Steps And Items Needed To Install Roller/Runners Slides
The modern type of cabinets uses the ball-bearing drawer slides to engage drawers. This type of ball-bearing roller is as smooth as silk. Drawers glide in and out on the nylon wheels in concomitance with the help of solid metal rails to provide a dependable, quiet service. Old-school runners were made from the wood & that is fine, but the wood roller doesn't provide the smooth and quiet feeling that makes contemporary drawer roller the top choice by almost every cabinetmaker. You can also install your drawer roller in almost any cabinet if you choose any bottom-mount style. If you want to install roller drawer slides then you just need to collect all the given items and follow the given steps. Here is the list of required items and steps for this process:
Things You Will Need
- Bottom-Mount Drawer Runners
- 1/4-Inch Screws
- Drill/Driver
- Hammer(Optional)
Steps For This Process
- First of all, you need to separate the roller from the packaging and select one runner marked "CL". Place it in the left corner of your drawer opening in your cabinet.
- The flat stagnant plate fits over the front of your drawer opening. The sliding plate will be at the back. Now you need to place one screw(1/4-inch) in an oval-shaped hole in the front of your stagnant plate and then you need to use a drill/driver to drive the plate down semi-tight. Select your runner marked "CR" and then repeat the method on the right side.
- Next you need to slide your movable plate back on both the roller until they come into contact with a parallel board. Now you need to use drill/driver to screw the runners to your board by using the oval-shaped holes in your plate.
- Now you need to place your drawer on its side & the left side facing up. Place your runner marked, "DL" on the side of your drawer. It's bent at 90 degrees that fit over the bottom edge of your drawer with the help of the wheels at the back.
- After that, simply place the two screws in your runner, one at the back and one at the front, both will have oval-shaped holes. Drive them in semi-tight. Select your runner marked "DR" and then repeat installing your runner on the other side of your drawer.
- Tip your drawer back at 30 degrees. Insert the wheels on your drawer runners into the channel on your cabinet runners. Tip the drawer up and then simply slide it into your cabinet.
- Tap the stagnant plates on your runners to the right or left as necessary with the help of a hammer if your drawer will not fit. The oval-shaped holes allow for this. When your drawer fits, slide it back into your cabinet.
- Tap your sliding plates in the back of your cabinet to the right or left if the drawer enters your cabinet but rubs or sticks when you slide your drawer all the way in.
- Finally, remove the drawers from your cabinet when everything works smooth. Install all the screws in all the holes in both cabinet and drawer roller and then you need to tighten them. Tighten all the screws to finish the task.
Tip & Warning
- Tip: Installing your new drawer roller is a bit of error & trial. Tap your roller lightly and try your drawer. If it fits worse then you need to tap them in the other way.
- Warning: Side-mount roller is another alternative, but this type of roller will require tolerances that must be built into your cabinet & drawer respectively with a side-mount roller in mind. This type of roller is overpriced & consistently only used by specialist.