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a2gemini_gw

Recipe for disaster.

a2gemini
11 years ago

I am feeling pretty bad right now.

I think you all know I was absolutely in love with my 42 inch drawers. It was so great to open one drawer and everything fit perfectly.

Rewind to Saturday - I was so excited showing my SIL the new kitchen and she loved it. Now, I open the big drawer and CRACK. OMG - the drawer pulled out the the side wall on one side.

Problems

1. The drawer weighs 30 lbs.

2. The insert weights 8 lbs.

3. The glides are rated for 75 lbs but was told that was how much weight was allowed in the drawer excluding the drawer weight - wrong...

4. Single screw on front of glides (apparently standard)

5. Weight of the dishes in the drawer is ~75 lbs.

6. KD and Brookhaven are working on options.

So, do I split this into two 21 inch cabs or spit the top 2 drawers into two 21 inch drawers and keep the long bottom drawer.

I am so bummed - I loved that big drawer.

I attached a picture of the drawer bank and also here is a picture of the famous drawer.

Comments (54)

  • andreak100
    11 years ago

    A2, I'm so sorry to hear that this happened to you. I know how much you loved that drawer.

    I'm still struggling to figure out where it broke and if there is any sort of reinforcement that might lessen the chance of this happening. We're not going to be 42", but instead 36", still I'm concerned as to my total weight...maybe also for my 36" under my cooktop that will have some cast iron in there.

    I've been so concerned about having thick enough bottoms (trying for 1/2" rather than standard 1/4") and debating over heavy duty slides for a few of the drawers, but this problem you are describing is one I hadn't considered and can't quite picture.

    I hope it comes to a good resolution for you. It's good to hear that the KD and the cabinet maker are working hard to try to fix the issue for you.

  • a2gemini
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Andrea - good question - I would find out the weight of the 36 inch drawer and then weigh your pots. I have 36 inch drawers under the cooktop and have not weighed them yet

    KD is going to have GC come back and add additional screws to the rails on all of the larger drawers as a precaution. I would guess our 36 inch drawer probably weighs about 24 lbs, so that gives me a good 50 lbs of pots and pans - I don't think I am over on those drawers.

    Here is a picture of the side wall of the cabinet. It is not particle board but compressed wood and epoxy which is supposed to be stronger than plywood?

  • deedles
    11 years ago

    Dang. Sorry that happened. What a bummer.

    Let us know how it works out for you, though.

  • Fori
    11 years ago

    Are the boxes not plywood? That's what failed--not your fabulous drawer. Good to hear the reps are trying to fix it for you though.

  • CEFreeman
    11 years ago

    Compressed wood and epoxy.

    They didn't mention the compressed wood was ... pieces of wood and sawdust held together with epoxy?

    Hun, your drawers are fine. It's the cabinet material that couldn't hold the screws. Note the missing chunk is still probably attached to the screw.

    You need a cabinet replacement, and more heavy duty drawer glides.

    I don't see how this would necessitate "working with" Brookhaven. You were sold something that couldn't support what they sold you! Probably an oversight on many people's part. But that does not mean you have to give up your fabulous drawers.

    Christine
    Mother of many, many 36" wide drawers, who would love 42"ers.

  • williamsem
    11 years ago

    Oh no! I hope your dishes are all ok. I love your kitchen, I hope you figure out a solution that makes you just as happy.

    If you'll excuse me, I have to run off to ask about my 30 inch pot/pan drawers. Those All Clad pans are heavy suckers!

  • go_figure01
    11 years ago

    Oh a2!!! feeling so bad for you. never over...but now you will come up w/a better solution I am sure. hang in there. and do let us know what you decided.
    Your kitchen is gorgeous!

  • badgergal
    11 years ago

    When I saw the title of your post I expected to hear that one of your culinary efforts turned out poorly. What a shock to read that your favorite 42 inch drawer/cabinet had a serious failure. So sorry to hear this happened. Keeping my fingers crossed that it can be resolved without too much hassle. If they can fix the side wall and retrofit 2 drawers, I think it would look fine to just do that for the middle drawer and leave the bottom one 42 inches wide.
    It's just so maddening when you think you've asked all the right questions and have been told what you believe is true information and then find out it wasn't correct. Hope you don't lose too much sleep over this. As has been said on more than one occasion on this forum a glass or two of wine might help you get through this.

  • michoumonster
    11 years ago

    oh, so sorry to hear. i guess the good news is that since your cabs are brand new, they should still be under warranty, right?
    how about adding another 42" inner drawer on top of the other drawer to split the weight?

    something like this?

  • a2gemini
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Michoumonster - great handle for this time of year - I am putting together a small halloween dinner on Sunday. The GC put humpty dumpty together again for the party. I thought about your idea but I was splitting the distance evenly and that wouldn't work as the bowls wouldn't stack. I like the split that you have - I think it might be perfect solution.
    Can you send some measurements - I need to offload about 30 lbs into the top part of the drawer. Can you please send me the measurement for the drawer clearances from the floor of the drawer to the "frame" of the cab for the upper glide and the clearance from the drawer bottom to inset drawer. I will then measure my stacks to see if it will work.

    Deedles - thank for your support

    Williamsem - believe it or not, I think all of the dishes survived - that is the good news - as they are no longer made in the US (not sure if still made overseas)

    GoFigure - Thanks and hoping for a solution

    Badger - thanks! I can't remember if you have any 42 inch drawers. I almost made the name of the post Blow Out but then thought everyone would think there was a great bargain in the post.

    CEFreeman - guess that is what happens when multi-tasking - between new job, helping DM long distance with her health problems and DD passing, and planning a kitchen, somehow, I thought the boxes were plywood - oops.... Now KD claims stronger than plywood as plywood has a lot of give and tends to warp.
    Glad you want 42s - there may be an answer to this...

    Thanks for your support.

    Thanks

  • meganmca
    11 years ago

    If you're undermount, can't you just add another pair? 75 lbs per PAIR, so 150 lbs for 2 pairs? It's not like you don't have the width for it--I've never done this, I always use side mount in my projects because they hold more weight, but it'd be worth asking Brookhaven if it's impossible!

    Plywood/Wood/Other stuff strength: It all depends on your definition of "stronger". The non-plywoods (MDF, particle board, etc.) are all known to be lousy at holding fasteners, but work well for being a structural piece.

    A screw holding a drawer slide is, of course, holding a fastener, and that's what died on you, not the drawer slide itself.

    I'm still trying to get my brain around anyone in the industry not realizing that the drawer slide ratings wouldn't include the weight of the drawer, that's just weird...

    Stabilizing the screws--is there room on the other side of that not-plywood divider to put some...real wood, and you use longer screws that go through the slide, then through the not-plywood & then bite nice & strongly into the real wood? Unless you use every cm of height of the drawer below?

  • Donaleen Kohn
    11 years ago

    A2Gemini.. I showed this to my DH, who builds cabinets. He said he is amazed that anyone would build a high end kitchen cabinet from press board because press board doesn't hold screws for shi*t. And if you do use pressboard, you certainly need to use more screws to distribute the stress.

    We are having a couple of 42 inch drawers. The cabinet carcass will be made from 3/4 inch birch multi layer no void ply. And that won't fail even if it gets wet, which can happen in a kitchen.

    so sorry this happened to you.

  • pharaoh
    11 years ago

    Particles board, or whatever else marketing calls it these days, cannot hold screws in tension.

    Use more screws and pray or insist on plywood boxes when they replace it.

  • chiefneil
    11 years ago

    I wouldn't really say that the screws were in tension, this is more like a shearing (sideways) force. There are special screws you use for MDF, but presumably those were used since this is a professional cabinet company.

    More screws would've probably avoided the failure - I'm surprised they spaced the screws so far apart on such a large drawer with a heavy-duty glide.

    In other news, I'm impressed that the drawer bottom can hold so much weight. I would've expected any failure to occur there.

  • drbeanie2000
    11 years ago

    Ack!

    Off to weigh the contents of my 48" drawers....

  • andreak100
    11 years ago

    They're not plywood! Hmmm, I'm actually pretty surprised that they aren't plywood.

    Anyway, I'm not convinced that it's an issue of the drawer, but rather the construction of the side walls of your cabinet. Can the company do plywood side cabinets for the wide drawers for you?

    Do they have to pull your countertop or are they able to replace the cabinet a different way?

    A2G, I've been just sick about this for you. Your beautiful kitchen...and this happens.

  • a2gemini
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks for all of your support. I usually over think and over investigate everything before taking a plunge but heard lots of good things on Brookhaven and 2 friends have BH and have been very pleased (and one has 42 inch drawers). I just have to wonder how I spent a fortune on these cabinets....
    The good news - the drawers are dovetail construction and appear to be wood...

    I have been beating myself up but in reality, the KD should have alerted me and then BH should have red flagged - someone getting a 42 inch drawer with peg board inserts - gee, what do you think I might put in this drawer.

    I think the important thing is the learning experience and hopefully, someone else will be spared the pain from my mistakes.

    Andrea - I am not sure how they fix - and Chiefneil - another thought about weight - ahhh

    Beanie - 48 inches!!! Wow - what do you have in those drawers - I am pretty sure BH had a 42 inch limit.

    Andrea - I am not sure how they do this - BH is supposed to come out - but I haven't set a date.

    Donna - I might have to hire your DH to build some cabinets for the rest of the house...

    Stay tuned...

  • lwerner
    11 years ago

    Like some of the others, I think the problem was just too few screws holding the drawer glides to the side walls. Particle board (or whatever that is) has its good points like stability, but it doesn't hold screws nearly as well as plywood and solid hardwood do. The contractor and/or kitchen designer should have specified more screws than that.

    If I were fixing that I'd put in a lot more screws. In the drawers I installed under my garage workbench to store heavy power tools, I drilled extra holes in the drawer glides so I'd have more places to put screws. (In that case the drawers were particle board, so I needed more screws on the drawer side of the glides too.) I ended up with them just a couple inches apart, and with two rows in the front where it gets the most stress.

    I doubt your drawer glides are the problem. But if they are, you can buy super heavy duty ones. These guys are probably overkill at $79 apiece, but they're rated at 500 lbs! I bought mine at Home Depot for a lot less, though mine are only rated for 100 or 200 lb.

    Bottom line: There should be lots of options for fixing your wonderful drawers. I'm interested in how it turns out, because I'm planning at least one set of 36" drawers in my new kitchen.

    Laura

  • colin3
    11 years ago

    Re "I have Bluhmotion glides and the heavy duty glides are side mount and not bottom mount, so would need new drawers at minimum."

    I don't think that's true. If you look at the brochure, (http://www.blum.com/us/en/01/30/10/) the tandem Blumotion 563 series is rated at 100 lbs. and the 569 series at 150 lbs. They are *both* bottom mount, and the dimensions look similar.

    I built a bunch of cabinets with these last year and would suggest the 569 for this drawer.

    And just to chime in with the others, the cabinet sides should have been made of cabinet-grade plywood, which is quite stable in a well-made carcase. Particle board in that application is asking for trouble.

    It sounds like your KD is BSing you.

  • a2gemini
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    lwerner - thanks - I agree more screws are necessary - The KD is going to have the GC add more screws when he returns from his trip and absorb the bill.

    colin3 - I found the both of them. The 563 drops to 75 lbs in full extension (I think that is what I saw)569 - it looks like it is available in both under mount and side mount and is soft close. It is rated for 150 but I think it drops to 100 in the full extension - I would come in about 105-110, so in the range - but the key is the side wall of the cabinet.

    I am going to try to have it switched to cabinet grade plywood and go for the 569. If they won't switch it out to plywood - then will probably use Michoumonster idea to spread the weight. I might even do that regardless - I think everything will fit - MM - if you can send me the depth of the 2 drawers, that would be helpful - thanks

    Again - I appreciate all of the support. DH is just tolerating it - but I know he wants to say something like - How could you not realize this would not work! -He is an engineer and a bit on the OCD side.

    So - any one with 42 inch drawers - do you have plywood sides to the cabinet? Thanks

  • doc8404
    11 years ago

    "So - any one with 42 inch drawers - do you have plywood sides to the cabinet?"

    Yes, of course. My cab sides are plywood and my 42" drawers are HEAVY but slide just fine and are sturdy as hell. I loaded them up to the brim with my good dishes.

    I understand you are going to ask for plywood. I suggest you demand it.

    Just to reiterate some of the previous posters: Pressboard is a cheaper and far less strong material as you found out. Whoever said it was stronger than plywood is ill-informed or an idiot.

    Pressboard does not hold regular screws well at all - the pic you presented is all proof you need. Yes, there are specialty fasteners for pressboard but I can tell from the hole left behind the cabinetmaker did not use them.

    Going to the 569 will not help you if you screw it into that cheap pressboard.Your slide didn't fail, the "wood" did.

    Do the right thing for yourself and have that cabinet rebuilt properly and reinstalled. Yes, it's a PITA and will hit the budget. But, do you really want to worry every time you look at the drawer that it may fail?

    How much will it cost to replace your dishes when the pressboard fails again?

    Plywood Plywood Plywood.

    Good luck
    Doc

  • caryscott
    11 years ago

    It's the material that failed, though that kind of failure would suggest that the weight wasn't well distributed. Frameless construction is the standard here in Canada and from high end to low and particleboard (of varying qualities and thicknesses) is the standard and preferred construction material for this style of cabinetry. It has real advantages in relation to stability and the uniformity of the surface. I certainly doesn't hold screws like plywood - any ANSI rating would show that but the screw didn't fail or lose hold of the material it was embedded in the material around it gave way. Better support (better distribution of the force to multiple support points) probably would have prevented this and the overlapping layers in plywood would certainly make it far less likely to fail under that amount of weight. With a lot of frameless lines I think the drawer bases top out at 30" wide like Ikea (if I recall correctly) - this may be one of the reasons why. I'm sure there is a workable solution.

  • Donaleen Kohn
    11 years ago

    This is not YOUR fault. You paid people to do this work. They chose the materials. They chose the design. They made the mistake. They need to fix it.

    And, as other said, the drawer slide did not fail. The pressboard failed.

  • secondhalf
    11 years ago

    A2 - I am so sorry this happens and I would echo the comments saying you should demand plywood. I was literally minutes away from ordering these exact Brookhaven cabinets in spite of my misgivings about the MDF. I was repeatedly reassured the MDF is superior. Then, in the middle of writing up the final contract at the showroom, I got up to look inside the display to decide on a pullout issue.....and the DISPLAY had a crack in the sidewall. The KD fell all over explaining that "would of course be replaced if it happened in a real kitchen." Well, I wasn't going to have it happen at all in my kitchen. I walked out and went with another company. They MUST know these things happen as these two examples can't be the only ones. if they knew you were using this as a dish drawer they should have recommended the stronger sidewall. Otherwise, they sold you a product that was not fit to serve the purpose and they should replace with an appropriate material (plywood) so you aren't dealing with this down the road 10 years from now. They charge so much and tell you the product is superior....this should never have happened. Again, that is so unfair to you and we all want to see you get back your excitement for your new kitchen. You should feel absolutely justified in expecting plywood replacements and they would be foolish not to as this is not good public relations for them.

  • drbeanie2000
    11 years ago

    At the moment, my two 48" drawers have cookware in them in a single layer. Quite a hodge-podge of cookware - old Chantal stuff, a Calphalon stock pot, some cheapie small pans.

    The cabinets are Elmwood - Canadian. I'll have to check the glides and see what they are and what they're rated for. Right now I'm trying to think of a good way to weigh it all! I wish I had a mechanical scale but I'm not sure the digital will be as good. I guess I could stand on it and have DH load me up with a few pots at a time and figure out how much heavier it registers with those items.

  • a2gemini
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Donnalean and secondhalf - you both said my thoughts so well - Unfortunately, I didn't see the crack coming but I will insist on fixing it correctly with plywood!
    Secondhalf - what did you end up purchasing?

    On a positive note, I hosted dinner tonight with a Halloween flare.
    Eyeball appetizers (easier to type than the french version)
    Ghostly beef stew - did it on my induction and it was perfect! (What turned it into ghostly - I piped mashed potatoes on top and added peas for eyes)
    Bloody "cheese" cake -Pomegranate reduction sauce on top of a Greek yogurt/cheese cake
    And a few other ghostly treats :-)

    The guests loved the kitchen. One said it was the prettiest and most functional kitchen she ever saw - I did fess up about the avalanche later....

    It was nice to take my mind off the problem - but exhausted from 2 days of shopping/cooking!

    drbeanie - definitely check the glides, sidewalls, and total weight of that drawer - I did discover that my arm spread is about 40 inches - so I have to stretch to release the levers under the drawer.... I am betting yours is a 2 person operation.

    Bee - if you see this - I wanted to borrow your Saran wrap for our new table - one guest put her glass on the table right away - I politely said that is was still curing...

    Stay tuned. I am teaching all day tomorrow but will try to sneak a call to the KD.

    Thank for all of your support!

  • fouramblues
    11 years ago

    Oh, no! I've been away for a while, and stopped in to, among other things, check for your pics. And THIS is what I see instead. I'm so sad for you! You did all the research, and everything looks perfect! Sadly you were given the wrong information, and now have to deal with more turmoil. Hang in there and stick to your guns! I'm glad the party was a hit, though -- probably a nice boost to your spirits!

  • ci_lantro
    11 years ago

    Using more screws is just putting a Bandaid on a hemorrhage.

    As others have said, the particle board sidewalls are the problem.

    One possible 'fix' would be to cut away the back of the cabinet (oscillating multi-tool) and attach plywood to the wall (nailing or screwing it to the studs)...

    The attach drawer slide 'rear mounting brackets' to the plywood with drawer slides matched appropriately to the load. 100# and 150# side mount slides are readily available.

    The critical thing is the side clearance req'd for the slides. Most side mount slides require 1/2'' plus a tad per side. Measure your drawer and then measure the opening in your cab so you'll know how much space you have to work with.

    NO WAY would I compromise by splitting the space between 2 cabinets or 2 side x side drawers. You'll lose A LOT of storage space and then you're entering into the crap shoot of 'Will the finish on the new drawers match the rest of my cabinets?'

    For anyone else out there wondering if it's 'worth it' to upgrade to plywood construction, I think you have your answer.

    Notice that no one ever seems to nail particle board up to protect windows ahead of a hurricane.

  • a2gemini
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Four - yup, so disappointed!

    Ci lantro - guess that is what happens when you are too trusting.

    So, I went to the pitcher's mound, wound up and threw a hardball at the KD.

    I told her about all of the support that I received and the problems identified - then said - get Brookhaven out here to replace the cabinet with a plywood box and Blum 569 glides.

    The ball is now in her court - stay tuned.
    Thanks

  • bmorepanic
    11 years ago

    I don't know - it seems to be a combination of things. Particle board v. plywood, but also the glide weight rating and the way the drawer itself is made.

    I certainly agree about using plywood sides - but then everyone knows I'm a plywood head. I also agree that you need 100 to 150 lbs slides. Blum also makes those in under mount glides.

    Storing heavy dishes across a long drawer will "rack" the drawer - particularly using unbalanced loads (the left front corner has a lot more weight than the rest of the drawer but its closely followed by the entire front edge). Racking means the drawer itself twists or bends out of shape - usually putting a lot more pressure in one place. Always hard to tell in photos, but it looks like the left front fastener failed somewhat indicating the same thing (drawer sinking towards the front).

    The drawer itself may need to be built "stronger" than say a 30" drawer because a 42" drawer is more prone to twisting - the longer the piece of wood, the easier it is to deform it. A lot of drawer sides are kinda overbuilt, but sometimes, the drawer bottom is skimped on. Plus I'm pretty sure it should have a stabilizer bar or two across the drawer width. Those bars are usually found under the visible drawer bottom but are easily seen by looking under the drawer if its out of the cabinet. The "bar" can be a flat piece of wood - its just an expression.

    They help prevent the drawer bottom from warping due to weight by providing extra stiffness to the drawer bottom. That helps spread load a little. The stiffness helps prevent racking so both sides of the drawer travel at the same time.

    It may be that once the maker has one of their engineers look at it, they'll refuse to replace it in its current size. You could get stubborn about it with a lawyer maybe - you have a warranty after all. But it might take a long time and get nasty - possibly involving suing the place that sold these as well as the manufacturer.

    If you don't want to push that hard, a suggestion is to get a 33-36" cabinet with heavy duty glides and combine with a 6-9" base pullout, tray cabinet, pull out towel holder or single column of wine storage. In practical terms, that means the pitchers get stored elsewhere OR the white dishes find a new home depending on the size of the additional cabinet you choose.

  • hobokenkitchen
    11 years ago

    I am so sorry this happened to your beautifully organized drawer, but I'm grateful you posted about it.
    I measured and our longest bank of drawers is 39". I need to call our cabinet maker and double check the weight limits on ours. Thanks for bringing this to our attention and I hope you get your sorted out!

  • a2gemini
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Definitely a learning experience for all of us!
    Thanks and good suggestions.
    I am thinking if I can't do the drawer as is, I can still do the inset drawer to offload the weight.

  • michoumonster
    11 years ago

    A2gemini, sorry just saw your post!. The pic i posted is not of my cabinets but something i found on the internet ( i just ordered my cabinets yesterday). Hope you were able to find a solution! I do know you can buy heavy duty glides rated for more weight that might help too.

  • michoumonster
    11 years ago

    A2, I wanted to add, in my current kitchen i have a 30" drawer stack (non plywood) where my middle dish drawer started caving. Apparently the steam from my dishwasher was warping the side of the cabinet and the weight of the dishes over time worsened it. but it was an easy, cheap fix of adding more screws into the side to make the glide more stable. and you can also buy a steel bracket to reinforce the weight. The drawer operates as good as new now, and i can take a pic for you if you like-- But since your cabs are new, there should be a cleaner nicer solution for you!

  • CEFreeman
    11 years ago

    I get the impression that supperior/strong and stable are being confused. MDF is more stable. However, as far as strength and being able to hold screws? [snort]

    You do not have to settle for cutting out the interior of your NEW cabinets. You don't have to settle for "as good as" what you have. I definately would take a look at the bottom of the drawers for stablization bars. Racking is definiately problematic.

    I do have my lovely 36" drawers -- and can uncomfortably reach the releases myself, but would love bigger. I really don't need them, and would probably end up dividing them into 2, 21" drawers. The ironic thing is that you could keep the same drawer front and both would open at the same time. Just like having a very big drawer with a divider in the middle. Just a thought.

    Brookhaven makes lovely cabinets. Your kitchen is lovely.
    I'm thrilled with you having such a great party -- and now the angst about someone setting something down has been addressed. Right? [LOL]

  • a2gemini
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Michoumonster. Great idea I am hopeful that I can get it worked out but do plan on reinforcing screws to be added to the other drawers.
    If you have time, please post a picture. Thanks

    Cf - thanks for your support and ideas. I will check for reinforcement on the drawer itself.

    Great idea to use have the two drawers with a single front. I think the only downside would be needing 4 arms to release the double drawers.
    I can just barely reach the 42 drawer releases and usually taks a few tries.

    As far a the party- first guest found the brand new cherry table with her glass- I politely moved it over and said the wood was still curing(which is true).
    After that everything was great. The beef stew cooked on the induction was my best stew ever(albeit messier than a crock but easy to clean up). I piped mashed potatoes on top with peas for eyeballs on the ghosts. The popovers in the new oven looked like golden ghosts- I put a bit too much batter in the pans- shades of I Love Lucy. But they weee so cute. The no bake yogurt cheese cake was pretty good and the guests said it was better than a standard cheese cake.
    The themes appetizers were a hit- eyeballs, lizard eggs, slivered bones, red blood cells, pus and blood, etc.
    ok slivered almonds, dries cherries, roasted red pepper hummus with paprika on top.
    I wish I had taken pictures.
    At least it took my mind off of the kitchen!

    Usual iPhone predictive text errors.

    No word back from KD or Brookhaven. I know KD is off today and Monday, so don't expect to hear from her til next week.

  • michoumonster
    11 years ago

    a2, I just pulled out my drawer to take some pics, but i think there may not be much exciting or new to see here. But anyway, here are some pics of my cab fix. basically, my DH put in extra screws in some new spots. a total of 4 screws hold up the glide on either side, but the glide actually has places for much more. and it has been working just fine now. also, i think DH added this support brace all across in the back too which is right under the glides. probably steel would be stronger and thinner so better since it eats up a little space in the lower drawer. HTH!


  • a2gemini
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Mich- thanks for the pictures. I will show GC and KD - we need to reinforce other drawers to prevent the problem in the future.

    Also - I did check the bottom of the long drawers - It has several "thwarts" on the bottom to reinforce the drawer.

  • a2gemini
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Talked with KD today - Brookhaven wll replace the cabinet with a plywood box.
    Monday, the Blum rep will verify the 569 glides will work with the drawer - stay tuned and thanks for giving me the confidence to say FIX!

  • Donaleen Kohn
    11 years ago

    That's great news.

  • williamsem
    11 years ago

    Yay!

  • drake64
    11 years ago

    Hope it works out.

    I am not a cabinet maker but I have had to spread out stress on airplanes.

    Im not sure plywood will solve the problem. Plywood plus more fasteners might. A metal insert that you screw into would probably work. If the plywood does not work try a hockeypuck size piece of aluminum or steel. cut a pocket for the hockey puck to fit, glue it in place then tap the screw into the metal. Problem is to much force on a screw going into particle board. Thats a lot of weight on one small screw. Its fixable dont give up the drawer!

  • a2gemini
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Drake- sorry, I missed your post.

    Here is the update - a Catch 22!

    Brookhaven will replace the cabinet - but getting the old one out and a new in its place causes all sorts of problems.

    So far, they sent our GC back to reinforce all of the other drawers with additional screws etc at no cost to us.

    Then, they are remaking our big drawer and it will have an inner drawer similar to Michoumonster(might have messed up the spelling). I did calculations and can put as much or more in the 2 layer system with lesser used items on the top. The drawer front will be a facade covering both.

    I believe we are also putting the heavier duty Blum glides on the large drawer.

    I will make sure they fix the broken area and will print out your recommendation

    Thanks!

  • brickeyee
    11 years ago

    Probably longer screws and all metal (ball bearing) type guides.

    None of the plastic type ones hold up well near their weight ratings, especially at 75+ pounds of loading.

    This is more like Accuride territory.

  • detroit_burb
    11 years ago

    how about having them replace the heavy wood drawer with a lighter tandembox and reapply the face?

  • caitlinmagner
    11 years ago

    glad you are getting a good resolution from brookhaven. I am considering using them too, so you've given me lots to consider.

  • a2gemini
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Brickeye - They added longer screws (limited by the cabinet size) and more of them so far on all of the other drawers.

    Detroit burb - If this fails - I will look into the Tandembox route - but my plates alone weigh in at 75 lbs(includes all of the dishes), so splitting the weight might be OK
    Where in the Detroit burb are you located? I am sure you can figure out my location!

    Ketten - Thanks - overall, they look great - I have friends that have them in their kitchen for over 10 years and they still look great - so there is hope!

  • Jfay
    11 years ago

    a2gemini- Sorry about your problem and I really hope it gets resolved to your increased satisfaction.

    I recently got a quote on Brookhaven cabinets and I too want to put dishes as well as pots and pans in large drawers. After this would you recommend them? Is there something different I would have to do in order to prevent this problem? (other than not using drawers because that's not an option)

    I really appreciate you posting about your problem. It may help prevent a similar heartbreak to someone else.

  • kmmh
    11 years ago

    How is the new fix holding up?

  • a2gemini
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Jfay - I missed your post.
    The cabinets are nice but I don't know how to compare to others. I would look at custom in your area - I hear it is not much different in price.

    kmmh - Still waiting - the temp fix is holding - I should have the new drawers soon.

    Thanks for asking