Drawers for cabinets: functions and types

Merilyn
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Merlin June 15, 2018

There is a roll-out drawer in any furniture

The interior filling of the cabinet makes it functional, spacious, and convenient. Today, all models have drawers. I’ll tell you about sliding mechanisms, types of designs, and how to make a box with your own hands.

Types of drawers

In custom-sized wardrobes, various types of drawers can be used:

Classic boxes.

They are structures that have four walls and a solid bottom. For the production of all elements, the same material is used as the main furniture frame. Suitable for storing things

Mesh.

They are produced in the form of open “breathing” shelves. Designed mainly for storing shoes, as the mesh design promotes air circulation. They can be equipped with handles or without them, supplemented with lighting and other elements.

Kitchen table

A table with drawers for the kitchen will be useful both in a small room and in a large room. In the first case, it allows you to save space, in the second it will become an additional storage space.

The main point when purchasing such a table is that the drawers should not be a hindrance to the person sitting at it. It is convenient to store cutlery or napkins. There are also folding table models.

In the middle there is a cabinet with drawers. When assembled, it can be used for cooking or simply as a floor cabinet. Then the table is transformed, additional parts are pulled out on the sides, at which you can comfortably eat.

Main types of guides

Products are:

roller;
fully retractable;
with the presence of a closer;
reverse action;
hidden;
metaboxes, tandemboxes.

Roller

After their appearance they quickly became popular. Currently, most pieces of furniture are equipped with them. Mounted on both sides of the boxes in special holes.

Fully retractable

It is based on a ball bearing. They provide smooth, and most importantly, complete opening. Requires some effort during operation. Designed for different loads.

With door closer

The design of such guides is similar to the previous ones. The difference lies in the presence of elements such as dampers and closers. All this is necessary for silent use of sliding wardrobe drawers. They act as a shock absorber if excessive forces are applied when closing.

Reverse action

They are almost no different from the previous ones with a closer, except that when opening a drawer you need to press it, similar to pressing a button. No handles required.

Hidden mounting

They can be equipped with both closers and reverse action systems. Placed on the back of the bottom of the box. They are reliable. Provide soft closing, smooth running, no noise.

Metaboxes and tandemboxes

Such systems have many advantages: the ability to withstand heavy loads, aesthetics, and good performance. However, they are characterized by the complexity of their design, and therefore are the most expensive of the existing ones. Most often used in the production of luxury furniture.

Advantages and disadvantages

The correct design is equipped with internal and external baskets, which ensures maximum accessibility to everything you need.

Like any other furniture, kitchen drawers have their positive and negative characteristics. Among the positive qualities it should be noted:

Providing full access to items. An ordinary hanging shelf cannot provide such freedom of action.

To fully utilize the space of corner cabinets, you can install such functional drawers
Expanding the functionality of the kitchen. Using the system, you can organize a mini-cellar. It will store various vegetables, fruits, wine, and preparations.

It is convenient to store vegetables and fruits in baskets - due to the access of air, they remain fresh longer and are always at hand

Space saving. These systems are much more practical and more spacious than standard furniture items. They will fit a lot of things, dishes, accessories. This will make room for other purposes.

Thanks to the proper placement of items in the drawers, you can quickly and easily find everything you need

Relatively low price. Functional drawers are not much more expensive than regular ones. Any average family can afford to buy them.

A convenient and functional drawer for pots is suitable for kitchens in any price category

Possibility of organizing a comfortable workplace. Housewives spend a lot of time in the kitchen. When preparing food, it is important to have all the necessary equipment on hand. Kitchen drawers will help you organize your workspace properly.

Well-planned kitchen furniture takes up minimal space and allows the housewife to keep everything she needs at hand.

A serious drawback of this furniture is the complexity of the design. Guides and fittings can often break. They especially fail quickly if they are neglected. The correct attitude towards objects will help you avoid frequent breakdowns. Try to carefully close and open drawers. You should also not forget about caring for the fittings and the need to periodically replace worn-out parts.

Kitchen with functional drawers and shelving

Retractable mechanisms

Pull-out guides for wardrobe drawers are, in fact, support rails that are attached from the inside to the sides. Their primary task is to ensure the ability to open and close. When choosing such elements, you should pay attention to the following:

Load bearing capacity

Thanks to the technologies used, retractable mechanisms can withstand up to 70 kg of weight. To store clothes and shoes, such a carrying capacity is not required. Here 10-20 kg will be sufficient. If the main task is to organize a storage system for books, then a retractable system capable of handling 30-50 kg of weight is quite sufficient.

Variety

Drawers in wardrobes can be pulled out completely or partially (up to 80%). The first ones are more convenient to use, but they are somewhat more expensive. Such a waste of money will be justified if you plan to store something large. these can be square containers, household appliances in packaging. Drawers with partial extensions are sufficient for storing linen. Separately, it is worth highlighting hidden installation systems with a mechanism located under the bottom.

Guide length

To maximize the use of drawers in sliding wardrobes, you should choose guides taking into account the depth of the sidewalls. Most manufacturers produce systems in 50 mm increments, ranging from 250 mm to 600 mm. Rarely do items whose length is 650 mm or more go on sale.

Dimensions

The optimal width from the point of view of ease of use is 400-900 mm. Longer boxes in the design will become less durable and load-bearing. If it is fully loaded with things, there is a high risk of misalignment and failure of the guides.

What materials are used for boxes?

Drawers allow you to use almost all the vertical space of the cabinet. But their location is limited - it is impossible to use the contents above the eye line. The optimal location involves floor cabinets with a work surface for cooking. The more small drawers there are in the lower tier of the kitchen, the more things can be stored in an organized manner. However, the size of the drawers limits the type of items you can store. Therefore, when purchasing furniture, you must be careful about the parameters and number of drawers.

The materials from which the drawers are made affect the durability of the furniture. The furniture industry uses several options for manufacturing - one-piece and prefabricated construction. Solid boxes are made of metal, metal mesh or durable plastic. The opening system is usually integrated and forms a single structure that is built into the cabinet.

Combined boxes are made of wood, metal, chipboard, MDF.

Wooden boxes in expensive settings are assembled using dovetail fastenings without the use of other materials. Cheaper options have a bottom made of thick chipboard.
Metal is combined with plastic and wood - this combination is used for modern innovative drawer systems. Many cabinet manufacturers use metal drawers with wood faces.

All options have a number of advantages and disadvantages, but the choice depends on personal needs.

Name of furniture parts

After reading this text, you will easily understand the instructions for assembling furniture. Moreover, a picture of the assembly diagram will immediately form in your imagination. This will increase your productivity several times and minimize the risk of errors.

But, before listing the list, let's look at the name of the cabinet furniture modules. Remember that the section that hangs on the wall is called a cabinet. The section that stands on the floor is called a cabinet. Drawers in furniture are only retractable.

Name of parts

1. The upper horizon is the topmost part in wall cabinets, located horizontally, at right angles to the sides. It differs from a shelf in that it is always located at the top of the module when the shelf is inside.

2. The lower horizon is the lowest part in wall cabinets, located horizontally, at right angles to the sidewalls. It differs from a shelf in that it is always located at the bottom of the module when the shelf is inside.

How to choose a tool box

Next, we will consider the criteria that must be followed when choosing a tool container.

Drawer size

Box size - this parameter allows you to evaluate in advance the “weight category” and suitability of the product for a tool of a certain length. The dimensions of the boxes are indicated in inches, but the length is used as an indicator of the main size. General dimensions are indicated, as a rule, in millimeters on three sides. To select the size of the box, you need to know in advance the size of the tools that are supposed to be stored in it and their total number. To estimate the size of the future box, you can collect all the tools and make the necessary measurements.

Number of branches

On the one hand, the more compartments, the better: you can sort out a lot of small things. On the other hand, a large number of compartments means their small size (for the same product size). When making a choice based on this indicator, you should take into account the type of container. Traditional drawers usually have up to 20 compartments, but organizers can have 30 or even more.

Tool box compartments.

Sections

The drawer sections are a movable block divided into several compartments. Their purpose is to make the container as compact as possible when folded, and when unfolded to provide convenient access to its contents. Sections can be sliding (located at the top and tilted in different directions) or retractable (pull out from the inside like kitchen drawers). The former are more often found in traditional drawers, the latter - in carts and organizers.

Drawer with sliding sections.

Drawer with pull-out sections.

Drawer Organizer

It is convenient when the box has a built-in organizer; as a rule, it is built into the lid of the box. This allows you to store smaller parts, accessories and fasteners along with large tools. In this case, the lid of the organizer box will contain a set of cells of various sizes. The number of organizer cells varies depending on the number of installed partitions. It is worth remembering the inverse proportion between the number of cells and their volume.

Organizer built into the box lid.

Possibility to change the size of the compartments

Changing the size of compartments is not provided for in all types of containers, but this function is most often found in organizers and cases. By rearranging the partitions, you can change the size and even the configuration of the compartment, which will allow you to make the desired size of each cell for your existing tools.

Drawer with sliding sections.

Removable tray

The presence of a removable tray eliminates the need to dig around inside the box in search of the right thing. You can place your most frequently used tool in the tray and quickly use it while working.

Box with removable tray.

Recessed handle

A recessed handle is useful in boxes and carts - this feature allows you to reduce the dimensions of the container, which is very convenient for storage and transportation. This box is convenient because you can place another box on top, for example with a power tool. In cases, the handle is a structural element and is rigidly fixed to the body.

Wheels

Transport wheels are primarily intended for trolleys, but large boxes can also be equipped with them. The presence of wheels indicates that in front of us is a capacious container designed to move heavy, oversized cargo. There can be one or two pairs of wheels. In the first case, inclined transportation is assumed, in the second - horizontal.

Using a box in a modular system

The meaning of the modular system is that it allows you to place several containers on top of each other, connecting them with special clamps, and thus turn them into one common storage. This feature is not available in all drawers; it is most often found in organizers and trolley drawers. If you need to constantly store and transport a large number of tools, then it would be rational to purchase boxes that can be combined into a common system.

Lock material

The material for making drawer locks is the choice between plastic and metal. The first one is cheaper, but less durable. However, this has little effect on the overall price of the container, and high-quality plastic, although a durable material, is inferior to its metal counterpart.

Installation of kitchen pullout systems

Today's pull-out storage systems make it possible to use almost every millimeter of kitchen space.

Pull-out systems for the kitchen make it possible to fit a large number of objects into furniture at once, without creating additional space for cabinets.

The space is not cluttered, providing the owner with completely free movement. This approach is simply an excellent option for saving kitchen space.

Pull-out baskets in the kitchen

Pull-out stand with hooks

Typically, retractable systems are installed in a lower cabinet or in a wall cabinet. This system provides the required level of convenience: you open a simple kitchen cabinet door and immediately come across several multi-level baskets or drawers.

Pull-out metal storage shelves

Kitchen pull-out shelves for small utensils

These containers slide out entirely from the cabinet, which won’t make you strain too much to get the item you need. Things from such drawers cannot fall out, as they are equipped with special fastening elements designed for any weight. The box is capable of holding almost any number of items that are placed in it.

Pull-out trash bin

Pull-out storage system in kitchen island

Types of filling kitchen cabinets by access method

Kitchen drawer filling systems by access method:

Retractable systems are considered the most common. They rationally organize the filling of a standard kitchen, economically using the internal space. The mechanism operates on rollers that push the drawers along special grooves or ball guides located at the bottom of the kitchen cabinets. It would be good if the retractable filling systems are equipped with pneumatic closers, which make it easy to open the bedside table;

Stationary storage systems cost less, but are also not as convenient for filling the kitchen. Cabinets with hinged doors waste a lot of space because they open towards themselves, so they are placed in the lower cabinets of the kitchen unit. Sliding systems move along guides to the right and left. They are not convenient because they do not provide a full overview of the contents inside; they are more often used in large cabinets for dishes. Lifting mechanisms operate on special gas lifts and are used for wall cabinets in kitchen units;

Open filling systems are a convenient solution for storing items used every day, such as spices, necessary utensils, and useful items. In addition, they can be used to decorate the kitchen. Open filling is often placed in the upper cabinets of kitchen units.

Features of filling corner cabinets in the kitchen

A corner cabinet allows you to rationally use the interior space of the set. If necessary items are lost in deep niches, then modern kitchen filling systems make it easier to find:

Rotating carousels are often installed in corner cabinets, since it is in them that the most usable space is lost. When you open the door, the desired item is at hand, there is no need to look for anything in the depths. The carousel consists of semicircular shelves moving around an axis at 270 degrees, the radius of which depends on the capacity of the kitchen cabinets. It can be installed in both the lower and upper corner cabinets. The rotating carousel is attached in different ways and has different extension angles.

The round shelves of the carousel can fit entirely into a niche or move forward when the door is opened. They have a plastic base with metal edges, and mesh edges with semicircular ones. A metal carousel holds an impressive weight, while a plastic carousel is not particularly durable;

The corner section is attached to a cabinet or retractable kitchen cabinet. The mechanism consists of two baskets with hanging elements, which practically repeats the operation of the carousel, but holds more dishes. One mesh is fixed to the door, the second is placed inside. When closed, the corner section is located in the cabinet, and when the door is opened, it rolls forward along the guides, providing access to the contents. This kitchen filling is also called a magic corner; it is made of steel wire, which ensures strength and durability.

In corner kitchen cabinets with one door, a pull-out filling system is installed, which allows quick access to the contents. Instead of a trash can, a bracket with a durable bag is hung from the inside of the door, which is replaced with an empty one as it is filled.

Disadvantages of drawers in kitchen furniture

As is usually the case in life, many interesting solutions also have their drawbacks:

They eat up some of the space in your closets. This must be taken into account when calculating the capacitive capabilities of furniture.
Despite their significant capabilities, they have their limitations when it comes to larger items.
Depending on the guides used, the final price of the furniture may increase significantly.

There is no doubt that the drawer has always been an integral part of kitchen furniture. Technical progress does not stand still, improving functionality. This means that if your budget allows, you shouldn’t give up on modern solutions and innovations that can make your work in the kitchen much easier.

Thank you. It was interesting to expand my horizons.

Didn't they say what a sidewall is?

Hint: The word sidewall comes from the word side. Accordingly, the sidewall is...Ask your child, I’m interested in whether he can guess it or not. And tell me later.

Thanks for the useful information. I found out that the front on the drawer is put on Sheflot.

Live and learn!

The question is: is the countertop part of the cabinet? There were disagreements with the furniture manufacturer: he implemented the size indicated in the specification (depth of the cabinet 550) as the depth of the cabinet body, and attached the tabletop to 600. In my understanding, 550 should be the size of the cabinet, including all its elements, including the tabletop . What is it really like?

Hello, Vitaly! Of course, the tabletop is part of the cabinet, if this module is not part of the set. Otherwise, all dimensions must be indicated on the sketch. Including the dimensions of the tabletop, as well as the dimensions of the overhang relative to the cabinet.

This is a bathroom vanity unit. Unfortunately, the sketch for the contract was not drawn or signed. But the specification includes, I quote: “bathroom cabinet H860*1374*550.” Now the manufacturer refuses to reduce the depth of the countertop.

Why reduce it? Typically, dimensions are indicated without facades. Those. in fact, the cabinet with the front will be 566 in depth + the depth of the handle is about 3 cm and it turns out to be almost 60 cm. This is the standard depth of the cabinet and countertop. Otherwise there will be no overhang. This is appropriate when there is an integrated handle on the façade.

If there is no signed sketch, then you can only ask the manufacturer, not demand it.