How to Choose the Right Drawer Slide
There are many different types of drawer slides on the market today. Which one you choose should depend upon what type of project you are crafting, load capacity desired, and extension desired. Cabinetparts.com stocks a wide range of drawer slides and systems.
Metal drawer slides have many great benefits over the old wooden tracks. They cut down on the time it takes to build furniture or cabinets, they can support a wide range of loads, and the top of the line drawer slides are completely hidden and will not detract from the look of a finely crafted piece of furniture or cabinet. Here are two of the basic categories of slide types. Many projects will use either of these 2 drawer slide types.
Undermount Slides: Looking for a high end finish to your project? An undermount slide is the way to go. These slides are self-closing and many incorporate a soft-close feature. They can be either 3/4 extension or full extension and will generally handle anywhere from 75-110 lbs. Applications can be anything from kitchen cabinets to entertainment centers. These slides are usually among the highest price in the market, but well worth it for the many advantages they have. The Blum Tandem slide is a perfect example of this type of slide.
http://www.cabinetparts.com/c/drawer-slides-and-systems/tandem/Side Mount Drawer Slides: Great for utility drawers or anywhere that heavy loads are encountered, the side mount drawer slide is a common choice. These slides come in 3/4 extension, full extension, or full extension with overtravel meaning that the drawer will extend a certain length beyond the back of the drawer, usually about an inch or so. This allows for complete access to the back of the drawer and is particularly good for file drawers to maximize storage space. These slides operate on ball bearings for a smooth pull-out action and come in a wide array of sizes and weight capacities. They are visible when the drawer is open. These slides can also be flat mounted in most cases, but this method of installation cuts the weight capacity almost in half. Applications for this type of slide vary from commercial installations to kitchen cabinets to furniture. The KV 8400 is an example of a side mount slide.
http://www.cabinetparts.com/c/drawer-slides-and-systems/full-extension-drawer-slides/There are many more types of slides other than the two we have highlighted here. Cabinetparts.com has experienced tech support reps available M-F from 8:30am to 5:30PM EST to help you choose the perfect slide for your application.
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