Sep 16 2009
Buying The Best Filing Cabinets
f you are in the market for oak file cabinets, you should know that wood file cabinets that are of low quality are generally meant for you to assemble them yourself. This can be quite a difficult task, not least because it requires assembly hardware. Particleboard filing cabinets, too, should be stayed away from. The label may say that it’s made of wood, too, but don’t be fooled by that; even if it does say “wood,” it may still be particleboard.
The Furniture Manufacturers Association states that solid wood does include particleboard, but what you really want is solid, true wood, something such as pine or oak. Filing cabinets, like oak desks, are usually going to have to hold a lot of weight (after all, paper can be heavy), so make sure it comes with little clamps and screws, not particleboard cam locks. Next, you’re going to have to know the difference between grain, solid wood without particleboard, and wood veneer. You can tell whether a piece is made of solid wood by looking at how the grain runs. If the end grain runs the opposite direction it should (such as perpendicular to the other grain), you’ve most likely gotten a veneer piece.
Veneer certainly has its place and you can probably use it, but the most important thing is that you shouldn’t purchase veneer when you’re expecting real wood. So, know what you’re looking for and what you’re looking at. With wood drawers, these are well made with English dovetailed joints, and are built most sturdily this way. A drawer assembled with just cams isn’t going to hold together for very long. If a drawer has been glued and stapled, it can be acceptable, but only if the staples are holding the assembly together only until the glue dries. Next, look at the hardware that’s used to open the drawer. What does the runner system look like? Does it pull out evenly and smoothly? What does the tracking system look like and how does it work? If the drawer pulls out a lesser amount than 90%, storage space is going to be lost and it will be difficult to get your documents out of the back of the file.
File cabinets should not have Euro type roller glides under any circumstances. With this system, two interlocking wheels work on a spindle, and can’t support a file drawer’s heavy weight. They’ll likely break down very quickly and not work for very long at all. A better glide system for filing cabinets is a full ball bearing, full extension slide system that has at least a 100-pound weight rating. Finally, are you going to want to lock your drawers? You can lock each individual drawer, which is the easiest way to lock up what you don’t want others to be able to see easily. Or, you can lock up all the drawers at once with a keyhole that just works on the top, blocking all drawers below, too.
Be careful, though, because interlocking systems even on quality wood files can sometimes “hang up” and cause access problems, and they can also be expensive. As a wise consumer, you’re going to want to take everything into consideration when you choose a file cabinet. Stay with filing cabinets that are made of solid wood and that have good glides, and don’t buy a filing cabinet that has to be assembled. If you follow these few simple rules, you should have easy access to your files and your cabinet will be long lasting.