self-closing drawer slides

[Cooler]

Situation:

The builder-type kitchen cabinets that came with my house feature particle board drawer boxes.  I have made new boxes from hardwood using through dovetails.  

The problem is that the drawer slides that came with the cabinets keep falling off the track.  I want to buy full extension-self closing drawer slides.

The cabinets are already installed and I am not inclined to remove them for this upgrade.  

There are two 4-drawer cabinets (18" wide), with face frames.  The access is very tight, especially on the two top drawers which are smaller.

Question:

Which brand would you recommend?  What attachment method?  What vendor?  Amazon seems to carry all the major brands.  The "Liberty" brand seems to be the most cost-effective.  I've never heard of them.

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_...wer+slides



Do you think the full extension is worth the extra money?  The current slides are not full extension.

[Hank Knight]

Blum under-mount slides (Blumotion) are excellent, full extension, self closing drawer slides. They don't require side clearance like side-mount slides; but, because of the clearance they require below the drawer, they decrease the depth of there drawer by about 1/2". They have some built-in adjustability so they give you a little bit of wiggle room.

[jteneyck]

KV side mounted, self closing slides are very nice.  I get them from   Woodworkers Hardware.     And yes, full extension are the way to go.  I think you can get the KV ones with over extension even, and I would do that at least for the top drawers because of the overhanging countertop.    

John

[Cooler]

I'm going to try a set of KV full extension soft close slides.  

The cost difference from 18" to 20" is pennies.  How do I measure?  Is it the length of the drawer box?  Obviously the base cabinets are standard depth.

Do I side mount or is it easier to get the rear mounting hardware for the cabinets?

[jteneyck]

Cooler, go to the page with the slides, then click on the "Installation" tab, then download the  PDF file which has the dimensions and installation instructions.  But yes, you buy a 20" slide for a nominal 20" long drawer. 

Commercial cabinet makers seem to mostly use the rear bracket option, but the cabinet has to be designed for them to mount and they steal depth, so I almost always side mount them.  How were your old ones mounted?  If they were side mounted and were 1/2" thick like most side mounted slides you maybe able to screw the KV's to the same blocking as the old ones.  It could be the same situation if they were rear mounted.  If what's there won't work, or there is nothing there, then you will have to add blocking on the inside of the cabinet flush with the inside edge of the faceframe stiles.  I add a strip of wood as close to the back of the faceframe as possible and another someplace after the midpoint of the slide, making sure they are located where there are screw holes in the slides.  Make those strips sit on the bottom of the cabinet and as high as needed to reach the top slide.  A couple of screws into the cabinet sides is all it takes to hold them in place.  When in doubt, follow the instructions!

John

[Cooler]

Cooler, go to the page with the slides, then click on the "Installation" tab, then download the  PDF file which has the dimensions and installation instructions.  But yes, you buy a 20" slide for a nominal 20" long drawer. 

[...]  How were your old ones mounted?  [...]

John

That, of course  is the problem.  The cabinet maker or installer only mounted on the face frame.  The rear floats around and that is why they jump out of the track.

I could fabricate some sort of blocks to mount to the sides of the cabinet.  It is going to be a very tight fit for my arms.  If I put that much work into each of the drawers I would want to see some functional improvement. 

The slides that were used have no identification marks so they are "No-name" cabinets.

[jteneyck]

OK, it might not have to be that hard.  Maybe you could pre mount the slides on the two pieces of wood that need to go into each side.  I've done that just to keep the weight down for transit.  Then remove the screws from the front piece of wood and install that in the cabinet.  You should be able to fold the lower slides down along the piece of wood that will be towards the back of the cabinet and insert the whole arrangement through one of the drawer openings.  If so, you'll be able to swing the slides up to their horizontal position and install the screws to the previously drilled holes.   Worst case, I think, you might have to remove the lower drawer slide in order to get the rest into the cabinet, then reinstall it.  

John

[Cooler]

I understand what you are saying (I had to read it three times to be sure).  I will look in the cabinet when I get home and see if it is feasible.  

The worst case I could assemble the slides and take them apart and then set in the uprights.  Then the placement and the screw holes will be easy to locate.

Thanks.

Cooler

[Roly]

They also have brackets that slip on the back end of the slide to be able to attach to the cabinet back.   The better quality slides all have brackets available for this.       Roly

[Cooler]

They also have brackets that slip on the back end of the slide to be able to attach to the cabinet back.   The better quality slides all have brackets available for this.       Roly

I bought a couple to see if they would fit the existing slides, but no luck.  These are "no-name" slides, painted white on cheaply made boxes (but with nice doors and frames).

Only the drawers are giving me trouble and since I have a dovetail jig replacing the drawer boxes is not a problem.  So my big expense will be the replacement slides.  

I think I have either 10 or 11 total to replace.  If I were doing new cabinets I would definitely do almost all drawers for the base cabinets.  The shelves are not very efficient unless you add pull outs (I did), but it would be easier to just start with drawers.