Drawer slides are commonly found in cabinets, chests of drawers and other types of furniture. If a piece of furniture has one or more drawers, it will have at least one slide. A drawer slide is a component that allows a drawer to move into and out of the furniture in which it’s installed. Each drawer is secured to a pair of slides. When you pull open a drawer, it will glide along these slides. While all drawer slides use this method of operation, however, they are available in several different types.
Center-Mounted Drawer Slides
Center-mounted drawer slides are characterized by the way in which they are mounted. They are mounted directly below in the center of drawers. If you remove a drawer from the piece of furniture in which it’s installed, you’ll find the center-mounted drawer slides in the center below it. They are known as “center-mounted drawer slides” because they are mounted in the center of drawers.
Under-Mounted Drawer Slides
Along with center-mounted drawer slides, there are under-mounted drawer slides. Under-mounted drawer slides are found on the sides. Like center-mounted drawer slides, they are found below the respective drawers with which they are used. The difference is that center-mounted drawer slides are located in the center of the drawers, whereas under-mounted drawer slides are located on the sides. Both types are mounted below the drawers, but only under-mounted drawer slides are found on the sides.
Ball Bearing Drawer Slides
One of the most common types of drawer slides is ball bearing. As the name suggests, ball bearing drawer slides are defined by their use of ball bearings. They contain small metal balls within the rails that reduce friction and, therefore, allowing drawers to open and close more easily. Ball-bearing drawer slides can feature one-way or two-way travel. Regardless, they all have ball bearings within the rails.
It’s important to note that ball bearing drawer slides can be classified as either center mounted or under mounted, depending on their intended usage. Center-mounted ball bearing drawer slides are designed for use in the center of the drawers. Under-mounted drawer slides, conversely, are designed for use on the sides of the drawers.
There are many different types of drawer slides. Three of the most common types include center mounted, under mounted and ball bearing. If you’re looking to buy new drawer slides, you need to choose the right type. Some applications require center-mounted drawer slides, whereas others require under-mounted drawer slides, both of which can be found in ball bearing styles.