Free tool · Cabinet & door sizing
Drawer Slide Calculator
Enter the cabinet depth and opening width, and get the longest standard slide that fits plus the matching drawer box width and depth.
Drawer Slide Calculator, explained
What size drawer slide do I need?
Side-mount drawer slides come in even standard lengths (10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24 inches), and the slide must not be longer than the cabinet is deep inside. So you pick the longest standard length that fits the cabinet interior depth, and the drawer box is built to that same length. For a cabinet 22 inches deep inside, you use a 21 or 22 inch box on a matching slide, commonly a 22 inch slide if there is room for the front to clear.
Standard side-mount slides also need 1/2 inch of clearance on each side of the drawer box, so the box is built 1 inch narrower than the opening. This calculator takes your cabinet depth and opening width and returns the recommended slide length, the drawer box width (opening minus clearance), and the box depth (the slide length), in inches or millimeters.
How it works
How the Drawer Slide Calculator works.
Box width = opening width - (2 x side clearance) | Slide length = largest standard <= cabinet depth | Box depth = slide length - Choose inches or millimeters.
- Enter the cabinet interior depth, front to back.
- Enter the drawer opening width.
- Adjust the side clearance if your slides differ from the standard 1/2 inch per side.
- Read the recommended slide length and the drawer box width and depth to build to.
Example: a cabinet 24 inches deep with an 18 inch wide opening, on standard 1/2 inch side-mount slides, takes a 24 inch slide and a drawer box 17 inches wide by 24 inches deep.
Drawer Slide Calculator FAQ
Drawer Slide Calculatorquestions.
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How do I choose drawer slide length?
Pick the longest standard slide that is not longer than the inside depth of the cabinet. Side-mount slides come in 2 inch increments from 10 to 24 inches, and the drawer box is built to the slide length.
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How much narrower should a drawer box be than the opening?
For standard side-mount slides, 1 inch narrower total, which is 1/2 inch of clearance on each side. Undermount slides have their own clearance spec, usually a few millimeters, so check the instructions.
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Can a drawer slide be shorter than the cabinet?
Yes. A shorter slide works fine and is sometimes necessary to clear plumbing or wiring, you just lose a little drawer depth. The slide should never be longer than the cabinet interior.
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