People add sideboards in living rooms when they need extra storage. Sometimes it affects the overall look of this place when you do fix its problems.
Common problems with sideboards include saggy bottoms, warped cabinet doors, and faulty hinges. Moreover, its other issues include an unattractive appearance, faulty drawer track, and size issues.
Sideboards are mostly made up of wooden material, which you can use as a buffet table. In addition, it contains some drawers and cabinets, which provide a storage facility for several home items.
| Problems with Sideboards | Solutions |
| The drawer track is not working. | Clean with a dry cloth |
| Unattractive appearance | Paint with vibrant colors |
| Swelling legs of sideboards | Use wood protector |
| Saggy bottoms | Put plastic wedge on base |
| Size issues | Match its height with the dining table |
| Faulty hinges | Proper maintenance and cleaning |
| Warped cabinet doors | Sand the door surface |
The drawer track is not working
A drawer track is a type of railing made of steel rods. It helps to ensure its smooth movement without any obstacles.
Sometimes you open the drawer, but it becomes struck and does not move to the end. It is better to stop it and check its track to find the reason.
Its most common reason is stickiness on any of its points or cracking. It can also stop working due to accumulated dirt particles and grease. Clean it with a dry cloth and remove all dirt particles.
Take water in a bowl and add 2 to 3 drops of detergent to it.
Dip a sponge in this solution and squeeze it to spill extra water. Then, clean the track with the cloth and let it dry naturally.
Unattractive appearance
You mostly put it in high-traffic portions of your house, like the dining or living room. You serve your family and friends in these areas, so they need regular and proper maintenance.
They are the places that are exposed to enough sunlight and natural air. Sometimes you get an attractive sideboard for your dining room, but it loses its attraction after some time.
It happens when dirt particles stick to its surface, or its color fades. It loses its original shine and badly affects the overall look of this area.
It is better to paint it vibrant color and use wood polish to enhance its look. Clean it daily with a damp piece of cloth, and do not let the dirt particles stick to its surface.
Swelling legs of sideboards
You need to protect the legs of your sideboard to avoid an unfavorable situation. Sometimes the water spills from the table to the ground, which absorbs in its legs.
It can also happen when you wash the floors, which becomes the cause of water exposure. The water absorbs in its wood and leads to the swelling of its legs.
It negatively affects its internal structure and can lead to collapse when you keep this issue unaddressed. Therefore, it is better to remove the sideboard from the room while washing the floor and relocate it to another area of your house for some time.
You can also use wood protectors to ensure their safety during such situations. They are available in silicon and metal materials, and you can get them according to your budget and need.
Saggy bottoms
Many people complain about the bottom panel of the drawer, especially its center becoming saggy.
You open it, but adjusting it back into the frame is hard. It mostly happens when you put an extra load inside it, which is more than its capacity.
It is not difficult to resolve this issue because you can easily do it without professional assistance. You need some plastic wedges which have a hole to fit the screws.
They are triangle-type structures and do not cost much. Hold the cabinet’s saggy panel and keep it straight with the help of some weight, or you can also use a clump for this purpose.
Put the plastic wedges on the bottom side of the panel where it is joined with the frame. Attach them with the help of a hammer and fix the screws inside. You need almost 6 to 10 of these wedges according to the size and condition of this wooden panel.
Size issues
Sometimes you get it without considering its size. The problem occurs when you cannot adjust all of your items in it.
You plan to store certain things in its drawers, but it proves a waste of money when you bring its small size into your house.
It is commonly used in the dining area to place extra tables, and you can also use its top as a buffet table.
It is recommended to get it at the same height as that of the dining table to avoid visual division. Avoid using its large size in a small room because it will overbulk the room, which does not look good.
Faulty hinges
You can experience its problem of faulty hinges when you open its door. Sometimes the door loses and shows quick movement when you open its lock. It happens due to broken hinges.
You need to check its condition after opening it. Take a torch and move the light inside to analyze the situation. Check if there is any crack in its structure.
It also happens when they become rusted, which affects their working efficiency. You can tighten them with the help of a wrench for better efficiency.
Take proper care of its maintenance because regular care can increase its longevity by 10 to 20 years.
It is essential to maintain the locks because sometimes they become frozen and unable to open. You should clean the grease and dirt particles which are the common causes of this problem.
Warped cabinet doors
The sideboard doors have a common problem of warped cabinet doors which reduces their longevity when you do not fix them on time.
It is a misalignment of wooden fibers when they absorb some moisture. They become de-shaped and do not fit in their frame.
It happens when one of its portions absorbs water and dries faster than the other portions. The first one creates stress in its fibers which becomes the cause of its deformity.
It looks like an uneven portion of a door which is highly undesirable. You can easily fix this issue with the help of some good-quality wood primer.
You need to remove its door and sand its surface with the help of fine sandpaper. Use a wood primer to seal it to prevent further warping.
It is better to put some heavy objects when the door is slightly bent, especially in its central portion. Leave it for 18 to 36 hours or increase the duration until it is removed.
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