How to Make Sure Drawer Slides Work Smoothly

Working on building a cabinet or cabinet refacing project is never easy. There are so many things to be taken care of. For instance, finding the right ball-bearing slides. A lot of people believe finding the right drawer slides to be the toughest task in the entire cabinetry project. But what if I say otherwise?

Would you believe me if I say that there’s something tougher than acquiring the best ball-bearing slides?

Trust me, finding the right drawer slides is nothing when compared to ensuring that they work smoothly after installation. And things get even more complicated when you decide to go DIY. In the following blog, I have discussed how to make sure drawer slides work smoothly. Read through to know more.

Installing Drawer Slides to Ensure Smooth Working

You cannot abruptly start installing any drawer slides into your cabinets. You’ll have to spend some time finding the right drawer slides. People usually prioritize choosing the ball-bearing drawer slides. Once you’ve found the drawer slides that match your needs, get on to working.

Unless it is a cabinet remodeling project, you would need a new cabinet frame too. Know that installing the drawer slides is lots easier in old cabinets because you’ve nothing to worry about. All the holes are drilled, the points are marked, you just need to ensure installing the slides in the right position.

Once you have your cabinet frame prepared/constructed, follow the given steps. These steps shall help you ensure that your drawer slides work smoothly post-installation.

also check – Benefits of Using Terracotta Hollow Bricks

P.S.: Keep in mind that the pair of slides need to sit parallel to one another and the surface (drawer box and cabinet frame). In an arrangement where the ball-bearing drawer slides are not parallel, the slides wouldn’t work smoothly.

Preparation

• Pre-drill the drawer boxes and cabinet frame before assembling them together. Use the drawer slides to mark the points of drilling.
• It is essential to have some space margin between the drawer sides and the frame of the cabinet to fit the drawer slides. Make sure that this margin is a bit more than the width of the slides (-+0.2mm to -+0.5mm).
• See that this margin remains constant and parallel throughout the drawer sides and frame.
• If your drawer has a door panel, you need to keep in mind to leave at least 2 cm of additional space in front.

Disconnect the Slides

• As soon as your cabinet frame and drawer boxes are drilled for the needed holes, move on to the next step. Here, disassemble the slide by separating the parts that are to be attached to the drawer box and frame.
• The outer part of the slide is attached to the cabinet case. Likewise, the inner part is affixed to the drawer box.
• Install both the parts separately. Now reconnect the two pieces by installing the drawer box in the frame.

P.S.: Consider professional help if you are not using ball bearing slides with the disconnect feature. Let me tell you that using the slides with the no disconnect feature isn’t easy at all.

Testing for Flaws

• As you install the drawer box in the cabinet frame, you need to test your work.
• Open and shut the drawer boxes a couple of times to see if it is smooth enough.
• If you feel like the drawer isn’t working smoothly or is getting stuck mid-way, check the installation for flaws.
• There must be some error in alignment or installation.
• Correct the issue and you are done.