I've just returned a whole case of the KV soft-close side mount. It was the first time I'd tried them. I was trying to buy American made goods. These things didn't close the drawers properly. The KV glides don't even have enough force to pull themselves closed when you hold one in your hand in a vertical position. That was all the testing I needed; no way were these things ever going to pull an actual drawer closed. So, I'm at the will call counter at the distributor to get my money back, and another cabinetmaker looks at what I have. He asks, "Why do you use those?" Then he tells me about how the Blum soft close are the only ones he would ever use. Blum invented the soft close feature, has the best patent, and is clearly the industry leader.

Accuride used to be the best choice for regular side mount full extension ball bearing glides. They've been around as long as I can remember. Unfortunately, Accuride has let quality fall off these days. I started finding defective ones in every case. The defect is a weakness in the plastic retaining clip that releases the glide from the housing. The plastic can break easily, and then the drawer can pull out too far. One of my distributors discontinued accuride. They cross reference all parts to Fulturer or KV. I had been using Fulturer with no problems. Side by side with Accuride, you can tell the Fulturer is a better product.

So, in conclusion: Blum is the way to go for soft close glides. Fulturer is a good utilitarian full extension glide, better than Accuride for the same price. KV makes good heavy duty glides for drawers over 100 pounds.

If you have narrow cabinets with deep drawers, bottom mount may give you more drawer space. Wider cabinets with several shallower drawers utilize more drawer space with side mount glides.

@aidan - Thank you! I'm going to print this out and give it to my cabinet maker tomorrow.

Do you know a specific model number for the Blum ones?

He brought a sample drawer on Saturday with KV side mounted soft closing glides installed. Boy was it hard to open AND close. Took three pushes. He said he'd try the Accuride or a German made one (can't recall the name) and bring another sample on Monday.

Someone suggested Grass and Hafele as good brands. Do you have any experience with those?

Starting to wonder if I should just forego the self-closing feature :(

If you want the self-closing feature on a side-mount glide, only use Blum.

I usually just use regular full extension side mount's. Fulturer is my normal brand. They are better quality then accuride, which is their direct competitor. For self closing or soft closing, I've used the undermount style with no problems, but only ever Blum and Grass.

Why can't your cabinetmaker use Blum? My distributors carry all brands, I can't think of a reason he wouldn't be able to do the same. Maybe your cabinetmaker needs a new supplier. I go through MacMurray Pacific or EB Bradley.

aidan - Thank you again for all the info! He did go to EB Bradley and another supplier that he uses (can't recall the name) and said they didn't carry the Blum self-closing side mounted glides. ????

Would you happen to know the part/model number that he would ask for?

He is really accomodating but I can't believe how much research "I" am having to do - not so much with him - except for this issue, but so many other contractors as well. I thought they were supposed to be the experts?

Anyway ... I do sincerely appreciate the help and info! Don't know what I'd do without the wealth of knowledge from GW'ers.

Well I called Blum directly today and they do not make a side mount self-closing glide.

Sorry for the misinformation: Blum only makes the undermount soft close. They invented that.

The side mount soft close was invented by another company, G-Slide. They hold the original patent on that.

G-Slide only makes the side mount kind. Blum only makes the undermount kind. Neither company makes the other kind as they are the leaders, not the competitors. The other manufacturers like Accuride and KV got into the game later, and have inferior copies of the real ones.

I've come to the conclusion that the side mount soft close glides will always be problemmatic on Euro style faceframeless cabinetry. If you read the instructions carefully, you must allow EXACTLY 1 and 1/16" of clearance. Not the usual tolerance of 1" to 1 and 1/16" for side-mounts. With the outer glide mounted directly to the inside of the cabinet case, there is no room for play. If the cabinets have face frames, the outer glide mounts at the front with a face frame bracket and at the rear to the back of the cabinet. The middle section is suspended, and that allows a bit of play as the drawer travels.

Side mount soft close work with face frame cabinets. Euro-style cabinets will always be problemmatic. G-Slide makes the best of that kind. G-Slide 4070 soft close is the model number. MacMurray Pacific carries that one. EB Bradley does not carry a side mount soft close that I would want to use.

BlackChamois,

See my post in case it provides you additional info:

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/wood/msg011255132139.html?2