Drawer slides can be found in cabinets, chests of drawers, and many other furniture types. A piece of furniture that has more than one drawer will have at most one slide. A drawer slide allows the drawer to be moved into or out of the furniture it is attached to. Each drawer is attached to a pair of slides. These slides will allow the drawer to glide along when you open it. Although all drawer slides employ this method of operation they can also be made in other ways.
Slides for Center-Mounted Drawers
The way they are mounted on center-mounted drawer slides is what distinguishes them. They are located in the middle of drawers. The center-mounted drawer slide can be found in the middle of a drawer if it is removed from the furniture. Because they are located in the middle of drawers, they are called “center-mounted drawer slides”.
Slides for Under-Mounted Drawer
There are also under-mounted drawer slide options. You will find under-mounted drawer slides on the sides. They are located below the drawers they are attached to, just like the center-mounted drawer slide. Center-mounted drawer slide is found in the middle of drawers, while under-mounted drawer slides are on the sides. Both types can be mounted below drawers. However, only the under-mounted drawer slide is found on the sides.
Ball Bearing Slider Slides
Ball-bearing is one of the most popular types of drawer slides. Ball-bearing drawer slides have a name that refers to their use of ball bearings. You can choose from one-way or double-sided travel for ball-bearing drawer slides.
It is important to know that ball-bearing drawer slides are available in two types: under and center-mounted. Ball-bearing drawer slides that are mounted in the middle of drawers are called center-mounted.
Roller Slides
The cabinet member attaches to a grounded or stable component, i.e. The cabinet, and the drawer member is attached to the moving part, i.e. The drawer. The cabinet member’s roller allows for the drawer member to move inwards as the mechanism extends. The drawer member’s roller follows the cabinet member in the grove.
Roller drawers slides are used in household applications such as desk drawers, where there is a need for light loads and a horizontal configuration with bottom drawer slides. Roller slides are not recommended for use in any other configuration than horizontal due to their design.
Soft-close ball-bearing slides
The ball-bearing slides use rollers as a telescopic movement. The cabinet member, the intermediate member, and the drawer member are the three main components. Cabinet member attaches to a grounded or stable component, just like the roller slides. The cabinet and the drawer member are attached to the moving part, i.e. The drawer. The intermediate member interfaces to two sets of ball bearings. The first set interfaces directly with the grooves on the cabinet member, while the second set interfaces directly with the grooves on the drawer member. The drawer member is the first to move as the mechanism extends. It slides over the ball bearings between the intermediate member and itself, while the second set interfaces with the grooves of the cabinet member. The drawer member will reach the end of the ball-bearings and then the intermediate member will slide between the ball bearings and the cabinet member until it is fully extended. The mechanism’s two-roller design has ball bearings in each groove. This gives it horizontal stability and allows it to be extended at a level.