Out of Curiosity, a drawer question

On 24" base cabinets it seems that 21 -22 inch drawer slides are the most common, in some places they just don't stock anything over 21 inch.

Is there a reason for this? I realize that there are variables due to ff and inset, half inset, and full face doors, but when looking at cabinets, like the builtin's that I am replacing they have a full 2 " to 3" gap behind the drawers.

I don't see much said about drawer building as to sizing, recommended or other, other than the various joints and drawer faces.

Anyhow, there are usually reasons, and very good reasons for the ways things are made, which I am learning, a great deal in part to Swingman's advice. When one of you guys says to pay attention, a wise man listens.

Reply to
OFWW
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I have nothing other than my opinion to back this up, but I've always assumed it was owing limiting the reach-in distance from the days before there were full-extension slides and it's now just tradition.

Another could be keeping the extended moment arm of that extra length under control...there's a lot of leverage and little restraint to little arms hanging on the front.

That said, I've also built longer drawers and used slides that could be cut to fit to make use of the additional space.

Reply to
dpb

Keep in mind most shop built base cabinets have a 24" EXTERIOR dimension as far as depth.

Interior dimension of a 24" FF base cabinet, with a back panel, from the back panel to the front of a FF, is generally a bit over 23"

Therefore, I usually buy 22" drawers for NEW 24" deep, shop built cabinets.

When remodeling existing, BUILT-IN cabinets, I still use 21" or 22", as you often need some wiggle room to replace, or add, a back board to attach mounting brackets.

About the only place I'll use 24" side mounted slides is in specialty cabinets, like those for a shop or commercial establishment.

Installation issues wag the dog, and the extra 1" or two is not often worth buying different slides for a project, in both effort of keeping track, future replacement and initial price.

Reply to
Swingman

Just my own thoughts. That 24" base cabinet is its outside dimension. Allowing 3/4" for the face frame the inner depth is more like 23". Then, the drawer has a 1/2"-3/4" back, and the back part of the drawer doesn't need full support anyway. So, a 21" slide mounted toward the cabinet front will give you full support anyway.

Reply to
Just Wondering

Dumbass .. that should be "BUILD", not buy .

And drawer slides to match the drawers. ;)

Reply to
Swingman

I had a laugh at the idea of you buying drawers. :-) Unless it is underwear, but that is a conversation I do NOT want to have.

Reply to
FrozenNorth

My head was spinning! I was sitting here trying to come with reasons why you (especially *you*) would buy drawers if you were building the cabinets.

I was torn between asking and trying to figure it on my own.

I'm glad you cleared it up for us...unless you've been fooling us all these many years. Hmmm....

Reply to
DerbyDad03

LOL ... still typing with one hand, but brain farts are more frequent.

Reply to
Swingman

Reply to
Swingman

The only "gotta pay attention to" factor is the space available for the drawer; I happen to like a fudge factor of 1/4" less than that.

It is easy to find slides on even dimensions with 2" increments; i.e., 18,

20, 22, 24. It can be less easy to find ones on the odd inch.

Since you are building your own cabinets, you can use whatever length slide you want. I'd use the longest that will fit; IMO, the torque on an open drawer isn't even worth thinking about.

There really aren't any rules about dimensions. The vanities I built recently are 23" from front of the face frame to the wall. Most of the drawers are set 3 1/4" into the cabinet so I could put a medicine cabinet on the door covering the drawer stack. Those that aren't set in are 22" deep; I could have made them deeper but there was a nailer in the back that would interfere with one so I just made them all the same.

The cabinet depth was determined by the available sizes of the soapstone tile I wanted to use for the top. The 23" depth allowed for a soapstone vertical edging nder the top without having to cut any field tiles.

BTW, there are no metal slides on any of the 11 drawers; all run on oak runners which work just fine.

Reply to
dadiOH

Factory built drawers are smaller to save money.

I build my drawers as big as the cabinet will allow.

Something to remember, if using side mount full extension slides the slides can be shorter than the drawer.

Reply to
Leon

I have stick built cabinets from the mid-50s. The original drawers glided o n wooden runners, which is why I assume they were made much shorter than the depth o f the cabinets.

When I made new drawers with full extension side slides, I was able to add over 3? to the depth of all the drawers. 3+ inches by 5 drawers plus the full extension sl ides make for a lot more usable space.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

You're speaking of little kids I presume?

What slides can be cut to fit? I was wondering about that possibility.

Reply to
OFWW

With side sliders that seems to be no problem, but with undermount it seems like 21" is standard. And when you find them over 22 the price starts climbing fast. I just bought 4 pr 24" undermount's and paid more for them then 16 pr of 21" undermount's. Needless to say when I start on the pantry with even deeper drawers I will give up the width of the shelves for side mounts at less than 1/2 the cost.

I had to order the 24' undermount's so I am on hold until they arrive.

I understand, and was adjusting my desires according to price and availability. I had to splurge on the 24" undermount since had I installed the blind drawers with those they would have to be totally destroyed to be replaced since once the drawers were in, there would be not way of getting them out. Undermount's are a natural for such a situation. I'll take pictures showing why as I do them.

But I got curious about the drawer sizing after going through all the slides available, looking at what I already have at home and the pictures you guys post. Plus reading the few books I have on cabinets.

While it was real tempting just to move ahead and deal with things as I went along. I followed your advice to get the ducks in a row, as well as from doing things in my old trade. Thank you.

Reply to
OFWW

LOL, I saw it too, and went, nawww, couldn't be what I am seeing.

Reply to
OFWW

Yeah, I have been playing around with the internal numbers to keep the Outside at exactly 24", depth of dado, making up for that with the exact dimensions of the end panels and so on. Depending on side, versus undermount's would make a difference on the drawer length, plus the drawer edge thickness, just to see what common sense would dictate for an over all picture. Do this, not that, and so on.

All this brought up the question, because I felt like I was reinventing the wheel, and how stupid is that? :)

Reply to
OFWW

Which begs the question with 3/4 drawer sides why not dovetail or box joint style runners? Or dual under mount dovetail runners? Made out of hardwood they should last for a very long time. It would certainly be less expensive and my house was built early 70, and it has hardwood runners for all the drawers, anyhow those thoughts were also running through my mind.

Reply to
OFWW

I'm with you one that!

Then do your drawers only go out, say 3/4 of the way when you do that? When the drawer depth is say 6 to 10 " it isn't such an issue, only on shallow or top drawers that have over hangs, that I can see.

Reply to
OFWW

OFWW wrote: .

If the drawer is 6" shouter than the slides the back of the drawer obviously will have a 1/4 or so remain inside. But IIRC you were talking about 21-22 slides for a 24" cab. If the drawers were actually 24" deep, 21" slides would only leave1/8 of the drawer unexposed if the back of the drawer is not dadoed in. If dadoed, less is unexposed. Just because the drawer does not come all the way out does not mean that you will have difficulty seeing inside the entire drawer or not have use of the full drawer.

Reply to
Leon

Yes, 24" cabinets were my main thought on this.

My wife somehow has "junk drawers" where everything ends up dogpiled and the back, and silver ware drawers right under the counter, so the countertop blocks the views even more. Usually the odds and ends at that back of that drawer are a problem to reach because of vision not distance.

I'm not sure what you mean about the drawer being dadoed regarding the slides.

Reply to
OFWW

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