# Alternatives to drawer slides for smooth action?



## DustyM (May 16, 2016)

Well, after word got out about a standing desk I built for a professor last year, one of his colleagues is now requesting something similar. I'm trying to sell them on the idea of a drawer, rather than a shelf under the top, and wanted to throw a question out to the community.

In my last project building a small kitchen appliance table for some friends (http://lumberjocks.com/projects/387298), I built two drawers with no slide hardware. They just glide on some runners that I made sure to take extra time to align and wax. And while that works fine for smaller drawers, the one on this desk would be around 30" wide x 20" deep x 5.5" high. I'd rather not use mechanical drawer slides, but I'm concerned that building it as I did those smaller ones will make it a bit cumbersome to slide in and out.

Does anyone have some references to different methods of drawer construction, particularly any that you've personally used, that my fit the bill of providing a decent sliding action without the use of the aforementioned hardware?

Thanks in advance!


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## splintergroup (Jan 20, 2015)

The key to decent sliding action is a proper fit (and consideration for wood movement). The best thing I have found for ultra smooth action are the HDPE (or other plastics) inserts that take the load/abuse on the drawer runners.


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

I guess that I must ask why are you opposed to mechanical guides?


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## BroncoBrian (Jan 14, 2013)

I am with Bill. Why not metal side mounted glides. They are quiet, smooth, and cost a little bit, but save you a lot of time. I would also say they are expected, so no harm in using them.


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## CWWoodworking (Nov 28, 2017)

> The key to decent sliding action is….
> 
> 
> > Metal drawer slides


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## bilyo (May 20, 2015)

I built a chest of drawers some years ago without metal slides. The drawers are over 30" wide and work smoothly and easily. The key, in my case, was a center guide for each drawer. and the use of hdpe plastic strips for the wood runners to slide on. There are those who informed me that they build wide drawers that work smoothly without the center guide. I'm not that good. For me, the precisely made center guide keeps the drawer from racking and binding.


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## EarlS (Dec 21, 2011)

"The key to decent sliding action is a proper fit (and consideration for wood movement). The best thing I have found for ultra smooth action are the HDPE (or other plastics) inserts that take the load/abuse on the drawer runners."

+1 - Splintergroup

If you mount the UHMW or HDPE slide inside the box and cut the slot for the slid in the side of the drawer you won't ever see the white HDPE. Cut a shallow slot for the HDPE inside the box and then use some flat countersunk screws to secure it.


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## lumbering_on (Jan 21, 2017)

> I guess that I must ask why are you opposed to mechanical guides?
> 
> - Bill White


That's what I was wondering. I grew up near Mennonite country in Ontario, and they're known for their traditional techniques. Yet, they still use metal slides as they work much better.


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## TheRamenShaman (Sep 11, 2018)

In my hometown we have a furniture company that ditches the runners all together. What they did- to my knowledge- is make the drawers completely flush with the dresser and then line the bottom with a generous coat of paraffin wax. Works like a charm. Hope this helps!


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## TheRamenShaman (Sep 11, 2018)

This technique will work on a drawer of your description as well.


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## DustyM (May 16, 2016)

Sorry for the delay in response, folks, been a little busy at work.

As to why I'm avoiding slides…well, it's really just a conceptual preference. I know it's a little silly, but once I add slides to something, it feels sort of "cabinet-y". If absolutely necessary, under-mount slides would be a potential option, but I definitely wouldn't want to go with side-mounts, purely our of aesthetics. Believe me, I'm well aware that my idiosyncrasies cause me more problems than they solve 

Namely, I'm interested in this as we have a few pieces of decently made furniture at our house, and the largest chest of drawers have no metal slides, yet still function quite nicely despite their weight. I'm interested in learning to do it this way-sans hardware-as a matter of expanding my woodworking knowledge. That said, I plan on rebuilding all our kitchen drawers this year (currently plastic garbage), and will be using the Blum under-mount slides when I do so.

I hadn't thought of using HDPE, but have been meaning to buy some stock just to keep around the shop for various uses, so this sounds like a good time to investigate this further.

Thanks everyone for your replies!


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## bilyo (May 20, 2015)

> I hadn t thought of using HDPE, but have been meaning to buy some stock just to keep around the shop for various uses, so this sounds like a good time to investigate this further.
> 
> - Dustin


Don't overlook the thin self stick HDPE tape. Very handy.


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## WalkerR (Feb 8, 2017)

also known as low friction tape or "Slick" tape.

https://www.woodcraft.com/products/slick-strips-3-4-width-1-32-thick


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

> "The key to decent sliding action is a proper fit (and consideration for wood movement). The best thing I have found for ultra smooth action are the HDPE (or other plastics) inserts that take the load/abuse on the drawer runners."
> 
> +1 - Splintergroup
> 
> ...


I used the method Earl suggests in this dresser except I used Oak runners rather than HDPE. So far, the loaded drawers function perfectly. I put small tabs on the backs of the drawer boxes that can be flipped up so the drawers won't completely come out.


I used the same method in this small cabinet with HDPE runners. However, I forgot to drill holes for screws before I glued the cabinet up so I ended up putting the runners on the drawers instead. Works fine for shop fixtures. Wouldn't do it for anything nice though!


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## DustyM (May 16, 2016)

> "The key to decent sliding action is a proper fit (and consideration for wood movement). The best thing I have found for ultra smooth action are the HDPE (or other plastics) inserts that take the load/abuse on the drawer runners."
> 
> +1 - Splintergroup
> 
> ...


Kenny for the win! And what a beautiful dresser that's sure to become an heirloom. I admire the amount of work you put into those pulls, but I tend to favor round. I actually like square pulls better, but the possibility of them rotating slightly and becoming askew gives me a minor anxiety attack


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## EarlS (Dec 21, 2011)

I have used the slick tape on the bottom of the drawer so that it slides along the cleats or whatever wood males up the bottom of the box opening, as long as it has something to slide on. The biggest problem is that it is a sloppy slide, both side to side and top to bottom. Plus you can't open it too far or the whole drawer falls out.

Another option is the bottom mounted dovetail slide. It's not visible and it is reasonably tight but still has problems when the drawer is half open or more.

If your drawer is big, or heavy, or you want to open it all the way you probably need metal glides. I used 100 lb glides on the drawers in our built in closets since they were deep, wide, and needed to be able to pull out all the way.


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## Mr_Pink (May 20, 2017)

Have you considered dividing the drawer into two? I know wide drawers are common on desks, but narrower drawers would be less cumbersome. Also, I dislike the wide, shallow drawer on my office desk.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

Dustin:

Blum undermounts. Nobody would know they were there if you didn't tell them.

I believe the reason the old times didn't use metal slides was because the weren't available.


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## DustyM (May 16, 2016)

Well, folks, I certainly appreciate all the responses, but I got some bad news…the professor went out and bought a desk yesterday. That's right, I got Ikea'd.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

> Well, folks, I certainly appreciate all the responses, but I got some bad news…the professor went out and bought a desk yesterday. That s right, I got Ikea d.
> 
> - Dustin


Price is King.


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## CWWoodworking (Nov 28, 2017)

Probably had metal slides. . Just messing with you.

Honestly though, I sold furniture for a long time. One of the companies I dealt with was stead fastly against the added cost of slides. Their argument was "we have never had one problem with wood on wood". And they were right!

The problem was all their competitors had smooth undermounts. People related to it because of kitchen cabinets.

They company I am speaking of went out of business because of resistance to change.

Their system was the best I ever seen. It was a simple center mounted wood c channel that ran on a center mounted wood piece mounted on cabinet. There was also a tilt rail above the drawer so it didn't just fall after half way. Numerous was to stop it from coming all the way out.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

For me personally, I like the ability of full extension and over travel without the drawer tipping down when fully open.


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

The center slide is the traditional method for drawer construction, but for a DESK, metal side mount slides are best.


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## ppg677 (Jan 21, 2016)

> In my hometown we have a furniture company that ditches the runners all together. What they did- to my knowledge- is make the drawers completely flush with the dresser and then line the bottom with a generous coat of paraffin wax. Works like a charm. Hope this helps!
> 
> - TheRamenShaman


+1

I hate metal drawer slides. I find them harder to deal with. I built a chest with a 30", 18" deep, 6" high drawer. My construction precision wasn't perfect and trying to use metal glides was a disaster. I abandoned and did wood runners and HDPE tape. Smooth enough for me.


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## J_J (Mar 12, 2019)

I've run into this issue with mid-century modern furniture when it come to refurbishing or rebuilding it. I have noticed a good amount of them use small plastic nail in disks or small nail in plastic tabs where the drawers slide/run. I have been purchasing my plastic hardware from either Ace Hardware or Swisco.

Below is an example of what I'm talking about.

https://www.swisco.com/Disc-Roller-Standard/pd/Other-Drawer_Cabinet-Replacement-Hardware/32-011


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## ibewjon (Oct 2, 2010)

I added HDPE tape under drawers in 100 year old built in cabinets in our home. Works great.


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