The choice of a drawer mechanism for our kitchen, just like the choice of the drawer itself, often remains outside the field of our attention. We are passionate about the choice of facade, countertops, appliances and do not think about such trifles. But design is in the details.
Considering new directions in the development of modern kitchens , I noticed that the kitchen has more moving elements. Not only the fronts of individual cabinets move, but also the entire kitchen front, countertop, hood, mixer, kitchen apron. The trajectory of movement and the mass of moving elements of the kitchen become more complex and increase. You can read about it here. Most movements are electrically driven. These amazing possibilities are opened up by new developments in the field of kitchen fittings, in particular opening and sliding mechanisms. The traditional type of façade movement, such as pulling out a kitchen drawer, has not been spared the changes. In this case, the material from which the box is made, the dimensions of the box, and the load are taken into account.
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.
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
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.
Cost of a kitchen drawer pull out mechanism
It is very difficult to give a correct comparison. The systems are so different, they include mandatory and optional options. The price often depends on the material used and the finishing method. Let's consider the mechanism for pulling out a drawer with a front of 600 x 300 and a depth of 550 mm.
- Blum roller guide set, white – 120 RUR. The box is made of chipboard separately.
- A box with the Metabox system (Blum) - A set with a closer costs 1260 rubles, without a closer 990 rubles. The back and front walls and the bottom of chipboard are made separately.
- A set of BLUM TANDEM ball guides with a door closer costs 2,500 rubles. The wooden box is made separately. A set of Hettich ball guides (chrome) with a closer – 2800 rubles.
- Box with Tandembox system (BLUM). The set costs 4330 rubles. The bottom, back and front walls are made separately. Box with Innotech (Hettich) system The kit costs 2,200 rubles. The bottom, back and front walls are made separately.
- A box with the LEGRABOX (BLUM) system costs 12,170 rubles.
Prices of the online store at the time of publication of the post.
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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.
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
Modern boxes
This is a new product that represents retractable mechanisms in the form of complex systems. This model is very easy to assemble and does not require any effort during operation. The designs are distinguished by their stylish design and unpretentious simplicity in terms of execution. They fit ergonomically into the design of kitchen or office interiors; they are used a little less often in bedrooms. These devices are a logical continuation of metal boxes.
They are able to withstand dynamic loads weighing up to 40 kilograms. The retractable mechanisms are equipped with an improved closer model, which allows the moving element to open all the way and close very smoothly, without making accompanying sounds. Three height options were adapted for various models: 84, 135 and 199 millimeters. They also have three lengths: 400, 450 and 500 millimeters.
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.
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.
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.
Tandem boxes
Such designs contain hidden guides. They are able to provide stable, smooth movement even for heavy moving components, the weight of which can reach 65 kilograms. The design features of tandem boxes allow them to be removed from the runners without additional removal of the stops. In addition to smooth operation, these retractable mechanisms allow the elements to be carried to be retracted to their fullest extent.
Also, the equipment of these structures can include closers and reaction devices that allow moving elements to move out after pressing the façade panel with your hand. The height of tandem boxes provides three options: 83, 140 and 204 millimeters. Rails can also be used to increase the height of the box. The length of the mechanisms has only one value, which is 450 millimeters.
Installation of roller type guides
Before you begin installing the fittings, you must carefully read all the tips for removing and installing the guides. They can be found on the Internet. It is enough to visit specialized sites.
Let's look at the step-by-step assembly of drawer guides:
We attach two guides to the bottom of the drawer. The elements must be positioned so that the roller is located at the back wall, and the other end rests against the facade.
We fix the strip using self-tapping screws, placing them so that their heads are below the surface of the strip.
We attach the remaining pair of guides to the cabinet body. We pre-mark the attachment points with a pencil.
Which drawer guides are best to choose depends on your wishes, the design features of the furniture and your financial capabilities.
If you are choosing guides to replace outdated or broken elements, then it is best to choose similar models.
Whatever variety you need, consider products only from trusted manufacturers, since a well-known brand serves as a guarantee of quality.
Metal boxes
Metal boxes have found their application in the manufacture of office furniture. It is interesting to note that they are used with the same success in creating kitchen sets. They are based on a roller mechanism, but they are distinguished from roller guides by a characteristic feature. In this case, the equipment consists of supports similar to roller guides. There are also two side parts of the carried element, made of metal.
This creates certain conveniences in the manufacture of boxes for such mechanisms, because all that remains is to make the front and back walls. An additional advantage of metal boxes is the presence of an adjustable fastening designed for installing the façade part. This upgrade allows you to perform corrective manipulations when adjusting the operation of a group of moving elements.
The height of metal box racks can be divided into two groups. It is advisable to include racks with a height of 54 and 86 millimeters in the first of them, and racks with a height of 118 and 150 millimeters in the second. If necessary, you can increase the height of the drawers using special extenders called rails. Metal boxes come in four lengths: 350, 400, 450 and 500 millimeters. Such guides, like roller ones, do not have the ability to release the carried element to failure. In addition, they have restrictions on the weight of the supporting structure. Its maximum weight can be 20, and in some cases - 25 kilograms.
