Expert: Jamie Yocono - 6/26/2008

Question
Hello,

Over the weekend, I purchased a "value" class wooden file cabinet from a big-box office supply store.

Once I assembled it though, I found that the drawers only open to 1/2 their length, leaving the files in the back of the drawer trapped (unless you remove most of the files in the front).

The cabinet came with drawer glides that are 7 inches closed, or 14 inches fully extended (leaving the 14 inch drawer to open on 7 inches).

Now I know nothing (at all) about drawer glides, but would like to buy a set of full extension glides so I have full access to the entire length of the drawer, the problem is I don't know exactly what I'm looking at.

When I see "22" glide", is that 22 inches fully extended? (which in my mind would be perfect, 7 inches inside the cabinet leaving the drawer to open 15").  And how long will they be when they are closed? Will they fit the 7 inch length of the factory cut slots for the glides I'm trying to replace?  None of the hardware stores I've looked at online tell you how long they are when closed.

Thank you in advance for the help.  

Answer
Brad,

Welcome to my world! There are quite a few pieces of hardware out there that have never been invented, BUT - what you want is not going to be hard to find. Let me explain.

Drawer glides come in many different "colors", bottom mount, top mount, side mount, half extension, full extension, over travel, etc. You get the picture. LOTS o' choices.

The dimension that you see listed on the drawer glide, say - the 22" glide you mentioned, is it's closed length. That means it is 22" long, and will fit inside a 22" deep space. Depending on it's type, it will come out half way, three quarters, it's full length, or even more than it's length.

You wrote that your glide is 7" closed, which would mean your drawer is only 7" deep. That seems a little shallow to me. But then one sentence later, you mentioned that the drawer is 14" deep. That seems more reasonable. So I am going to assume that you have a 14" deep drawer, and are looking for 14" full extension glides, or even glides that have "over-travel" capabilities.

There is another important factor to consider when buying a drawer glide.  Most glides require that the drawer box be one inch smaller than the opening it's going into. That means if your drawer box (not the face, but the box itself) measures 16" wide, the opening should be one inch larger, or 17" wide. Each glide is nominally one half inch thick. So you'll need to do a little measuring to make sure that you have that one inch differential. I have seen some weird, imported furniture that uses off brand drawer glides, and sometimes, finding a replacement is hard. But the standard in the industry is a 1 inch differential; this is important.

OK, that said, it seems like you need 14" over travel glides. Here is a guide to various Accuride glides, this is a good brand: http://www.rockler.com/faq/faq_drawerslide-1.cfm

Here is an page for over-travel glides: http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=11183

Ouch, those are expensive!

Another company that might be helpful is Wan Dyke's Restorers, they sell hardware and materials for restoring furniture, and their stuff is geared toward retrofitting something that's already built. Their site is: http://www.vandykes.com/

My best suggestion is two-fold.  Rocker Woodworking is a big company, so if you live in a bigger city, there might be one in your town. They have drawer displays in their stores, where you can see how each glide is installed. So check to see if there's a store near you. If not, try calling them.

Next, if you have a nice cabinetmaker in your town, you might try giving them a call and see if they can help you out. I know I have probably a dozen or more different drawer glides in stock, all sizes, extensions, and colors. In fact, I believe I have a case of those glides in the size you want, but I could be wrong. Anyway, I occasionally get calls like this, it's not a big deal, so you should check in your town to find something local.

If you can't find anyone, write back and I'll try to help. I belong to the Furniture Society and have a member roster that lists people in each state. Write back with your city and state and I'll try to help find a cabinetmaker in your town.

OK, good luck with Rockler, I think you'll find what you want from their store. But if not, call around. Someone out there probably can help you.

Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
www.wooditis.com
Las Vegas, NV