At this point we all agree that your customers want soft close slides in their closets. We can also agree that using a side-mount full extension is much easier than using an under-mount.
Every manufacturer of full extension slides has introduced a soft close version and believe me not all are created equal…
In an effort to prevent those dreaded service calls I came up with a list of 3 questions that you should ask before you make that purchase…
- Is it ½” side clearance? There are many slides on the market that require an extra 1/16” for proper installation. Yes, if you don’t account for that 1/16” your drawer will bind.
- How wide and how deep of a drawer has the slide been tested on? If a slide is tested, typically it’s for a standard kitchen drawer – 24” wide X 4” high X 22” deep. Will it work for your hutch drawer that is 30” wide X 10” high X 18” deep? How much will it cost you to be the guinea pig?
- Is it really a full extension slide? To fit the soft close mechanism some slide manufacturers have shorted the drawer member making the slide more of a ¾” extension. This presents a problem on all of those 12” and 14” slides that you use.
Bonus question – is there a 12” available? Many of the manufacturers have not figured out how to make a 12” slide yet… A real problem if you are making a 12” deep closet…
Your turn, what has been your experience with soft close slides?
I help individuals and organizations to be successful… For more information about soft close slides feel free to contact me at 347-723-7433 or you can email me at richdemarco@optonline.net.
