Use out step-by-step DIY guide to properly measure your drawer slides for replacement.
Types Of Drawer Slides
There are 3 basic designs built by many manufactures in different materials. The three main types are side mount, bottom mount, and bottom mount single.
Side Mount Drawer Slides
Side-mount drawer slides are mounted on the side of the drawer box and telescope out to allow the drawer to extend further than a bottom mount drawer slide.
These drawer slides are generally rated to handle more weight and are attached either half way up the side of the box, or at the bottom. To know for sure which design you have, if it doesn’t telescope, it isn’t a side mount drawer slide.
Bottom Mount Drawer Slides
Bottom Mount or Under Mounted drawer slides are one of the most common types of drawer slides. As the name suggests the slides are mounted to the drawer and cabinet under the drawer on a track.
There are two common configurations of bottom mount drawer slides, one is flat and attaches at the side, the other is bent at 90° and fits over the edge of the drawer. The key element to knowing which you have is if the track attaches to the bottom of the drawer, or not.
Bottom Mount Single Drawer Slides
In some cases a bottom mount single drawer slide would have been selected for your kitchen. It is a economy version of a bottom mount drawer slide and features a single centered mount for the drawer to attach to the cabinetry.
Some have a corresponding track, while others just have a wheel that fits into the track. Typically, this is a mount used for inexpensive cabinetry and has lightweight drawers.
Necessary Materials
The first thing you’ll need to do before starting this process is gathering all necessary materials. A retractable tape measure with both inches and centimeters is essential to measuring the slides.
It’s suggested to always have a pen or pencil to jot down the measurements and a screwdriver in case anything needs to be removed.
Steps To Measuring Drawer Slides
Let’s take a step-by-step look at how to properly measure drawer slides for your next DIY project.
Step 1.
- Start by removing the drawer from the cabinet.
- The removal could require some manipulation.
- Most drawers need to be fully extended, then lifted up.
- If that doesn’t work, try fully extending the drawer and popping the wheels out of the guides in the back.
- You may have to use a screwdriver for removal if neither of the previous methods work.
Step 2.
- Now you must measure the box, not the drawer front.
- You do not need to measure the front face of the drawer.
- Start at the back of the box and measure to the front without including the drawer’s face to accurate determine the length of the slide.
- Once you have recorded the length, round down to a whole number.
- For example, if your drawer is 20.5 inches long, you will need 20-inch drawer slides.
Step 3.
- Measure both the width of the drawer and the width of the opening in the cabinet.
- If the difference between both widths is within 1/8 inch, feel free to use full-extension guides.
- If they measure either less or more than 1/8 inch, use bottom-mount guides for the new slides.
Step 4.
- Fully examine both the interior of the cabinet and exterior of the drawer.
- Any premature wear on the slides may have been caused by poor design or improper installation.
- Smaller slides may have been used to avoid rubbing against the interior part of the cabinet.
- You will need to use smaller slides to avoid this issue.
Step 5.
- Once measured, if you are still uncertain about which size slide to purchase, then take the drawer to the store with you.
- Make sure to always replace the slides as a set.
- When just one side of the slides is replaced, it can cause the drawer to be unstable.
Buy New Drawer Slides & Drawer Boxes
If your drawer slides are worn out or you need new drawer boxes DC Drawers is your source for high quality drawer slides, and the best drawer boxes.
We offer the top brands of new and replacement drawer slides and custom made drawer boxes. In addition we offer in drawer power outlets and many other cabinet drawer convenience options. Read about how you can get cheap drawer boxes that are the finest quality at the best prices.
