Gone are the days when drawers in desks and cabinets slid on wooden slats. They were replaced by better and more convenient metal guides equipped with rollers and balls. Full extension ball guides are in greatest demand among consumers. Another name for them is telescopic guides.
Ball guides are used when assembling furniture to carry out the operation of drawers.
They have some undeniable advantages, which include:
- affordable price;
- smooth ride;
- high strength;
- wear resistance;
- ease of installation.
Full extension ball slides are used in both chests of drawers and cabinets kitchen furniture, as well as in other retractable structures.
Calculated box dimensions
For correct installation Full extension ball slides have some requirements to meet. This is especially true for those home craftsmen who make pieces of furniture with their own hands.
The furniture requirements are:
- Retractable structures without taking into account the facade should have a width of 26 mm less than the width of the place where they will be inserted. There should be a gap of 13 mm on each side to install the guides.
- The length of the drawer must match the length of the extension devices, which can range from 25 to 80 cm. Intermediate dimensions are in increments of 5 cm. The entire structure does not reach the back wall of the cabinet by 1 cm.
- The height of the retractable containers depends on the wishes of the owners and is not regulated by anything. Usually it ranges from 80 to 250 mm, but the dimensions can vary significantly upward.
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Installation of guides
In order to install these devices, you need to pull out their inner part, pressing the black antennae. The resulting halves are attached to the outer side of the drawer and to the inner surface of the cabinet.
This is done like this:
- First you need to decide on the mounting location. A fastening line is marked on the outside of the side wall of the drawer. It can run through the center or be located in its lower part. Half of the ball structure is attached to this line using screws.
- A similar line is marked on the inner surface of the cabinet wall. Its location depends on the height of the box. The remaining halves of the devices are screwed into place. The box is put into place, and its free movement in the direction of extension and closing is checked.
There are quite a few holes on the halves of the structure. Each of them has its own purpose. The oblong horizontal holes serve to move the guides horizontally when adjusting them. Oblong vertical ones - for moving the bar up and down. After final adjustment, screws or self-tapping screws are screwed into round holes for securely fastening ball guide elements.
In practice, they usually do the following:
- The lower guides are installed at a distance of 30 mm from the bottom of the cabinet.
- The location of the remaining parts depends on the size of the drawer fronts. During operation they should not touch each other. To do this, the distance between the guides installed on the cabinet wall is made 2-3 mm greater than the height of the facade of the retractable structure.
- The guide parts are screwed strictly along the intended line.
- After temporarily securing the parts through the oblong holes, you need to try to insert the box into its place. If all previous operations were performed correctly, you will hear a slight click when the latch engages. This is an indication that the guides can be permanently secured through the round holes. If there is no click, then adjustment is needed by slightly moving the parts up and down and back and forth. Before making adjustments, slightly loosen the mounting screws.
DB4461 is a modern model of ball drawer guides, equipped with a soft-closing mechanism and a soft-close mechanism. The mechanism allows you to fully extend the drawer and gain access to all its contents. Smooth closing is carried out by an oil closer. The mechanism is guaranteed to withstand 50 thousand closings and openings. The device is designed for 25 kg weight. It works completely silently. There are other models of similar products.
When assembling factory-made furniture, the question of installing guides on drawers does not arise at all. Markings for correct installation are usually made (and very accurately), and installation instructions are included. We take into account that all the fittings are available and you do not have to select any elements for fastening. But when repairing furniture or during its production, you have to independently calculate the position of the guides for retractable furniture elements.
Ball guides
When choosing guides, preference is increasingly given to the ball version. And this is not without reason: ball runners are superior to all other guide designs in many respects. They provide easy drawer extension, are quite easy to attach and adjust, and are able to fix the drawer in its normal position.
Buying them in a retail chain is no longer a problem, so all that remains is to learn how to properly attach them to furniture. To ensure this process you will need:
- guides;
- screws;
- screwdriver;
- ruler;
- pencil;
- awl.
Item quality
When purchasing, pay attention to its length (it must be at least 70% of the length of the drawers) and completeness. It is better to immediately purchase the structure together with screws, so as not to get additional problems. Check the ease of movement of parts of the structure in the store.
Ball options consist of two parts. To disconnect them (and this is necessary for fastening), press the rubber lock and simply pull out inner part guide. It will be directly attached to the retractable element.
Features of fastening to the box
There are two options for attaching devices to boxes: along the lower edge of the side wall of the box or in their central part. Fastening guides along the central axis of drawers is recommended if the size of the drawers themselves is large enough. In this case, the load on the structures will be less, which will ensure their durability. This makes it easier to mount devices, but more difficult to accurately adjust them. To simplify things, take an additional tool called a level.
Only repeated measurements will help you do everything efficiently. In this case, you also cannot do without a building level. In other cases, ball guides should be attached along the bottom edge. And here, too, there may be several installation options: flush with the front panel of the drawer or with a slight indentation in depth. It is easier to secure the ball structure using the first option. So there will be no need to do additional markings, and there will be no need to carry out calculations. Facade panel the box needs to be disconnected.
Take the guide in your hands and route it to the side panel. Make holes at the fastening points with an awl. This will make it easier for you to drive the screws strictly perpendicular to the panels. The caps will not stick out and interfere with work. The ball structure can be permanently attached directly to the boxes. But it is not recommended to do this on the side panels of the cabinet.
Marking and adjustment
Please note that ball guides have both horizontal and vertical holes. They are designed to adjust the position. Regular round holes are required for final fixation. To attach the structure to the side panel of the cabinet, it is necessary to make careful markings. Step back about 3 mm from the bottom panel of the cabinet and draw a horizontal line at this height with a pencil. Place the guide along this line (the line should be strictly under the guide) and screw (not all the way) the screws into all oblong-shaped holes.
Now you can check their installation using a drawer: we combine the parts of the guide and check the movement. If everything is done correctly, the box should move easily. When the drawer is completely closed, both latches should engage. If all this is missing, then the ball devices need to be adjusted. Loosen the screws slightly and ensure that all imperfections are eliminated. And only after this should all the screws be screwed all the way. On last stage fasten the fixing screws. All that remains is to install the panel strip on the drawer and secure it with screws.
At first, the latches will work too hard: it will be possible to open the drawer only with great force.
You shouldn’t be afraid of this: over time, the clamps will be developed, and everything will become much simpler. If this does not suit you, then you can install ball guides without clamps.
Ball structures without clamps are also not difficult to purchase. Well, if you couldn’t find such ones, then the clamps themselves can be easily removed from regular guides.
It is much more difficult to install ball devices on drawers that were previously mounted with rollers. The fact is that roller guides are usually a little wider, so installing other types may seem like an insoluble problem. In reality, everything is not so complicated: it is enough to place a strong rail under the guide on each side to level out the difference in thickness.
If the retractable elements are located on top of each other, then you will not be able to do without calculations. There are even certain calculation formulas that express the relationship between the size of the drawers and the place where the guide needs to be installed. It's easier to just get one technological map, where all calculations will already be made.
Optimal method
An interesting method of marking, which completely eliminates all installation shortcomings, is recommended by craftsmen. First, they advise screwing the guides to the sliding elements and connecting both parts. The Euroscrews on which the furniture body is mounted must be loosened to allow the side panels to move to the side.
A layer of any coloring substance is applied to the outer part of the guide (the part that should be adjacent to the side panel of the case). The drawer is carefully installed in the required position. It is recommended to place a sheet of cardboard under it to provide the necessary gap between the bottom of the box and the bottom panel of the case. After this, the screws are tightened until they stop. Coloring matter will give an accurate imprint on the surface.
It is at this point that the ball guide should be screwed to the side panels. The method is simple to the point of genius: it will no longer be possible to place a more precise guide. The only drawback is that the furniture body will have to be partially dismantled.
The back panel will definitely have to be separated, as it will prevent the side panels from moving freely. Is it worth doing this to install the guide? The method, although accurate, is not the fastest.
Hello dear friends.
Today we will talk about how the guides are mounted on the side parts of the boxes.
For all the apparent simplicity of this moment, there is small nuances, which we will consider.
It would seem that what could be difficult about this?
I screwed one part of this fitting onto the side of the box (according to a pre-calculated additive map), and the other part onto the drawer. The main thing is not to confuse what to screw where.
But with this approach, it often turns out that in an assembled box, for example, quite noticeable gaps appear somewhere between the box itself and the facades. On this occasion, a nervous correction of the situation begins...
The facades are removed, then fixed in a new way, and... the gaps “pop out” in another place.
I am writing this because the developers have provided the ability to adjust these guides in two planes. In fact, they are quite universal in terms of their adjustment.
After all, no matter how correctly you calculate a box with drawers, no matter how carefully you assemble it, in the end you will never get an ideal design. Something somewhere is “cosonet”. And this needs to be understood.
This is why, in addition to all our efforts to control the box itself and the drawers for their geometry, sometimes we also have to do the guides themselves.
So, how to install them correctly, and, if necessary, adjust them?
When the axis on the drawer is determined, you need to fix the guide runner so that its front edge is almost “flush” with the front part of the drawer (but does not protrude forward, since in this case a gap is formed between the front and the drawer).
For these purposes (upward or forward adjustments), there are oblong holes on the runner itself.
So, let's align it along the axis (make sure that the line drawn with a pencil passes through the center of all the holes of the runner itself).
Then, we put an awl in the hole, stretched along the length of the runner from its front part.
By screwing a self-tapping screw into this place, we are able to adjust it back and forth.
Thus, we select the position we need (as mentioned above - flush with the front edge of the box).
We attach its back part to the hole, which is extended up and down. This is done so that if there is a need to adjust the box itself in height, we will do the following:
- Unscrew the screw from the front adjustment hole (back and forth), from where we screwed it in first
- Screw this self-tapping screw into the hole (up and down), also located in the front part of the runner.
Thus, it turns out that the runner will be attached to the box through two adjustment holes (up and down) in front and behind.
It’s the same story with the installation and adjustment of the part of the guide that is attached to the side of the box itself.
When the box with the drawers and fronts installed in it is finally aligned and adjusted, then we pull out all the drawers and screw the screws into the mounting holes (regular, round) of all the guides on the drawers, and all the guides inside the box.
The rear part contains, in addition to adjustable holes (back and forth), special horizontal and vertical grooves into which self-tapping screws are screwed to adjust it.
Only at this stage is the box with drawers finally assembled.
So, install correctly, using all possibilities to adjust them.
How much does it cost to assemble a chest of drawers? Hours to complete the work? Assembling a product without diagrams? Is it required to be mounted to a wall for safety?
He will also give advice on your problem. Repair of chest of drawers elements. How to adjust facades. What to do if boxes are knocking. Wear and replacement of guides in the chest of drawers. How to remove a drawer from a chest of drawers? Installing additional fasteners in the bottom of the box. Why do you need to level the chest of drawers?
We have extensive experience in creating finished products, there is knowledge technical characteristics parts and accessories, we use in assembly specialized tool, and all this is high-quality execution of your order in the shortest possible time.
Each furniture manufacturer is required to provide an assembly diagram for their products, and the product must be assembled strictly according to their recommendations. But such instructions are not always clear to the average buyer.
Should I assemble the chest of drawers myself? Absence the right tool, plus a number of other problems - and assembling the chest of drawers turns into an action where there is no room positive emotions. And the final result meets the requirements?
Why are we better than other similar companies? The fact that our organization has existed for more than ten years, professional assemblers have over 15 years of experience! We do not give orders to third parties! They won’t come to you - “two from a casket, identical in appearance”))). For those who are knowledgeable, you can check the history of the site on specialized Internet resources.
Probably, in every apartment interior there is such a piece of furniture as a chest of drawers. Model range their varied fantasies and technical solutions. This product is designed for storing small-sized human belongings and is usually located in the bedroom or nursery. Assembling a children's chest of drawers is, first of all, about the safety and reliability of the connections. The stability of the case is given by additional fastening to the wall of the room.
For example, transforming chests of drawers are equipped not only with storage elements - drawers for linen, but also on the top cover there can be a folding changing table for babies, doors and other related devices can be installed. Convenient to use all modern technological solutions, which create compactness and order in the house.
A designer chest of drawers is individual project furniture made to order. Unusuality appearance can be combined with mechanical components for drawers and doors. Assembling a combined designer chest of drawers is a rather complicated process.
Cost of assembling a chest of drawers
Our master will assemble the chest of drawers at a time convenient for you. Place an order on the website or call. The performer himself will communicate with you directly. A professional furniture assembler will answer all questions about this service. 2018-12-05T15:20:29+00:00 , Furniture Service Masters
Roller guides the simplest guides in terms of design and installation. The average price is 50-100 rubles. for a couple. The roller guides look like the photo below, you've probably seen them more than once.
The roller guides are covered with durable epoxy enamel; guides are available in different colors, the most common guides being cream. You can find roller guides for drawers with a depth of 250 to 800 mm, that is, for almost all cases.
Roller guides can withstand dynamic loads of up to 25 kg; you are unlikely to store anything heavier in a chest of drawers or in a drawer in a closet. The disadvantages of roller guides are the noise with which they extend and close; the extension is partial. But low price eliminates these shortcomings.
According to the installation diagram, the gap between the outer part of the side wall of the box and the side wall of the product body should be 12.5 mm or 25 mm on both sides, usually 26 mm is taken in calculations. This means that the width of the box should be 25-26 mm less than the internal space of the cabinet.
Ball guides
Ball guides, or as they are called telescopic guides, are able to withstand heavy loads and have a smooth ride. The cost of guides is 300-400 rubles. for a couple. There are options with and without closers.
Ball guides, like roller guides, consist of two parts. One of them is attached to the box, the other to the side wall.
In order to separate them, you need to press the lock, as shown in the photo.
It is possible, of course, to install without disconnecting, but this torture is even worse, I had a chance to try it from my own experience. As a result, a negative idea may be formed about ball guides and the complexity of their installation. It's actually simple.
Installation of ball guides element by element is produced on the side walls of the cabinet and the side of the drawer.
The most commonly used ball guides are 45 mm high, size range guides from 250 to 700 mm, can withstand loads of up to 36 kg, which is more than.
Calculation of a box on ball guides similar to the calculation of roller guides, the width dimensions of the box are determined as the size of the internal space minus 26 mm (12.7 mm + 12.7 mm).
Metaboxes
Metaboxes– extension system based on roller guides. The material of the metaboxes is 1.2 mm thick steel, coated with high-strength enamel. Price 300-400 rub. per pair, produced by "Blum" in the region of 600-700 rubles.
Tandems
Tandem hidden guide technology ensures smooth movement even for heavily loaded drawers. The drawer can be easily removed from the guides without tools.
Tandem- this is a smooth move and full or partial extension. Drawers can be either with or without a built-in closer. The tandem can be equipped with Tip-on (opening system by pressing the facade). The cost of guides is 1000 -1500 rubles. for a couple.
On drawer guides In tandem you can make a drawer for the sink. Since the sink has a convex part, which is located inside the body, the standard, that is, straight drawer design is not suitable here. The convex part or bottom of the sink will prevent the drawer from closing. In this case, the bottom of the box is made with a cutout, and the walls of the box made of chipboard are attached along the cutout. This entire structure is installed on Tandem guides.
Application Tandem guides assumes the use of 16 mm thick chipboard, although solutions with using chipboard 18 mm thick.
The most expensive segment of the drawer slide market. The sides of the box (drawer side) are made of thin-walled steel, unlike tandems, where the box body is made of chipboard.
The kit includes fastenings to the front and fastenings to the back wall of the drawer. Detailing includes a chipboard bottom and back wall, similar to a metabox. The guides are similar to tandems, have a smooth closing, with closers.
Tandemboxes can be equipped with an opening system that does not require installing a handle on the facade; it is enough to simply press the facade with your hand.
Tandemboxes of various heights and variety of assortment significantly exceed metaboxes. Let's look at an example tandemboxes Blum.
Height N, drawer drawer height 68 mm, lowest drawer
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Height M, drawer drawer height 83 mm
Height C, drawer drawer height 115 mm
Used for high facades, back wall increased, a railing was also added. The minimum height of the internal space for a drawer is 191 mm.
Height also D, drawer drawer height 83 mm
Used for high fronts, the back wall is also enlarged, but instead of two railings, the Railing with Boxside is an overlay on the drawer side. The minimum height of the internal space for a drawer is 224 mm. The solution is mainly for kitchen drawers, not for wardrobes.
Two triple tubular holders and railing tubes allow you to make a special box on tandembox guides in a sink cabinet. Thanks to the cutout in the bottom, the drawer allows you to bypass the sink protruding into the body of the cabinet.
One more thing interesting solution from Blum is the use of tandembox guides for corner cabinets, which is called Space Corner.
The fittings set includes a number of specific elements that are not found in other guides and, frankly speaking, this fittings are not cheap. Space corner allows you to effectively use the corner space in the kitchen, and the use of ORGA line dividers further structures the storage space.
In the beginning Legrabox boxes positioned as elite products that were inaccessible to mere mortal furniture makers. The point here was not at all in the price, and the price, by the way, is the highest in comparison with other extension systems, but in the complexity and accuracy of manufacturing the remaining parts from chipboard, the accuracy of milling the bottom of the drawer, the accuracy of drilling the side walls of the case and facades. Therefore, Legrabox boxes were offered furniture companies who produce high-end furniture.
Installation, calculation and installation of guides for drawers
It’s not enough to know what drawer guides there are, but the question arises: how to calculate and install guides.
On the Internet there are large number methods and approaches in the calculation and installation of guides. I use a simple program from Blum called DYNALOG with a clear interface; for design we use the DYNAPLAN module.
The program allows calculate both roller guides and metaboxes, Tandemboxes and tandems. As a result, we will receive a list of parts with dimensions, necessary fittings, drilling drawings for the side wall and facades. Special furniture programs expensive, there is no point in mastering them, much less buying them, if you want to make products for your home yourself.
As an example of a basic product, I will give a cabinet 616 mm high, 600 mm wide, 500 mm deep with overhead facades 200 mm high, chipboard drawers 150 mm high, gaps between the facades 4 mm.
If we want to calculate installing drawers in a closet, then keep in mind that with a cabinet depth of 600 mm and an internal partition of 500 mm, we carry out the calculation for inset facades, the facades will be inside between the side wall and the partition, as well as between the horizontal walls. It is better to make side gaps of 4 mm in the version of inset facades.