How to choose a sideboard: what to consider

A sideboard is storage you open every day and a surface you put things on, so how it moves and how it stands matter. These are the things worth settling before you choose one. The numbers are common rules of thumb, not fixed rules.

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Size and placement

Measure the wall and the room in front of it, including the space doors and drawers need to open. Sliding doors need less space in front.
Height is commonly about 70-90 cm. A lower sideboard suits a space under a window or behind a low sofa; a higher one suits a dining room.
Depth is commonly about 40-50 cm; a shallower one suits a hallway.

Doors and drawers

Check what the doors and drawers do: hinged doors, sliding doors and push-to-open each feel different. Soft-close is common; ask whether the parts can be replaced.
Drawers on full-extension runners show everything at the back. Check the weight a drawer is built to carry.

Legs, plinth and floor

Legs let you see the floor and clean beneath; a plinth looks heavier and is steadier. Check adjustable feet for an uneven floor.
A heavy sideboard needs felt or glides that protect the floor.

Fixing to the wall

A tall or deep sideboard can tip, and a wall-mounted one needs fixings that suit your wall. Check what the maker supplies and the load it is rated for.

Top and finish

A sideboard top takes hot dishes, lamps and drinks. Solid wood can be refinished; lacquered tops resist marks and are harder to repair; stone resists heat and scratches but is heavy.
Use coasters and trivets whatever the top.

Cables and use as a media unit

If it will hold a television or speakers, check for cable cut-outs and for ventilation, and ask whether glass or perforated doors suit remote controls.

Questions worth asking the maker

What are the exact dimensions and clear opening room? What load does the top and each shelf take? How is it fixed to the wall? What is the top made of and how is it finished? What are the delivery and return terms?

Sources and further reading

A label covers one aspect of a product, such as where the wood came from or which chemicals are in a textile, not its whole footprint. These pages explain what each covers; they are not endorsements, and Formground does not rate products.

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