Full vs Partial Extension: Choosing Drawer Rails for B2B

Partial extension rails make it easy for your drawer to open about three-quarters of the way. So if you have a 24-inch deep drawer, you can reach about 18 inches inside. The last 6 inches stay stuck in the cabinet. Full extension rails, on the other hand, allow the whole drawer to come out. You can see and reach every single thing inside without any trouble. That 6-inch gap might not seem like much at first, but think about your workers who open drawers hundreds of times each day. 

Where You Can Apply Cheaper Rails

Partial extension Industrial sliding drawer rails make good sense for some jobs. If your drawers are deeper than what people actually need to reach, why pay extra? File cabinets work great with partial rails because you only need to grab papers from the front. You almost never need to reach all the way to the back.

Also, partial rails hold heavy weights better when drawers are open. It will stop accidents when you have 300 pounds of tools or metal parts in one drawer. You don’t want that tipping over on someone.

When You Should Spend More Money

Tool rooms need full extension rails to save time. It makes it so easy that your workers can see every tool they need at once. This way, they find what they need way faster. Studies show that Heavy-duty telescopic slides with full extension cut search time by 30-40%. Getting these types of rails will allow your workers to get more done. It saves you money even though the rails cost more.

You’ll find good use of these kinds of rails at hospitals and in emergency trucks. They will need the full extension because every second counts. Doctors and paramedics can’t waste time digging around in drawers. 

3 Things You Must Consider Before You Make Your Choice 

Before you decide on whether it’s the partial or full extension rails you’re getting, consider these:

Drawer Depth

Short drawers under 18 inches don’t really need full extension. The difference between 75% and 100% is only about 3-4 inches on a small drawer. People can easily reach that extra bit without much trouble. So save your money and get partial rails for these.

Deep drawers are usually over 24 inches and are the ones that really should have full extension. Nobody wants to climb halfway into a cabinet to grab something 20 inches back. 

Weight Limits

Here’s something important that might surprise you. A 500-pound partial rail often works better than a 500-pound full extension rail. The partial type keeps more of the drawer supported inside the cabinet. Full extension rails, however, have to hold all that weight on the extended parts when the drawer is open. So if you need really heavy stuff on full extension, you might need stronger rails than you think. 

Cabinet Space 

Full extension rails need more room to move. They slide way out and need clear space behind and next to the cabinet. Tight spots between machines might not have enough room for full extension to work right. So, measure your actual space before you buy anything. Partial rails usually fit in tighter areas because the drawer doesn’t stick out as far.

Conclusion

Now you can decide which drawer rails to pick. It depends on what you want to use them for. While partial extension costs less, they work fine when you mostly want to grab things from the front of drawers. Full extension saves time and makes work easier when you need to see and reach everything inside.