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More than 2000 kinds of furniture fitting hardwares are available.
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More than 2000 kinds of furniture fitting hardwares are available.
While the answer to which size of drawer slide is best for your drawer can be tricky, it is what you can get by measuring the drawer.
Drawer slides play a crucial role in the functionality of furniture drawers. With a pair of drawer slides, you can easily slide your drawers in and out of the piece of furniture.
However, one common challenge with choosing the right drawer slide is picking the right size. Hence, you ask, what size drawer slides do I need?
The size of the drawer slides you need depends on several factors, but what matters most is ensuring you select the ones that can support the drawer contents.
As a guide, standard drawer slide are available in differnet sizes, such as 17mm, 27mm, 35mm, and above.
This guide will help you understand the drawer slides that will fit your needs and the different drawer slide manufacturers you can choose from.
Irrespective of the drawer slide manufacturer, when they bind or have issues, you will need to change them. Whether you are replacing them or repairing them, knowing the measurements is important. Tools needed for measuring your drawer slide are:
* Tape Measure
* Pencil and paper
* Ruler (optional)
Here are the steps to measure your drawer slides:
When it comes to measuring the drawing slides for the cabinet, accuracy is important. To get the right measurement, you will need to remove the drawer. Most drawers can be removed easily when you lift them.
However, when you try it and it doesn't work, draw the cabinet so it extends towards you, then lift the drawer backward. If none of these work, you might need to get a screwdriver to open the wheels from the guides.
You shouldn't measure the front face of the drawer because it doesn't prevent the drawer from entering the cabinet. To start measuring, begin at the back of the box.
Once you are through with the length measurement, round down the numbers. For instance, if the drawer's length is 24-and-a-half inches, you should get a 24-inch drawer slide.
The different drawer slide options to consider.
While drawer slides are available in different sizes, you can also find them in different types and designs. Here are the types of drawer slides you can get at the market:
This type of drawer slide is attached to the bottom of the drawer. They are the most common drawer slides and come with roller guides. You can find bottom-mount drawer slides in partial and full extensions.
Also, bottom mount sliders come with angle brackets, which help support the cabinet. They also help index the side for a smoother installation.
Bottom-mount drawer slides will be a great choice if you have frameless and face-framed cabinets.
Check these Heavy Duty Bottom Mount Drawer Slide and Bottom Mount Heavy Duty 950mm Drawer Slide.
This category of drawer slides is fixed horizontally to the cabinet body. Side-mounted slides are an excellent choice for an array of applications because of their weight-bearing features.
They are highly durable and are available as a roller mechanism or ball bearing.
These are single slides that are placed underneath the drawer. Usually, they restrict the height of the drawer. You have to be careful when buying this slide because the sizes vary.
One major benefit of center-mount drawer slides is they are easy to install.
Under-mount slides can mount to the cabinet slides and complement the locking devices they are attached to. They are an ideal choice when there is limited space, and you want quality drawer slides for your cabinet.
Under-mount slides just need 3/16 to 1/4 inch of space per slide. However, these drawer slides need 1/2 inch of clearance during cabinet opening.
Mount drawer slides aren't popular like most others but have proven to be great products. They are usually identified by their grooves. The average roof height of mount drawer slides is between 17 and 27mm.
They come with a light load rating and are usually installed in a partial extension variation.
There are a few important factors to consider when buying drawer slides. They include:
Before buying drawer slides, ensure you know the weight the drawer holds. All drawer slides are rated based on their weight load. So you need to get an accurate weight that it can support.
Ask yourself what the drawer is used for and what the contents therein are. Most drawer slides are rated at 75, 100, and 150 loads. A reputable drawer slide manufacturer like Hench Hardware may sell ball-bearing slides that can hold heavier loads.
Check this 45mm-Width Ball Bearing Drawer Slide for its high durability.
You should also consider which drawer slide mount is ideal for your cabinet. While there are five types of drawer slide mounts, as described above, they come in different sizes. You might need to talk to a carpenter to know which one will work well with your cabinet.
Another important consideration is the length of the drawer slides. They come in different lengths, from 7.8 to 35 inches. If your drawer comes with overlay fronts because of the covering of the cabinet opening, you will need a good measurement.
When your drawers are inset or flushed at the front, subtract the thickeners for the right measurement.
How far your drawer will open and extend should also be considered. Drawer extensions come in three types: 3/4, full, and over-travel extensions.
Most people will recognize the 3/4 option because of its popularity. However, depending on your drawer, you might have to resort to the full or over-traveling variation.
Conclusion
This guide has discussed in detail the size of drawer slides you need for your cabinet. We have also touched on the factors to consider when buying drawer sides and the steps to take before fixing them.
While most of these drawer slides can be removed and fixed on your own, there are instances when you might need to call a professional carpenter.
Are you looking for the drawer slides that will well with your drawer? We have got you covered at Hence Hardware. Choosing from our array of drawer slides based on the aforementioned factors, you are never wrong with whatever choice you make.
