Sometimes it amazes me how much air people file in their file cabinets. Why would someone want to pay good money for a file cabinet and then have it take up valuable floor space and not fill it up? I guess they just want to keep furniture dealers like me in business by buying more files.
A classic example is a 36 inch wide lateral file. If you are like most people and file letter-size hanging-files, you should never buy a 36 wide file cabinet. Let me explain.
A lateral file is a file cabinet that is wider side-to-side than it is deep front-to-back. (See photo at right.) Typically 18 to 20 inches. They come in three widths, 30, 36 and 42. The most efficient way to file in lateral file is front-to-back, rather than side-to-side.
A hanging letter-sized folder is typically 13" wide. The dimensions of a file drawer will be typically 16" deep on a 18"deep lateral file. The width of the drawer will be 39" on a 42" wide lateral file and 33" on a 36" wide lateral file.
To measure how much filing fits in a drawer is easy. In a 36" wide file you get 33" of filing side-to-side. Since a hanging file is 13" deep, side-to-side filing results in the back 3" of the drawer empty, filing air. If you hang your files front-to-back you get two rows 16" deep or 32" of filing. But the middle 6" of the drawer file air.
A 30" wide lateral file drawer would have also 32" of front-to-back filing for less cost and floor-space than the 36". It files no air in the middle.
A 42" wide lateral file is the big winner though. Side-to-side filing gets you 39" per drawer, although you still file some air in the back. But front-to-back you can fit three rows of 16" for 48" total. 50% more filing than the 36" file for only 17 percent more floor space taken up and now air filed.
Conclusion, spend a little more and get a 42" wide lateral file with front-to-back filing. Make sure you get at least 4 drawer high as well, as long as you don't need to put it under a desk top (2 drawer) or want to have a standing height counter on the top (3 drawer).
Filing Chart Per 18" deep drawer
STS - Side-to-side
FTB - Front-to-back
30W - 27" STS, 32" FTB
36W - 33" STS, 32" FTB
42W - 39" STS, 48" FTB
Shown at right is a 42W lateral file drawer with front-to-back filing.
Scott R. Kline
Smart Interiors, Inc.
