How far do lateral filing cabinet drawers extend when fully open?

Lateral filing cabinet drawers on commercial-grade units typically extend 21 to 26 inches from the closed position — giving full access to the entire drawer depth. Full-extension drawers reveal everything in the drawer without reaching and digging. Some budget or residential-grade laterals use partial-extension slides that only come out 15 to 18 inches, which makes accessing the back of the drawer frustrating. When evaluating laterals, confirm full-extension drawers — it's a meaningful quality difference. You'll need at least the full drawer depth (typically 18 inches) plus 3–6 inches of clearance behind the unit for the cabinet to sit properly against a wall. FindOfficeFurniture.com — call 888-719-4960 to confirm specs.