If the drawers have dovetailed joints, make sure they haven't slipped a bit out of alignment. Also, if the drawer bottoms fit into slots, make sure those haven't slipped out also. That happens frequently in vintage pieces. I would put drawers and dresser both inside. And yes, don't plane off too much. Also, make sure you're getting the right drawer back into the proper place. Even though some look exactly the same size, I've found in older pieces, because of wear and tear, the drawers don't interchange very well. Sometimes I have to run my fingers over the dovetailed joints to see if they're a bit out of square. And yes, our Texas summers, and humidity, or lack thereof, can create havoc on furniture.

patty_cakes I did the same thing this spring with an end table I painted. I left it out in the carport for about a month, before the weather got nice enough, to sand and paint. I actually had to force the drawer out of it. Once it was all painted, I had to force the drawer back in. It has been in the house all summer, and the drawer now works easily, like it always did, so I think once you have completed your project and brought it in, and wait a month or two, it will work just fine. Good Luck

I was going to say the same as marg411...are you sure you are putting the same drawer back in the same spot? Been there, done that and so Ifinally learned to number the drawers and holes as I take the drawers out. Saves me a lot of hassle later.

Tib, yep, am getting the drawers in the right slots. This is actually a vintage dresser on legs, and there are only 5 small drawers~one center, 2 smaller and 2 larger, so it's not hard to differentiate. As for the planing, didn't do too much. The plane itself is vintage and not too sharp~guess that's a good thing. lol

Marg, I also checked the dovetailing, and it looks to be intact on all the drawers. I did sand it slightly, but don't see that as the problem. The drawers go in, it's that last inch or so that I can't push in and close completely.

Cat, I can only hope the problem goes away so easily. Will just hsve to wait and see,

Grandmaof3, only 3? Guess I'm not alone! I didn't think it necessary to mark the drawers since there were only 5, and only 2 different sizes. I did that with a gazillion cabinet doors once!

Thanks for all the tips. DD is helping me bring it in the house tonight, and will put the drawers back in, but should I push them in all the way and pray???

I tipped my table over, and put a block of wood against it and hammered it in. Of course, getting it out at that time, would have required a block of wood and a hammer too, but it works great now. Its been in the house since around the 1st of May, I think. In your case, I might be tempted to put the drawers in, and just put them in as far as they go easily, and then check them every now and then. At least that way, you can use them, while you are waiting for them to work easily. With mine, it didnt matter, since it the only thing that goes in it, are remote controls.

Lol cat! Unfortunately this is a piece I'm hoping to sell. I rent a space in an antique mall, and along with all the smalls I sell furniture, which I paint blue, only blue~I term it 'French Inspired'. Anyway, I need to get the drawers in, I'm trying soap,tomorrow!

Well, good luck. Sounds like you dont have the time to wait it out. Can you put it in a small enclosed room, and run a heater on it? That should dry out the moisture a bit.

Patty Cakes. Whatever happened with your piece. Have the same issue as I type. Hoping to sell it but now the drawers won’t go back in

Me too ! I have done up an old dresser that’s bent sitting undercover for about 3 months waiting till the weather changed to begin , I eventually set up my front lounge as a painting room sanded primed and painted , now done the drawers with decoupage on the fronts and painted sides etc only to find eeek !!! Now doesn’t fit ;(

How do you get it to fit I had a dresser in storage for 2 years and now I can't get the drawers to fit spent 2 hours trying didn't know what the problem was

Old thread, might be better off starting a new one. I’d tag the antiques and furniture forums, too.

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/furniture

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/antiques-and-collectibles

Really miss some posters I see here — Patty Cakes, Tibbrix, etc.