Hinges and drawer slides decide how well doors close and how easily drawers open for years. Pick the wrong type and a door won't cover the cabinet or a drawer won't open fully. This guide explains the main types, how to choose them for your furniture, and what Mobilier.md stocks.
In short
- Choose a hinge by how the door sits on the cabinet, the opening angle and the door material (chipboard, MDF, wood, glass).
- Choose a drawer slide by type (ball-bearing, roller, concealed), length and load.
- For quiet closing, pick soft-close versions. For handleless furniture, pick push-to-open versions.
- Mobilier.md, in Chișinău, Moldova, stocks over 100 GTV hinge items and over 160 GTV drawer slides and drawer systems.
Cabinet hinges
Modern furniture mostly uses concealed hinges: the hinge cup sits in a round hole in the door, and the arm clips onto a mounting plate on the cabinet side. Most cabinet hinges have a 35 mm cup.
| Hinge type | How the door sits | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Full overlay | The door fully covers the cabinet side edge | Most kitchen units, wardrobes and chests |
| Half overlay | The door covers half of the edge | Two doors hung on one shared side panel |
| Inset | The door sits inside the cabinet, flush with the edge | Classic-style furniture, inset fronts |
- Opening angle. Standard hinges suit ordinary doors. Corner units and cabinets with internal drawers need wide-angle hinges, such as 165°. Angled units use 45° or 90° hinges.
- Closing. Soft-close hinges close the door quietly. Push hinges open a handleless door with a press.
- Door material. There are separate hinges for glass doors and solid-wood fronts, and GTV 3D hinges for thin fronts.
- Number of hinges. Small doors usually need 2 hinges; tall, heavy wardrobe doors need more. Check the manufacturer's table for the door height and weight.
Drawer slides
| Type | How it works | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Roller | The drawer runs on rollers along the sides | Simple, light drawers on a budget |
| Ball-bearing (telescopic) | A steel profile with ball bearings on the drawer side | Kitchen and wardrobe drawers with heavier loads |
| Concealed (undermount) | Mounted under the drawer bottom, out of sight | Modern furniture, with soft-close or push-to-open |
| Drawer systems (e.g. GTV Metabox) | Ready-made metal drawer sides with built-in slides | Kitchen drawers assembled quickly, without chipboard sides |
- Length: slightly shorter than the cabinet's internal depth. The catalogue has lengths from 214 to 950 mm.
- Load: from 10 to 100 kg in the catalogue; choose by what the drawer will hold.
- Extension: full-extension slides open the drawer completely.
- Clearance: side-mounted slides need a gap between drawer and cabinet; concealed slides need a specific drawer construction. Both are in the product's technical sheet.
Hinge holes and machining
A hinge cup needs an accurate hole in the door. If you order boards cut at Mobilier.md, holes can be drilled at the same time with CNC machining (2.5 to 35 mm diameters), together with chipboard and MDF cutting.
For fronts, see also our guide to furniture handles.
Frequently asked questions
Which hinges suit kitchen cabinets?
Most kitchen units use full-overlay soft-close hinges. Corner units need a wide-angle or a dedicated corner hinge.
Ball-bearing or roller slides?
Roller slides are simpler and suit light drawers. Ball-bearing slides are steadier, carry more weight and usually open the drawer fully.
Can I make handleless furniture?
Yes, with push hinges for doors and push-to-open slides for drawers.
Get the right hardware for your project
Browse furniture fittings or send us your parts list and we will help you choose. Phone: +373 61 0 88 000.
Address: 18/2 Calea Basarabiei St., Chișinău, Moldova. All contact details.