checking.

I think gently jiggling them to try and loosen the top drawer or dismantling the unit is the best bet, I don't think you'll be able to get the runners off with the drawers in place.

OK thanks for the reply. I think you're right. So frustrating since I was close to having it fully assembled! The lower of the draws can't be moved out as it hits into the base of the top draw! I've tried the jiggling about to loosen but no luck. I think I will have to get IKEA to send someone round or pay a handyman who does this type of stuff.

kimwp

sand_hun said:

kimwp said:

I think you've probably put the wrong bit on a runner on at least one of those drawers and then it's all jammed in together, they can be a bit fiddly to get the wheel in to the right bit unless you are checking.

I think gently jiggling them to try and loosen the top drawer or dismantling the unit is the best bet, I don't think you'll be able to get the runners off with the drawers in place.

OK thanks for the reply. I think you're right. So frustrating since I was close to having it fully assembled! The lower of the draws can't be moved out as it hits into the base of the top draw! I've tried the jiggling about to loosen but no luck. I think I will have to get IKEA to send someone round or pay a handyman who does this type of stuff.

If this is the cause, then it's probably the lower drawer that's not fitted properly. You'll be able to tell by looking up from under that draw- the runner attached to the drawer should be fully inside the runner attached to the desk (not sure if those are the proper names). Check both sides. Check the top drawer too if you can - both sides. It might even be that you fitted the upper drawer under it's runner, balancing on the lower drawer. Again, check both sides. It may not help to know all this, but it may give some clue as to the best movement to get them apart.

Have you tried pulling the drawers apart vertically while trying to unjam them?

If they are really jammed together, it might be cheaper to take a saw to the jammed drawer and buy a replacement one.