Accuride Flat Mounted Drawer Slides Open New Possibilities

 

Why would you mount an Accuride Drawer Slide beneath a drawer?

Accuride Drawer Slides go on the side of the drawer, right? But it doesn’t always have to be that way. There are good reasons why you might want to mount a drawer on slides that run under the drawer. Or you might deploy Accuride Flat Mounted Drawer Slides under the drawer as well as on the sides.

Good reasons to flat mount Accuride Drawer Slides - sometimes called undermounts or bottom mount Drawer Slides - include looks, practicality and performance.

 

Appearances matter

JET PRESS supply Accuride Drawer Slides for flat mounting to shop fitters and furniture makers. Retail designers often use transparent cabinets for displays, with a drawer underneath for storage. It looks much better if there are no slides on the side of the drawer. Also, it may be difficult to mount slides onto materials like glass or Perspex.

Designers who use attractive wood or other finishes for the drawer box want to show it off. By putting the drawer slides underneath all you see is wood, which is much more pleasing.

 

A cleaner solution

In some environments cleanliness really matters. For instance, in a kitchen the Drawer Slides can easily gather dust, dirt and grime if they are on the side of the drawer, but much less if you put them underneath.

Hygiene becomes a critical issue in medical environments so flat mount Drawer Slides are a very good option. They won’t collect contaminants from the environment as easily and you can specify Accuride Drawer Slides with front disconnect. Slides with front disconnect allow you to remove the drawer for cleaning or disinfecting in an autoclave.

 

 

 

Accuracy and function

If you have a very wide drawer, especially if it has a substantial load, there is a risk of lateral movement. By flat mounting Drawer Slides underneath as well as using conventional Drawer Slides you can make the drawer more stable.

JET PRESS sell Drawer Slides for flat mounting to customers who manufacture tool chests. These chests have large shallow drawers carrying heavy tools and components. The Drawer Slides mounted under the drawer in addition to the side mounted slides adds vital stability.

Joiners and cabinet makers, especially those working on bespoke projects, often combine conventional mounted Drawer Slides with Flat Mounted Slides.

We were approached by a joiner who was tasked with creating a solid wood shoe rack in the bottom of an unusually deep and wide built in wardrobe. Using a combination of conventionally mounted and flat mounted Drawer Slides he was able to create stable, smooth running racks despite the substantial weight.

 

Technical considerations

 

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The first thing to consider is that a flat mounted Drawer Slide can carries less weight. You should calculate the capacity at no more than 25% of the normal load rating of a vertically mounted slide, so a slide with a rating of 40kg will only carry 10kg when flat mounted.

The design of the Drawer Slide also has an impact on its suitability for flat mounting. The Drawer Slides suitable for flat mounting are indicated using this symbol.

Linear slides such as the 1312 and 0115RC perform much better than other options when flat mounted as the moving member is supported on ball bearings at all times. The 0115RC, for example, uses a recirculating ball carriage, making it ideal for flat mounting.

 

Draw on our experience of Flat Mounted Drawer Slides

We have partnered with Accuride for a long time so we can share our expertise with you or work with Accuride to provide you with a bespoke solution. Our technical team are very happy to advise you on the best slide for every application.

You can see the range of Accuride Drawer Slides suitable for flat mounting (see the bottom of the page) along with more Industrial Hardware available from JET PRESS. If you would like samples or help designing the right assembly please call +44 1623 551 800, email [email protected] or contact us online.

Struggling to select the right drawer slide? Read our guide on How to choose the correct drawer slide for help and guidance.