Finger Pulls

12 years ago

Anyone have any wisdom on finger pulls? I'm thinking of using finger pulls like in this picture for a vanity made of bamboo.... oh heck, I'll include a picture of mine at the end. In the meantime, this picture below is from Houzz. You'll notice the far right stack of drawers have finger pulls all the way to the right side of the drawers. This is my question: how off-center can those pulls get and still function well on the drawers? Does this depend on length and height of the drawers? Its weight, mechanism? Probably all of the above, no? grump....

Contemporary Bathroom by San Francisco Interior Designers & Decorators Artistic Designs for Living, Tineke Triggs

Because I'd like to put my pulls on the right edge of this drawer stack and mine are about 30" I believe, and varying heights, but none of them huge. I have a very large drawer in the kitchen with two handles but if you pull on just one of them, the drawer doesn't really come forward very well; it gets off-kilter. How on earth will I know this in advance? Anyone have experience with this, these off-center finger pulls please? Thanks!!

Here's the vanity in question. The pulls will be brushed nickel even though the sink and its hardware is bronze:

Featured Answer

palimpsest

12 years ago

I think the picture is an optical illusion. There is a section under each sink (probably a door) that is scored to look like the drawers and has no pulls on it. (probably a spring latch). You can't see the vertical division on the door to the far right, and the pulls to the far right are centered on their drawers just as they are on the far left.

I would also suggest getting a different configuration of finger pull than oldbat2be has. Get one that is L shaped and wraps around to the Back face of the door or drawer and screws in from the back.

That way, pulling open the drawer puts the forces on the Metal Pull on the Back of the Drawer, not on the screws.

With the style of pull oldbat2be has, the forces of pulling on the drawer is on the Screw and its in a 90-degree angle to the direction of the drawer. Eventually these pulls can loosen because the screw can slowly enlarge the hole. Think about wiggling a pole in sticking out of the ground back and forth versus pushing and pulling straight up and down on it.

No disrespect intended and sorry to be a downer, but eventually you could have some problems with those pulls, oldbat2be. I had a client order pulls like that because the were slightly less expensive and there was less lead time than the L shaped pull. I wouldn't let her contractor install them. She was furious with me, but I made her wait for the ones that would put less stress on the screws and edges of the doors.

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Comments (6)

oldbat2be
12 years ago
I'd say, center the finger pulls on the drawers. Why do you want them on the right? So the person on the right can open without reaching all the way over? Alternately, omit and pop a servo drive in there:). Looks great already!

We used edge pulls on our linen closet drawers and when I open with one hand, I can feel a very slight difference in how they glide.
aliris19
Original Author
12 years ago
Hi Old Bat -- Mostly I just thought they'd look good on the corner. I guess I like asymmetry. But the functionality of having the pull more closely available to one at the sink really isn't it. Frankly, those drawers are not going to be used so much from the sink ever anyway.

I thought of another question regarding those finger pulls -- can they be used "doubled up" on the cabinet (that is, touching one another as would happen for vertical cabinet doors)? I saw a photo on houzz that way but I'm worried about spacing... Did you use the berenson ones, OldBat?

Oh, here's another question ... Putting the finger pulls up at the top of the drawer the way they are, do they interfere with overhanging countertop?

TIA!
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oldbat2be
12 years ago
DH recessed these into the top edge of the drawer front, so they are flush. I don't think there would be a problem doubling them up. One thing I didn't take into consideration, is that the edge onto which the pull is installed is not flat, but angles down a little towards the interior. Recessing the pull equally, would have meant the front of the pull would appear to be slanted up vs. flat, so DH compensated during the install with an uneven bevel. The picture should hopefully explain. We could have had the front of the pulls bent down to compensate, but they were not inexpensive and by that time I wanted to be done with the project! Ours are Sun Valley Bronze and they are gorgeous things :)
aliris19
Original Author
12 years ago
So wise, you two. Palimpsest, that all makes a lot of sense. In particular that there is a drawer stack or cabinet underneath the sink. The asymmetry was, um, itself asymmetrical, if you follow -- didn't make sense to have such large drawers of a sudden like that, just in one place along such an otherwise-symmetrical piece.

But regardless of what's in the picture, i did see drawers in a showroom setup like that (note: showroom, not house), with the pulls on the corner edge, and I did think they looked snazzy.

But all your explanation of physical forces does make intuitive sense. Old Bat, that's great what your husband did, recessing the pulls. And for sure if you did that on the door sides it would work. I'm not so sure they would work side-by-side without the recessing you show. And that's interesting that they're canted. I could probably do that but it wouldn't probably look so nice; I'd be using a pocket knife, probably!

I'm also thinking now my concern about the top drawer being too close to the stone is going to be correct too. I really like the look I have in mind, but that's a lot of practical problems racking up by now.... sigh.

It's like my ideas for the pulls on this piece are sort of like a palimpsest at this point.... at least in my mind's eye. So what does it mean to have a sort of chimeric palimpsest?? :)
athomesewing
12 years ago
Love the look of these pulls, whether asymmetrical or otherwise! I am considering something very similar in my kitchen. Oldbat2be, have you found them comfortable to use? I appreciate the thoughts expressed here, I may look for the wrap around type.