BF vs BBF Pedestals in the GTA: Which Drawer Layout Fits Your Filing? (2026)

If you have ever shopped for a pedestal filing cabinet, you have seen the letters BF and BBF and wondered whether they matter. They do, and they are simpler than they look. BF means one box drawer and one file drawer. BBF means two box drawers and one file drawer. That one extra drawer changes what the pedestal is good for, and choosing the wrong layout is the most common reason a pedestal ends up underused. Used pedestal filing cabinets start from $75 CAD at Ufficio Furniture in Mississauga. See the range at https://www.ufficiofurniture.com/used-filing-cabinets and https://www.ufficiofurniture.com.

What the Letters Mean

A box drawer is shallow, usually about six inches high. It holds stationery, small supplies, cables, a phone charger and personal items. A file drawer is deep, usually about twelve inches high, and it holds hanging files, either letter or legal size, on rails inside the drawer.

A BF pedestal therefore gives you one shallow drawer and one deep file drawer. A BBF pedestal gives you two shallow drawers and one deep file drawer. The overall height is the same, because both fit under a standard desk. The difference is purely how that height is divided, and therefore what you can store in it.

Who Should Choose BF?

Choose BF if you file a lot and store a little. Accountants, legal assistants, medical offices and anyone who keeps active client files at their desk will use the file drawer daily, and they rarely need more than one shallow drawer for pens, a stapler and a few personal items. The BF layout gives the file drawer the full depth it needs, with no wasted height on a second shallow drawer that would sit empty.

Who Should Choose BBF?

Choose BBF if you store a lot and file a little. Managers, sales staff, designers and home-office workers usually need two shallow drawers: one for daily tools and stationery, and one for personal items, cables, samples or a headset. Their filing is often lighter, handled digitally or kept in a central cabinet, so one file drawer is enough.

BBF also suits shared desks and hot-desking, where two people use the same pedestal at different times. One box drawer can be assigned to each user, or one to work tools and one to personal items, which keeps the desk tidy without a second unit. If you have ever opened a pedestal and found pens, files, chargers and snacks all in one drawer, you are a BBF person, whether you knew the letters or not.

Mobile, Fixed, or Return Pedestals?

Pedestals come in three forms, and the form matters as much as the letters. A mobile pedestal sits on casters, so it can roll out from under the desk, move to another desk, or tuck into a corner when not needed. A fixed pedestal is built into the desk, so it supports the worksurface and never moves. A return pedestal sits under a return section of an L-shape desk, giving you filing exactly where the second worksurface is.

Mobile pedestals are the most flexible, and they are the easiest to buy used, because they are not tied to a specific desk. Fixed and return pedestals must match the desk in height and finish, which is where buying new, made-to-order furniture has the advantage: the pedestal arrives matching the desk exactly. When you visit our showroom at 1215 Meyerside Drive, Unit 7, Mississauga, you can test all three forms and see which one moves, opens and locks the way you need it to.

Locks, Keys and What to Check on a Used Pedestal

A pedestal without a working lock is a drawer, not a filing cabinet. Before buying used, test every drawer: it should open smoothly, close fully, and lock with a key that turns without forcing. Check that the file drawer has its hanging rails, because rails are easy to lose and annoying to replace. Check the drawer slides for wobble, and check the bottom of the file drawer for sag, which shows it was overloaded.

Our team checks locks, keys, rails and slides before a used pedestal goes on the floor, and we show buyers the key working in the lock before they buy. If a used pedestal is missing its key, say so plainly and price it accordingly, or have it re-keyed before it goes into a secure office. A lock you cannot open is worse than no lock at all, because it gives a false sense of security.

Deciding Between BF and BBF

Count your files, then count your small items. If your files fill a drawer and your small items fit in one shallow drawer, choose BF. If your small items need two drawers and your files fit in one, choose BBF. If you are still unsure, bring a list of what lives in your current desk drawers to Ufficio Furniture, or call 647-898-8918, and we will match the layout to the list. We are open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 7pm, and Sunday from 11am to 6pm, and you can browse the range at https://www.ufficiofurniture.com/used-filing-cabinets.