There are several ways that drawer construction is can be done today, which is quite different from the ways drawers were made 50 years ago!
Drawers come in many pieces of furniture, correct?
Yes, we mostly think of drawers in bedroom furniture, but there are also drawer options in end tables as well as accent cabinets.
What is the most common drawer construction used today?
Depending on where the furniture is made, drawer construction will vary. Imports look for the lowest cost option for construction. Many drawers will be the 4 sides, stapled together and then screwed to the drawer front, like this…….
Is this stapled process a good system?
It is ok, if you don’t stuff the drawers full as that could push the stapled system apart.
What construction would be better?
In most of the American products, they will use these finger joints which will hold the drawer together for many years! This is the style that has been used for many years, but definitely is more costly to manufacture. Notice the drawer front is actually part of the box construction!
Are there other differences, such as the size of the drawer itself?
Yes, that it one of the biggest differences. A quality construction will have a deeper drawer where the sides are as tall as the front. Notice that the drawer will also be wider, and is made to fit into the hole side to side and top to bottom, giving you a large storage area.
Manufacturers who overlap the front of the drawer hole with a piece of wood, can make the drawer more narrow as well as shorter on the sides. The front covers it all!
Why do they do that over-lapping piece?
It is cost effective….lower labor cost, lower finishing cost and mostly, less wood used, so again, lower costs. In one chest of drawers, they might save 3-4 linear feet, and that is a big dollar savings!
Wow, it is an easy thing to overlook when purchasing a piece with drawers!
Yes, especially in bedrooms, since storage is usually what you are wanting!