There are many ways to make a drawer, however, not all drawers are created equal. If you are shopping for furniture or cabinets, you should read this before you spend your hard-earned money.

Drawer joints in order of strength

dovetails
The best cajons are made with English Dovetails on the front and back. There are two types of dovetail joints. First, classic English dovetails, visible from the side of the drawer, second, hidden, also known as blind French dovetails (slide up from the bottom). What distinguishes this gasket is that when pressure is applied to the drawer front, it tends to tighten because the male part of the gasket installed on the drawer front is not parallel and tightens with pressure.

box seals
It can be a very effective joint when done carefully to use close tolerances. Similar in appearance to the dovetail, except that the sides of the joint are parallel.

tongue and groove
Similar to a blind French dovetail but open on one side. This joint is easier to make, however it is not as strong as the previous type of joint.

Butt joint
The butt joint is simply the side of the drawer flush with the drawer front and back and attached with some type of glue, nails, staples, screws, or cam fasteners (Ikea-type self-assembly). It is not generally considered a good joint unless it is securely assembled with glue and pressure is applied while the glue sets. Many pieces considered folk art or primitive pieces use this simple method of caisson construction.

glue makes a difference

Proper use of the correct type and proper application of glue can mitigate many joint deficiencies. Today’s glues are much stronger and more durable than the old adhesives. Most glues require constant pressure from some method of fastening in order for the glued joints to achieve maximum strength. Without that pressure, 90% of the force can be lost. That pressure can be achieved by using clamps or stables to hold the joint together until the glue has set. Staples by themselves are not essentially joints.

drawer systems
My God, thousands of different systems to open and close a drawer!

Before the 1940s, virtually all drawers, regardless of quality, simply slid into an opening in a support structure. That support structure or box sometimes had a panel between the drawers to prevent dust from entering the cabinet from the suction created by opening the drawer or dust created by the action of the wood rubbing against the wood. This is a very difficult way to fit a drawer that requires manual tightening of the drawer box in the box and often results in sticking in humid weather.

To save time in production, a central lumber guide system was invented. Better quality production would use the bottom of the drawer above to prevent the drawer from falling out and some manual adjustment was still required to get a drawer that opened smoothly. The central guide system allows a space between the drawer box and the side of the box and the centering of the space. This reduces labor by a significant factor.

In the 1960s a new system was invented that attached a plastic clip to the back of the drawer to prevent it from falling out. The plastic would slide smoothly but I had a big problem. The problem was that the plastic would deteriorate and over time any downward pressure would break the slide.

The next innovation was the European-style side catch roller system. These systems have many advantages. When installed correctly, they will provide years of trouble-free operation. They work with a double nylon wheel system that interlocks and rolls on a track. The innovation that speeds up the production of the installation is that the wheel is captured on the track on one side only, giving approximately 1/8″ wiggle room on the other side.

At about the same time, “Ball Bearing Systems” came into operation. These are the best type of slide with weight capacities up to 100lbs. Upgrades available on this type of slide include earthquake stops, full extension up to 110%, side or concealed under mounting, and soft or self-closing drawers.