A
drawer slide or drawer runner is the part of a drawer that allows it to move. There are various types of slide mechanisms with different features, for different uses, at different price points.
Uses Examples of uses are in home
furniture hardware, office appliances, and industrial equipment, including
kitchen cabinets,
oven slides, rails for
sliding doors, and fridge slides (for
coolers).
Performance metrics A good slide rail is defined by smoothness, tight tolerance and load capacity.
Types by slide mechanism ;Wooden slides: The drawer rests directly on the cabinet. ;Wheel drawer slide: A wheel drawer or roller runner slide (sometimes called a European-style slide) is a simple mechanism that can handle heavy loads. However, the drawer cannot be fully extended, except when removing it. ;Ball bearing slides: Ball bearing or steel ball slides have ball bearings to make drawers slide more smoothly. ;Telescoping ball bearing drawer slides: Telescopic channel slides allow for full extension of the drawer during normal use, and therefore better access to the space inside it. They are manufactured using a
roll forming machine, and consist of outer, middle and inner rails. They can be made with a soft-close mechanism. They are also called 3-section slides, as opposed to 2-section ball bearing slides which cannot be fully opened.
Types by mounting or placement ;Side-mounted slide: Most drawer slides are side-mounted, leaving them visible when the drawer is opened. Concealed slides are generally mounted on the underside of the drawer: ;Under-mounted slide: Also called bottom-mounted slides, they are mounted out by the sides on the bottom of the drawer, leaving them concealed when the drawer is opened. Under-mounted slides of the ball bearing type can include a soft-close mechanism. Due to its more complex form factor, under-mounted slides usually cost more than side-mounted slides. ;Center-mounted slide: Center-mounted slides are mounted near the bottom center of the drawer, and are therefore also usually concealed when the drawer is opened. They are often limited to lighter loads than other types of slides.
Soft close A soft-close mechanism is a special feature that slows the drawer's velocity in the last part of closing, then closes it automatically. The user gives the drawer a gentle push to engage the mechanism, and the drawer closes smoothly and quietly without the possibility of slamming.
Gallery Bottom mounting wheel drawer slide rails - 50 cm - B.jpg|Simple drawer slide with wheels instead of ball bearings Light Rail.jpg|Telescopic drawer slides with ball bearings Easy Rail.jpg|Roller bearing slides Compact Rail.jpg|Industrial profile rail guides ==See also==