Drawer slides enable drawers to slide in and out of drawer units such as cabinets in kitchen, cupboard units, etc. The drawer slides are categorised as per weight, mounting style, slide length, slide extension and sliding mechanisms. The best drawer slides are the ones which allow the drawers to be opened and closed without much efforts and as noiselessly as possible. You need to understand the various characteristics of drawer slides in order to select the correct drawer slide as per you specific requirements.
Sliding Mechanism
Wooden drawer slides feature strips of wood which act as rails for the drawers to slide and rest. The wooden drawer slides can also have guides to keep the drawer on the correct path and prevent left and right movement caused by face frame of the cabinet impeding the drawer opening. No metal hardware is required which provides a perfect finish to the drawer.
Roller drawer slides have two metal pieces fixed with each other and nylon wheels. One piece of metal is attached to the drawer while the other is attached to the frame of the cabinet. The two metal pieces move over each other using the nylon wheels whenever the drawer is operated. The nylon wheels permit smooth sliding. The roller drawer slides are visible on the sides of the drawer, thus the drawer needs a false face or a large lip to conceal them.
Ball bearing drawer slides have ball bearings usually made of steel which move over each other smoothly whenever the drawer is opened and closed. There are two types of ball bearing drawer slides. In the progressive versions, all the ball bearing segments move as one unit during opening and closing of the drawer. In the telescopic models, each segment extends or retracts individually prior to the movement of the other segment.
Mounting
Side mounting drawer slides are fixed on both the sides of the drawer in the interior of the cabinet. The side mounting slides come in both roller as well as ball bearing varieties. The space clearance between the side mounted slides and the sides of the cabinet should be 1/2 inches. This kind of slide limits the opening of the drawer.
Undermount drawer slides are attached to the bottom of the drawers. The undermount drawer slides are ball bearing slides which are not visible when the drawer is opened. The space clearance required above and below the drawer at the opening to install undermount slide is 1/2 inches.
Bottom mount drawer slides are fixed on the bottom right side and bottom left side of the drawers. The bottom mount drawer slides are roller guided drawer slides. They come in both partial and full extension varieties and can be used for both frame as well as frameless cabinets.
Center mount drawer slides are mounted underneath the central portion of the drawers. They usually have wood sliding or ball bearing mechanism and are suitable for lightweight drawers. The required space clearance is dependent upon the thickness of the slides.
Motion
Push to open drawer slide opens the drawer as soon as the front face of the drawer is given a slight push. There is no requirement of additional hardware such as handle or knob. Push to open are suitable modern kitchen drawer slides and bathroom cabinets because there is no hardware to interfere with the look of the space.
Self close drawer slide enables the drawer to close automatically on the slightest push.
Soft close drawer slide reduces slamming when the drawer is closed which enables soundless closing. The hydraulic components used in soft close drawer slides reduce the sound significantly by dampening the closing motion.
Shock absorbing drawer slide absorbs shock when the drawer is slammed, thereby preventing damage to the internal parts of the drawer.
Load Capability
Load capability of drawer slide is measured in weight rating. The heavy duty drawer slides have high weight rating and can handle even 200 pounds. Usually, low and medium duty drawer slides can manage 75 to 150 pounds.
Drawer Slides Price List
The drawer slides prices depend upon the construction, weight rating, finish, mechanism and other features. The drawer slides price is also influenced by brand. For example, hettich drawer slides are of superior quality and cost more as compared to others. All the major brands sell drawer slides india. You can buy online drawer slides by accessing all kinds of drawer slides offered by various online stores.
