Drawer Slide Terms and Abbreviations

DRAWER SLIDES->TERMS

TERMS AND THEIR DEFINITIONS:

LOAD RATING
This specification refers to the amount of weight that a set of drawer slides can support. The rating includes the drawer and contents.

SET
A set of drawer slides is a left and a right. One set will complete one drawer.

UNDER MOUNT/BOTTOM MOUNT
A drawer slide that mounts to the bottom of a drawer; may or may not be visible. Somes slides wrap around and "mount" to the underside of the drawer but are actually visible on the side of the drawer.

SIDE MOUNT
A slide that mounts to the side of the drawer and to the side of the cabinet or the cabinet face frame.

LOCKING DEVICES
These are associated with the Blum Tandem undermount drawer slides and are required for installation. The locking devices allow for a quick release of the drawer from the slides, taking the drawers out is literally a snap! They mount at the front of the drawer.

ROLLER MECHANISM
This is what makes the slide "slide". Some drawers use a nylon roller while others use steel ball bearings.

EXTENSION (FULL, 3/4)
This specification refers to how far the slide will allow the drawer to "extend" from the cabinet. Full extension means that the drawer comes fully out of the cabinet, allowing you to easily access the contents of the entire drawer.

OVERTRAVEL
This is how far a full extension slide extends past the front of the cabinet.

SIDE CLEARANCE
The amount a space required on each side of the drawer in order to mount the drawer slides.

MOUNTING BRACKET
A bracket used to mount the slide to the back of the cabinet if the slides cannot be mounted to the side of the cabinet. Used when you have framed cabinets instead of frameless.

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