Kitchen Style - Cabinets - Drawers

The drawers will likely be made of solid wood or MDF; have framed or flat slab fronts; and be held together with either dovetail, mortise-and-tenon, or butt joints. 


Your options for drawer slides include:

• Full extension
• Ball bearing
• Track and roller
• Wood

 Full-extension slides attach to the bottom or the sides of the drawer and provide full access to the drawer interior. Their ball-bearing system adds stability and strength. Stronger versions can be used to store heavier items, such as files or cookware.

Ball-bearing slides attach to the bottom of the drawer sides. Usually standard on high-end cabinets, they offer smooth, quiet operation. Their concealed runners mounted to the bottom of the drawer don’t get as dirty as those mounted on the side. They allow for a wider drawer box with a more usable interior space.

Track-and-roller slides attach to the drawer sides. Their epoxy-coated steel tracks and nylon rollers offer quiet operation but are less stable than ball-bearing ones.

Wooden slides work as slots in the drawer sides or bottoms and move the drawer along a wood runner. This option has fallen out of favor because the drawers tend to stick as the wood expands and contracts