Installation Guide
Base Mounting
Whether it's attaching your sliding shelf on the floor of the cabinet or on top of an existing Full Shelf, the Base mount is the easiest of all the installation methods.
For a full shelf installation you should have two "L" shaped brackets on each cabinet slide. The wheeled end of the cabinet part of the slide is the front. Set the slides onto the existing shelf or cabinet base at the approximate width of the sliding shelf. Engage the shelf slides into the cabinet slides by setting the wheeled end of the shelf slide over the wheeled end of the cabinet slide. The most important side to get in place is the right side. You can always slip the left side into place after getting the right side in properly. Insert the shelf fully into the cabinet and align the front of the shelf to be square with the cabinet front and have the proper set back. The proper set back depends on your cabinet depth but it is usually about 1/2" to 3/4" back from the inside edge of the cabinet face frame. Get your screwdriver ready! When you have the shelf adjusted press down slightly and slide the shelf forward just far enough to expose the rear brackets. Insert a screw in one of the slots in the right rear bracket. Use the hole that goes side to side so you can adjust it latter, tighten moderately. Now slide the shelf back into place and check the alignment. When it is adjusted properly slide the shelf out again to expose the rear bracket and place a screw in the opposite side slotted hole in a slot that goes from left to right and tighten moderately. Again slide the shelf in and check alignment. If all is well you can carefully slide of the shelf without disturbing the position of the front brackets. This may take a couple of tries. Install screws in the front brackets the same as you did for the rear brackets. Insert the shelf again and check alignment. Remember to pay careful attention to the left side slide if the gap is too large in the rear the shelf will roll great but as soon as you add weight you will get a bump when you slide it out. After you get everything aligned you can remove the shelf and install a screw in the center hole of the bracket to lock it in place, two screws per bracket is all that is needed.
Face Framed Cabinet Floor & Full Shelf Install
Frameless Cabinet Floor & Full Shelf Install
Half-Shelf Mounting
Got those pesky Half Shelves? Keeping this shelf in place to support the rear of your Sliding Shelf is another easy installation method. We consider any existing shelf that is shorter than 3" or more from the front edge of the cabinet to be a Half Shelf. Keep in mind: With this installation method, we recommend reinforcing the Half Shelf by using L brackets, Screws, or Shelf Support Clips would be ideal to prevent the Sliding Shelf from tipping out.
You will need a small level, preferably one with a magnetic strip on one side. Check the existing shelf to make sure it is secure and can not lift up. Also check to make sure the hardware that supports the existing shelf is metal. If you have plastic hardware and plan on loading more than lightweight items into the shelf you will have to replace the hardware with metal. The slides for your half shelf installation will have one metal "L" shaped bracket mounted toward the rear. The end with the wheels is the front! If you have brackets in the rear and front, the front ones will not be needed and should be removed. Set the rear bracket on the existing shelf and place the front edge of the slide against the cabinet face frame, back about 3/16" from the front. Place your level on the slide and level it. When you have the slide level mark the location of the front hole in the slide. You can then measure the height and make a corresponding mark on the other side face frame. It is best to drill a small pilot hole to prevent splitting, before screwing the slide in place. After you have the front of the slides attached you can set the shelf in place by lifting the wheels on the rear of the shelf slides over the wheels on the front of the cabinet slides. Pay careful attention to the right side slide. Insert the shelf all the way into the cabinet and align the shelf to be square with the cabinet front. If there is too much space between the cabinet face frames you will need to insert spacers or washers to build out. You can order spacers from us in 1/8", 3/8", and 1/2" sizes. You may also be able to find something similar in a local hardware store. Get your screwdriver ready! Check the alignment of the left side slide and when it is properly aligned press down slightly on the shelf and extend it far enough to see the rear bracket. Place a screw in one of the slotted holes and tighten moderately. Reinsert the shelf and check slide alignment. When alignment is correct repeat the process of extending the shelf and insert a screw in the other side's bracket. Again insert the shelf and adjust as needed. When everything is aligned extend the shelf again and place a screw in the center hole of the bracket to lock it in place.
Face Framed Cabinet Half Shelf Install
Frameless Cabinet Half Shelf Install
Rear Socket Mounting
With no existing shelf in place you can choose to do the Rear Socket installation method. If you have a Double Door cabinet with a Center Post "Stile", with no existing Full Shelf or Half Shelf, this method would be the best option. This method is easier than the Side Mount and requires less spaces, if any.
The first step is to determine the height that you want the shelf. Make a mark on both cabinet face frames for the bottom of the shelf. Insert the cabinet slides partially into the plastic sockets (you must have specified a rear socket installation when ordering) note the brackets are different for left and right sides. Attach the front end of the slides (the end with the wheels) to the cabinet face frame where you marked. You will need to push the slide slightly against the back wall of the cabinet to get the socket seated to the needed depth. Install the shelf by lifting the rear end of the shelf slides (the end with the wheels) over the wheels on the front of the cabinet slides. Slide the shelf in completely and align it to be square with the front of the cabinet. Now comes the fun part. Make a line on the back wall to mark the position of each slide for the horizontal placement. You can now remove the shelf and place a level on the cabinet slide. Align the slide with the previous line that you made and level the height. Now you can either install one screw in the socket or mark another line for the vertical position. Repeat this process for the other side and after you have one screw in each socket reinstall the shelf and check for proper operation. Once you have the shelf adjusted, install at least one more screw in each socket. If you are having trouble getting the shelf to slide smoothly make sure the slides are parallel to each other and not twisted.
Rear mount sockets will not work with shelves deeper than 21 3/4" unless longer slides are used.
Face Framed Cabinet No Existing Shelf Rear Socket Install
Frameless Cabinet No Existing Shelf Rear Socket Install
Side Mounting
If you don't have any or want to remove any existing shelves in place, the Side Mount installation is a stronger alternative to the Rear Socket install above. The Side Mount attaches directly to the interior walls of the cabinet. By using spacers or added wood strips to build-out from the side walls to attach the slides to, you can safely keep the Sliding Shelf narrow enough to bypass any Face Frames, Doors, or any obstructions.
When you need more weight capacity than the rear socket method can provide and you either don't have or don't want full or half shelves in your cabinet, the answer is side mounting. We can provide spacers to install the cabinet slides to the cabinet side walls. The problem is the cabinet side walls are usually not more than 1/2" thick and there is about 1" of space or more that needs to be spaced out. Leverage will lead to this being a weak installation. However if you can install vertical strips of wood on both sides (two on each side, one near the front and the other near the back) that provide the proper filling to match the space behind the cabinet face frame, a side mount installation can be the strongest and most space efficient installation. It is best to use a piece of wood the same thickness as the space behind the face frame that runs from the bottom of the cabinet to above the height that you want the shelf installed. You can glue and screw this piece of wood in place to make a secure attachment. After the wood is installed you can measure up and make a mark where you want the slides installed. Simple screw the slides in where marked and you should be able to install the sliding shelf. Just lift the rear end of the shelf slides (the end with the wheel) over the wheels on the front end of the cabinet slides. Insert the shelf fully and check for alignment paying careful attention to the left side alignment, adjust as needed.
Face Framed Cabinet No Existing Shelf Side Mount Install
Frameless Cabinet No Existing Shelf Side Mount Install
Have more questions?
Please, don't hesitate to contact us directly via Email or Phone if you have any further questions or concerns, our Custom Shelf Experts are here to help!