Blum drawer slides worth it on retrofit?

[Michael Seifert]

We currently have completely custom kitchen drawers and cabinets with cheap side mounted slides that need to be replaced. We want a high end feel both for our own pleasure and for resale and the Blum Tandem plus Blumotion seems the most raved about.

Cabinets are panel install (flush on sides to face frame) with overlay front. The drawers have 9/16" thick sides and have 1/2" clearance between drawer side and cabinet (left to right). Bottom recess is 3/8" (instead of the 1/2" Blum asks for). There is no back to the cabinet to work with (open to the wall).

Making the Blum work in this retrofit will therefore take some work:


The drawers are 22" deep - I've been told I can use the 21" Blum slides if I mount them and the locking device one inch back.
To make side to side opening work, I'd have to install blocking of 5/32" on either side of the frame (e.g. 26 1/8" opening minus 9/16" = 25 9/16" outside drawer width. Actual outside width is 25 1/4" which is off by 5/16" total or 5/32" on either side)
To make the 3/8" bottom recess work, I am hoping to do nothing - presuming this will raise the drawers 1/8" up. The drawer overlay fronts have 1/2" of overlap to the cabinet face, so this should be no issue.


First, will retrofitting for the Blum undermounts be straightforward or am I asking for a nightmare? While I am not a cabinetmaker, I have a shop with a planer and enough tools to be dangerous.

Second, (in your opinion) is going for the Blum Blumotion worth all the work? Based on much reading, none of the other brand soft close solutions seem worth the risk.

Lastly, for my situation (Blum 563H), would the more expensive BT51.1901 locking devices (offering side to side adjustment) be important? Or is the cheaper BT51.1801 sufficient /recommended for my installation?

Thanks for your input.

[Thomas S Stockton]

What I would do is to try doing one as a trial. The first one is going to be the hardest and involve the most thinking and experimenting.
If this works well do the others. I find the slides much easier to install and more forgiving than side mount full extension slides.
I generally use regular locking devices but if you're worried about side to side adjustment buy the more expensive ones.
Shop around for the slides A and H turf has good prices so do others, the large mail order places can be really expensive.
Tom

[Sam Murdoch]

Thomas' idea to do a trial is the best approach BUT - I would not hesitate to use these Accurides soft close slides -

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These are perfectly good slides that won't require you to rework the drawers or the cabinets (if I correctly understand your description of the existing condition). Remember you drawer bottom needs to be set up 1/2" from the bottom of the drawer sides to use the Blums- among other considerations.

If your kitchen draws work well you aren't going to sell your house faster or for more money because you've installed Accurides soft close rather than Blum Tandems with Blumotion.

[Michael Seifert]

Remember you drawer bottom needs to be set up 1/2" from the bottom of the drawer sides to use the Blums

It's hard to believe, but I missed that one detail. This of course would require remounting all the fronts down a half inch...

Some Amazon reviews have said the Accuride soft close mechanism is sub-par. But I will reconsider. Thanks for the input.

[Todd Burch]

The self closing Blum slides I have used require the drawer box to be made around them. There are special notches, and holes, and jigs for these things that are required. A nice side mount slide might be the best retrofit you can do. (I don't recall the model #s I have used, so if you are already talking about side mount slides, ignore this).

[Moses Yoder]

If I was doing it I would use the Blumotion slides and build new drawer boxes to the specs. I would use the rear mount brackets for the slides instead of trying to attach the slides to the sides; it is not clear whether you have clearance from the inside edge of the stile to the side; I assume you do. I guarantee that whoever actually uses the kitchen will love you for it. Yes, the Accuride side mount soft close is fine if your cabinet and drawer are built perfectly square and to exactly the right size. With the rear mount brackets on the blum there is plenty of fudge room. On the Blum you can give the drawer a little bump with your hip and it will roll back smooth and silent until the soft close catches and pulls it shut. Not so with the side mount Accurides, at least not in my experience; it does not roll back, you have to push it.

[Sam Murdoch]

If I was doing it I would use the Blumotion slides and build new drawer boxes to the specs. I would use the rear mount brackets for the slides instead of trying to attach the slides to the sides;

+ 1 - This is the best advice - for all the right reasons if you are up to the expense and time of making or ordering new drawers.

[Robert LaPlaca]

If I was doing it I would use the Blumotion slides and build new drawer boxes to the specs. I would use the rear mount brackets for the slides instead of trying to attach the slides to the sides

I did exactly what Moses outlined for all the drawers in our current home.. The drawer box has to be exactly sized to the opening using Blum's parameters.. Also used the rear mounted brackets.. LOML was delighted with the change...

Not so sure if I had to do the project again I would undertake dovetailing 21 kitchen drawers by hand, but hey I got lots of practice and really enjoyed working with soft maple..

[Michael Seifert]

Just a final follow-up. I did one drawer as a trial as recommended. It was not a big deal and worked without a hitch. Most importantly, the satisfaction factor with the Blum is very high. I ordered the rest of the slides and will be finishing the job soon.

Thanks everyone for your input.