Drawer slide sizes

Lengths, side clearance, height and drawer width limits for side-mount, undermount and center-mount drawer slides, each from the maker's own specification sheet or installation instruction. The clearance belongs to the slide, not to the type: two side-mount slides from the same maker ask for different gaps, so build the box for the slide you have. The drawer box calculator works the box size from these figures.

Drawer slide clearance, lengths, height and width limits by slide model
Slide	Type	Side clearance	Lengths	Height	Drawer width
Knape & Vogt 8400 full extension	Side-mount	1/2 in each side	8–28 in, 2 in steps	1.79 in	up to 24 in
Knape & Vogt 8800 heavy-duty full extension	Side-mount	3/4 in each side	12–28 in, 2 in steps	2.3 in	up to 42 in
Blum TANDEM plus BLUMOTION 563H	Undermount	inside width = opening − 1 21/32 in; outside = opening − 13/32 in for 5/8 in sides	15 in, 18 in, 21 in	box at most opening − 25/32 in	inside at least 170 mm
Knape & Vogt 1175 center undermount	Center-mount	none set: your choice	22 5/8 in	1 in under the box	up to 18 in

One source: Each slide’s maker, the authority for its own slide

Reading the chart

A side-mount slide's length is the drawer's length; pick the longest one that fits inside the cabinet. Blum's TANDEM runners come in 3 inch steps for the American cabinet depths: the 21 inch runner needs 21-15/16 inches inside the cabinet, the 18 inch runner 18-29/32, the 15 inch 15-29/32. Blum's drawers also need a 1/2 inch bottom recess and a notch at the back for the runner.

Weight ratings and full or partial extension are on each maker's sheet. For the heights and depths of the cabinets these drawers go in, see furniture dimensions.

Drawer slide sizes

Reading the chart

Sources