Main types of drawer guides
The action of drawer guides is due to the movement of specially made metal guides using balls or rollers.
Ball guides, like roller guides, consist of two parts. One of them is attached to the box, the other to the side wall.
Depending on the type of movement, they are divided into two types: roller guides and ball guides.
Roller guides.
Ball guides.
Helpful information
Modern furniture cannot do without retractable mesh baskets and drawers. A sliding wardrobe, a kitchen set or a dressing room, the undeniable advantages of using pull-out baskets and drawers over conventional shelves have led to the fact that it is currently difficult to imagine a place in the house where they would not be used.
Ease of access
— pull-out mesh baskets and drawers make it easy to get things in the depths. For example, in the kitchen, to get a frying pan located deep in the unit, you just need to pull out the drawer and take it out. In the case of conventional shelves, you would first have to take out all the dishes on the shelf to free access to the necessary frying pan, and then put all the items taken out at the beginning back. Pull-out mesh baskets and drawers provide direct access to your belongings.
Use of all useful cabinet space -
Providing convenient and easy access to the contents, pull-out baskets allow you to rationally use the entire internal space of baskets and drawers, which is especially important for small wardrobes. Pull-out mesh baskets and drawers help keep your home tidy.
However, it is not possible to assemble a pull-out mesh basket or drawer without a pull-out guide. There are a huge number of varieties and modifications of retractable guides that differ in design, size, extension size, method of attachment to the retractable piece of furniture, their load-bearing capacity, and so on... Currently, the two most common types are: roller guide and ball guide.
Roller guides.
Simple installation, easy retraction and low price - these are the three main components of the popularity of roller guides. However, this type of guides also has a number of disadvantages: the drawer does not extend all the way, when opened, the guides make a lot of noise and can only withstand a small load.
Roller guides consist of two parts, one of which is rigidly mounted on the pull-out element, and the other on the cabinet frame. Extension occurs due to plastic rollers interspersed in special grooves. You can remove a drawer with roller guides by pulling it out as far as it will go, lifting it up a little, and then pulling it out further. There are no buttons or hidden mechanisms required to remove the drawer. Install the box in the reverse order.
Ball guides.
Ball guides belong to a higher class of extension system than roller guides. Among the undeniable advantages of ball guides are full extension of mesh baskets and drawers, the ability to withstand significant loads, almost twice that permissible for roller systems, silent and smooth extension, high reliability and long service life. The only disadvantages of this type of guides include their higher cost.
Full extension ball guides are more complex to manufacture and consist of three moving elements. They are delivered already assembled; for installation it is necessary to disassemble the guide by unfastening the half attached to the retractable element (using a special latch),
After installation in the product, both halves of the guide must be aligned with each other and the drawer must be pushed in until a click is heard. The extension occurs due to several rows of balls held in cages, interspersed in special grooves.
Taking a quick look at the differences between ball and roller guides, they essentially do the same thing; Allows you to open and close the drawer. However, the difference between them is obvious; roller guides are usually used in the “budget” ranges of furniture, due to their low cost. Ball guides, due to their more complex design and production technology, cannot compete with roller guides in price, but due to their higher consumer qualities they are widely in demand among consumers who value quality, comfort and reliability.
Ball guides
Ball systems allow the drawer to extend completely and can support heavy weights. Some designs can withstand about 60 kilograms. Ball guides can be installed in any plane.
There are many varieties of ball guides; they differ mainly in height, as well as in the degree of extension and the presence of a closer.
Compared to roller guides, ball guides have their advantages:
- Ability to regulate the system in 2 directions;
- Silent drawer movement;
- Duration of operation;
- Carrying out work under heavy load;
- Possibility of full extension.
Today, furniture is often equipped with roller and ball guides.
Despite all the positive aspects, such guides are more expensive than roller guides. But if there is a need to install guides in structures where heavy objects will be stored, then you should give preference to ball systems.
Ball guides have many different modifications, with different designs, sizes, fastening methods, and degrees of extension.
Which retractable mechanism to choose
When choosing a mechanism, you need to consider three things: budget, expected load, design. The choice depends only on the consumer. If you want furniture without handles, a reverse ball system is suitable. If you want to get a super economy, you should choose standard roller guides.
Types of furniture casters, their design features
If significant loads are planned, ball guides or hidden installation options are recommended (here it is also worth considering how much the bottom can withstand). Those who have an unlimited budget can choose tandem boxes. It is also worth considering the safety and depth of the structure. As already mentioned, reverse action guides are not recommended for children. And the depth determines how far the fittings can extend the drawer. If you take deep furniture, for example, 900 mm, it is better to give preference to full extension systems and tandem boxes. In terms of product quality, it is better to focus on the market leaders - Boyard, Blum, TBM, Hettich, Braun or Raumplus.
Reverse ball system suitable for furniture without handles
Standard roller guides are worth choosing for super-economy
For significant loads, ball guides are recommended
If the budget is not limited, choose tandem boxes
Roller guides
Drawer extension in this type of guides is only possible incompletely, but their cost is several times lower than that of ball-type ones. Roller guides create noise when opening the drawer; to eliminate this effect, rubber-coated rollers should be used.
Roller guides can withstand dynamic loads of up to 25 kg.
The load that the roller guides can withstand is 25 kg. When choosing roller guides, it is important to take into account their thickness: in order for them to serve for a long time, it should be from 1.2 mm.
Roller guides are partial extension guides.
Types of guides or how to make the right choice
As you know, one of the main types of furniture fittings are retractable systems or guides. They are widely used in kitchens, wardrobes, chests of drawers, bedside tables and other furniture.
Main types of guides:
• roller guides;
• sidewalls with roller guides or metaboxes;
• ball or telescopic guides;
• concealed mounting ball guides;
• tandemboxes
In addition, according to the method of extension, all guides are divided into partial and full extension systems. In the first case, the drawer extends to a limited distance, and in the second, the drawer extends along the entire length of the guides, which is undoubtedly much more convenient. Accordingly, full extension systems have a more complex design and are more expensive. To make the right choice, consider the advantages and disadvantages of these retractable systems.
Roller guides
- This is the most inexpensive type of retractable systems. The drawer is pulled out using rollers. The load-bearing part is attached to the side of the furniture, and the second part of the guides is attached with self-tapping screws to the bottom of the drawer. Roller guides for full and partial extension differ in price by about 4-5 times. To choose the right quality roller guides, you need to pay attention to the thickness of the metal. It should be noted that when installing drawers longer than 50 cm, it is better not to use this type of guides. This fitting is practically not suitable for large drawers. The bearing capacity of these guides is up to 10 kg. They are quite noisy in operation and are not durable.
Sidewalls with roller guides or metaboxes (metal boxes)
is a system with metal sidewalls on roller guides. The side of the box here is the supporting part of the metabox. The metabox roller system is much more reliable than the previous one; the rollers are made of especially durable plastic. The thickness of high-quality guides should be at least 1.0 mm. Load-bearing capacity of metaboxes is up to 20 kg. As an improved version of roller guides, metaboxes are successfully used in the manufacture of inexpensive furniture for kitchens and offices.
Ball guides (telescopic)
– this is the most reliable type of middle-class extension systems. In this case, the drawer is pulled out using steel ball bearings. They are virtually silent in operation and can withstand much greater loads than the most powerful roller systems. The bearing capacity of these guides is up to 40-60 kg. In cases where boxes are made to store heavy objects, only ball guides should be used. Although ball guides are about 2-3 times more expensive than roller guides, they are reliable, have an aesthetic appearance and are easier to install.
Concealed ball guides
is a modern take on ball guides in furniture. They are attached to the bottom of the box so they are not visible. For comfortable and silent closing, shock absorbers - closers - were developed. The built-in closer mechanism has a spring mechanism and oil shock absorbers, which allow the drawer to close smoothly and silently.
Tandemboxes
is a full extension system in which the bottom and back wall are made of chipboard, and the metal or glass sides have a tubular rail. This is a high-quality and modern hidden-mount sliding system with an automatic closer, thanks to which even heavily loaded tall drawers glide as if weightless. The load-bearing capacity of tandem boxes reaches 50 kg. The cost of tandemboxes is noticeably higher than metaboxes, but they can withstand a weight that is 2-3 times greater than the capabilities of metaboxes. And if they are equipped with an electric drive with sensors for touch or movement, you just need to touch the front of the drawer without any effort, and it will open silently and smoothly.
In all the variety of furniture fittings, choosing the best option for guides is not so difficult. If you need an economical option for furniture with small drawers, you can opt for roller guides. And if you want to protect yourself and your loved ones from frequent breakdowns and endless furniture repairs, choose ball guides of any type and design. If you want to equip your furniture with the latest technology, choose tandem boxes equipped with additional functions.
Types of guides: metaboxes and tandemboxes
Based on the two previous types of guides, more advanced drawers are produced.
These guide systems have appeared relatively recently.
- Metaboxes are boxes with roller systems and side walls with guides. The supporting components of this type of retractable system are attached to the walls of the furniture.
The main advantage is that the drawers are pulled out 3/4.Roller guides, presented as metaboxes, are stronger and more reliable than conventional systems. Metaboxes are distinguished by durable plastic rollers, as well as standard box sizes. They are made from thin and durable sheets of steel and, if necessary, painted in a color suitable for the furniture.
The top mounts provide additional security and eliminate any wobble. - Tandem boxes are made on the basis of ball retractable systems, they are based on chipboard, but the side parts are sometimes made of metal or glass.
Tandemboxes can withstand loads several times greater than metaboxes.The height of tandem boxes allows them to be used in furniture where high drawers are needed. The prices for tandem boxes are higher, but considering the quality, they are worth it.
The tandembox consists of two metal sides in which ball guides are hidden.
Tandemboxes
Just like metaboxes, they are metal sides of a box with a built-in retractable mechanism - but not a roller, but a ball. And the sidewalls themselves are not single-walled, but double-walled, inside the cavity of which a retraction mechanism is “hidden” with additional shock absorption for a smoother and quieter closing.
Tandemboxes are quite expensive. Manufacturers complement the series with various additional storage systems for this type of box, which allows you to improve functionality and select the internal content individually.
There are also various design solutions based on tandem boxes. For example, internal drawers, corner drawers, drawers with a recess for a sink.
Also, tandem boxes in kitchens are compatible with electric drives and push-opening systems.
Selection of guides
To choose a guide system that will serve for a long time, you first need to pay attention to the thickness of the metal. Especially if these are roller guides.
Roller guides are the simplest guides in terms of design and installation.
This parameter determines how much and how the fittings will work. The ideal thickness is 1-1.2 mm. Having decided to buy a smaller option, there is no guarantee that the drawers will last for a long period.
The roller guides are coated with durable epoxy enamel.
The choice of fittings also involves a preliminary inspection of the product: it is important that the guides are smooth and free of defects.
Be sure to check the rollers or balls, they must function properly.
Main types of retractable fittings
Fittings for drawers come in several varieties:
- mechanisms based on the movement of rollers along guides. The most common type of retractable fittings. It is inexpensive and easy to install. The disadvantages are the presence of strong noise when the mechanism operates, the fragility of the design and the ability to open the box to 2/3 of its capacity;
Roller fittings for drawers
- ball guides: telescopic fittings. It is characterized by smoother movement compared to rollers, the ability to take on a high degree of load, and durability;
Ball guides for retractable fittings
- metal-box structures – retractable furniture fittings: guides move due to rollers. The main difference is the presence of additional metal side walls, which increase the load on the mechanism. Boxes equipped with metal box fittings can be loaded up to 30 kg. At the customer's request, retractable mechanisms of this design can be equipped with closers;
Retractable metal box design
- tandem mechanisms. They are a complete box made to individual specifications. Guides and reinforcing devices are located on the side and bottom of the drawer. Due to the large number of guides and supporting elements, this design works easily and smoothly. It is durable. The box can be supplemented with a closer or an electric drive. The main disadvantage is the high cost of the design;
Tandem box
The latest type of retractable fittings are cargo systems. The mechanism is a drawer of a certain shape, which is attached directly to existing furniture. The mechanisms are used mainly in the kitchen.
The cargo system is usually used in the kitchen
It is necessary to select a retractable mechanism based on the expected load, durability and the need for the scale of opening the drawer.
Installation of roller guides for drawers
- Installation should begin by attaching two guides to the bottom of the drawer. At this time, the roller is located at the back wall of the drawer, the second end of the strip should rest against the front.
Boxes on which the guides will be installed.
Attaching the guide to the side surface of the drawer. - The plank is attached to the bottom of the box with self-tapping screws; it should not be attached to the sides, because the second roller moves along the side. You should pay attention to the screw caps. They should be below the surface of the bar so as not to interfere with the movement of the box.
Drawer with installed guides.
Marking guides on the walls of the facade. - It is necessary to attach the second pair of guides to the furniture body by making preliminary marks with a pencil. When the location for the guide is marked, it is applied to the mark and secured using self-tapping screws.
We repeat this manipulation for all three pairs of guides.
Assembling the box with installed guides.
We install the drawers themselves inside the box and get a finished piece of furniture.
Drawer Guides: Benefits of Different Types of Guides
Drawers are widespread in modern furniture. They are used in kitchen sets, chests of drawers, cabinets and shelving systems. To pull out drawers, various types of guides are used: roller, ball, hidden-mounted guides. You can also mention the keyboard guides used in computer desks.
Roller guides These are the simplest guides in terms of design. Their main advantages are low price and ease of installation. Such guides ensure partial drawer extension, which is quite sufficient for cabinets and chests of drawers. The fittings industry produces roller guides with lengths from 250 to 800 mm. Withstand load – up to 25 kg. However, despite their apparent simplicity, they should not be discounted. For example, VEKTOR RS roller guides from PULSE show good quality and a high level of durability. The guides are powder coated to ensure resistance to moisture and cleaning agents. The guides of this series are available in two colors: white and gray, load up to 10 kg per drawer. The design of the roller allows for smooth movement of both a loaded box and a box without a load. Interesting features are the rolling effect at the end of closing and the locking of the drawer in the closed state.
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Ball guides The name of these guides comes from the principle of their movement: they use metal balls like those used in bearings. The use of such a mechanism ensures easy, silent sliding and smooth movement of the drawers even under significant loads. Ball guides can withstand loads of up to 50 kg. A wide range of guides of various lengths is available: from 250 to 700 mm. There are significantly more options for ball guides than roller guides. Ball guides can be full or partial extension, with or without soft closing, as well as with push-pull opening, which allows you to install drawers without handles, so popular in modern kitchens. When calculating the width of the drawer, you must subtract 25 mm from the internal width of the case.
Concealed mounting guides Concealed mounting implies the absence of visible fittings on the sides of the drawer - the guides are attached to the bottom of the drawer. Concealed mounting guides are available in a wide range of sizes from 270 to 750 mm in length. Load – up to 70 kg. Opening/closing options – push-pull and soft-closing. Of course, such guides cannot be called budgetary, but in some cases there is no alternative to them. In the same class we can highlight special guides DYNAMOOV and DYNAPRO for pull-out shelves. Thanks to the hidden installation method, such guides are widely used when installing various pull-out shelves in cabinets and dressing rooms. This type of guides fits perfectly with KIMANA hinges and mechanisms for opening the facade downwards, since there is no attachment to the side walls and fastening to the facade does not interfere with the extension of the shelf.
Keyboard guides A small but in some cases irreplaceable group of guides. Used in computer desks for attaching pull-out shelves for keyboards. The guides have three adjustment positions, which allows you to install them at different heights.
See also: Ball guides Roller guides Closer guides Full extension slides Concealed mounting guides
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Drawer parameters and extension mechanism
Boxes made of laminated chipboard
This, in my opinion, is not a kitchen option at all; it is more suitable for chests of drawers. But in budget kitchen models it can occur. These drawers are mounted on roller guides.
Roller guide kit for drawer
This is the simplest and most reliable type of guides. Slight movement of the box is accompanied by significant noise. The drawer can be pulled out to approximately ¾ depth. The mounting of the guides is such that it leaves approximately a 15 mm gap on each side. The extension system is not designed for loads exceeding 20 kg. I do not recommend using this type of guides for drawer widths greater than 60 cm. The product lines of all furniture fittings manufacturers have roller guides of different lengths (for drawers of different depths). They're not expensive. Therefore, it is necessary to install only proven products from BLUM, Hettich, Bayard. Various Chinese no-name products may not withstand the load of a heavy box.
Drawers with built-in roller guides
BLUM has become a leader in the development of such retractable systems. The quality of fittings from this brand is highly valued by furniture manufacturers. (See here) Therefore, the name of the Metabox (BLUM) system has become a household name among professional furniture makers. This is a mechanism for a drawer, consisting of two metal side walls of the drawer (drawers) into which a guide roller and a pair of strikers are integrated. The height of the metal drawer can be different, from 54 to 150 mm. The length is also different, allowing you to assemble boxes with a depth of 270 to 550 mm. Color white or grey. The bottom, back and front walls of the drawer are made separately, according to the size of the kitchen, from chipboard or MDF.
Metabox retractable system kit (BLUM)
The Metabox system uses MOVENTO (BLUM) roller guides Additionally, a closer can be installed to smoothly close the drawer.
This is an excellent set of fittings for assembling drawers in an economy class kitchen.
Metabox drawer system (BLUM)
The result is a spacious, lightweight and durable drawer with a reliable drawer system. There is a system for adjusting the position of the facade. The box can be easily removed and put back in place. In this case, spontaneous loss is excluded. The hardware manufacturer Hettich has a similar drawer drawer system called Multitech, but it is less common on the domestic market. An important point is that the Metabox system is not recommended for installation on drawers wider than 60 cm. If the company from which you order a kitchen agrees to install Metabox in a drawer 90 cm wide, it does not value its reputation too much. This is something to think about.
Wooden drawers with ball guides
This is the filling of luxury kitchens. Drawer made of solid oak or beech, of any width with smooth and silent movement on invisible guides.
Wooden box on invisible ball guides
Ball or telescopic guides operate on the principle of a ball bearing extended in one line. They can withstand significant loads, provide a smooth ride, and reliable fixation. The design of these guides is more complex than roller guides, and their cost is higher. But roller guides are also used for the production of expensive kitchens.
Ball guides for attaching to the side of the drawer
Ball guides are always equipped with closers and a smooth running system. When the box width is more than 600 mm, it is recommended to install a synchronizer; when the box width is more than 900 mm, a side stabilizer is installed. This eliminates distortions and uneven load distribution. Depending on the design, furniture roller guides are designed for a load of 30 to 50 kg. The guides can be located on the sides of the box, or under its bottom, that is, they can be completely invisible. Mortise guides allow you to reduce the side gap to 6 mm. The drawer mechanism for high-end kitchens is often made of chrome-plated or anodized steel. Ball guides can be used for wooden boxes of almost any width.
Wooden Kitchen Drawers with Motorized Ball Slide System
To pull out such wide drawers, three guides are used, attached to the bottom of the drawer together with a synchronization device.
Drawers with built-in ball guides
Drawer width 1200 mm
BLUM proposed integrating ball guides into double-layer metal drawer side walls. This system is called Tandembox and is widely used for assembling large boxes.
Full extension Tandembox system drawer (BLUM)
The guides are located inside the side drawers made of aluminum, steel or stainless steel. The thickness of the side wall has become significant, and the volume of the box has decreased. The depth of the drawers is from 270 to 650 mm. Load up to 50 kg. The width of the box can be up to 1200 mm. Full extension. Built-in soft opening and closing system, that is, a closer becomes mandatory. As an option there is an electric drive and a push-less opening system (no handles).
InnoTech system drawer (Hettich)
Hettich has launched a similar InnoTech drawer system on the market. It successfully competes with Tandembox due to its more aesthetic appearance and lower price. The side walls have variable thickness, they are thicker at the bottom, and there are guides there. Not everyone likes the somewhat unusual internal geometry of the drawers, but in general, the volume of the drawer has decreased slightly.
Drawer width over 1200 mm
For such super-boxes from 1200 to 1400 mm, the LEGRABOX (BLUM) drawer system is used. Full extension, smooth running and soft closing. Opening by pressing. Load up to 70 kg. The peculiarity of this system is that the height of the drawer is small, only about 30 mm. Therefore, the side of the box can be made of almost any decorative material - wood, glass, mesh, leather. Nothing limits the designer's imagination. However, there is some bad news: such a box cannot be assembled without special equipment. Chipboard parts and facades have complex milling. The accuracy of their manufacture can be ensured on special machines. Therefore, LEGRABOX is produced only in large furniture factories.
Cabinet filling - drawers of the LEGRABOX (BLUM) system with glass inserts
