A Guide to Drawer Slides

What would we do without drawers? Our storage options would be a bit more limited and our homes would be a bit messier. In order to make the most of the drawers in our homes, we need to make sure they are easy to open and close. This greatly depends on the type and quality of your drawer slides.

Drawer slides are devices that make opening and closing your drawers easier. They are usually mounted underneath the drawer or on its sides. They prevent your drawer from accidentally being pulled all the way out off the hinge, thus spilling the contents of the drawer on the floor. Your drawers should easily move and be able to hold a specific amount of weight, so it's important to choose the right type of drawer slides.

There are a variety of different types of drawer slides. You can classify drawer slides by their material (plastic, wood, elaborate bearings), the amount of weight they can hold and how they are mounted.

First, we'll start with how they are mounted. The bottom-mount drawer slides (in which two rails are installed on the bottom of the drawer on each side) are the easiest to install, but can't hold a large amount of weight. Since the mounts are hidden from sight, they are a popular and attractive option. Center-mount drawer slides have one rail in the center on the bottom. These are also easy to install and are best used for smaller drawers. Side-mount drawer slides have two rails installed on both sides of the drawer. These types of drawer slides can hold more weight, making them great for bathrooms and kitchens.

Then there are a variety of other ways you can customize your drawer slides. You can choose the colors (popular options are brown, white or wood-colored), the material (wood, metal and plastic are commonly used), and the accessories (including sockets, drawer spacers and locking devices).

Two popular brands of drawer slides are Hettitch drawer slides and Blum drawer slides. Hettich makes innovative drawer slides that hold any loading capacity. They make ball-bearing slides, roller wheel slides and concealed slides. They also have a mechanically assisted opening system and slides for domestic appliances. Blum makes concealed drawer slides that offer four-dimensional adjustment and an exceptional load capacity. The soft and quiet opening and closing action makes them a favorite among many homeowners.