Side-Mount Drawer Box Cut List Calculator
Enter the cabinet opening, side-mount slide clearance, material thicknesses, and groove details. The calculator returns the finished box size, a five-piece cut list, depth fit, usable interior space, and material area.
Finished drawer-box size23 inches W x 5.5 inches H x 20 inches D
- Side-panel cut list
- 2 panels, each 20 inches x 5.5 inches
- Front-and-back cut list
- 2 panels, each 22 inches x 5.5 inches
- Captured-bottom cut list
- 1 panels, each 22.5 inches x 19.5 inches
- Usable interior size
- 22 inches W x 5 inches H x 19 inches D
- Rear clearance remaining
- 1.5
- Slide-depth fit
- Fits with 1.5 inches rear clearance remaining.
- Side-and-end material with waste
- 3.69
- Bottom material with waste
- 3.5
- Total cut pieces
- 5
Cut list
| Part | Quantity | Length or width | Height or depth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Side panels | 2 | 20 | 5.5 |
| Front and back panels | 2 | 22 | 5.5 |
| Captured bottoms | 1 | 22.5 | 19.5 |
Dimensions are inches; material areas are square feet.
Assumes the front and back fit between full-length sides with a captured bottom in grooves.
Use the slide manufacturer installation drawing when its clearance differs from the entered values.
How to use this calculator
- Measure the cabinet opening width, height, and usable depth, using the tightest width if the opening is not perfectly square.
- Enter the slide length and the clearance required by the slide manufacturer.
- Enter the measured side, end, and bottom thicknesses, plus the groove depth and offset.
- Set the drawer count and waste allowance, then review the cut list and depth-fit warning before cutting parts.
How the drawer box is sized
This calculator is for a common side-mount drawer box: full-depth side pieces, front and back pieces fitted between the sides, and a bottom panel captured in grooves. The finished outside width is the cabinet opening width minus the slide clearance on both sides. The finished height is the opening height minus the selected top and bottom gaps. The finished depth is the nominal slide length, which is the usual starting point for conventional side-mount ball-bearing slides.
The core formulas are:
finished width = opening width - 2 x side clearancefinished height = opening height - top clearance - bottom clearancefinished depth = slide lengthfront and back length = finished width - 2 x side thicknessbottom width = finished width - 2 x (side thickness - groove depth)bottom depth = finished depth - 2 x (side thickness - groove depth)
The bottom-panel formulas account for the part of the bottom that disappears into the grooves. For example, with 1/2 inch sides and 1/4 inch grooves, the bottom is 1/2 inch larger than the clear inside opening in each direction because it enters a 1/4 inch groove on both opposing edges.
What changes the cut list most
The side clearance controls the finished outside width. A slide that needs 17/32 inch per side instead of 1/2 inch narrows the box by another 1/16 inch, so use the hardware drawing rather than a habit from a different slide. Material thickness also matters because the front and back fit between the sides. Measured plywood can be thinner than its nominal size, and that difference changes both the end pieces and the captured bottom.
The depth check compares usable cabinet depth with the slide length plus the rear clearance you asked to reserve. A negative result does not change the cut list by itself; it tells you the selected slide length is too long for the cabinet unless the rear clearance can be reduced.
What this calculator leaves out
The cut list assumes square butt, pocket-screw, dowel, or similar construction. Dovetails, locking rabbets, drawer-lock joints, applied bottoms, undermount slides, and inset-face reveal planning use different allowances. The material estimates are face-area totals with waste added; they do not optimize layout across sheet goods, account for grain direction, or reserve extra length for trimming parts after glue-up.
Worked example
Suppose the opening is 24 inches wide, 6 inches high, and 22 inches deep. With 20 inch slides, 1/2 inch side clearance per side, 1/4 inch top and bottom clearance, 1/2 inch side material, a 1/4 inch bottom, 1/4 inch grooves, one drawer, and 15% waste, the finished box is 23 inches wide by 5.5 inches high by 20 inches deep.
The side panels are 2 pieces at 20 inches by 5.5 inches. The front and back are 2 pieces at 22 inches by 5.5 inches. The captured bottom is 1 piece at 22.5 inches by 19.5 inches. The usable interior is 22 inches wide by 5 inches high by 19 inches deep, and the rear clearance remaining is 1.5 inches.
Common questions
How much clearance do side-mount drawer slides need?
Many common side-mount ball-bearing slides call for 1/2 inch per side, or 1 inch total, but the slide manufacturer controls the real number. Enter the clearance from the installation drawing, especially for soft-close, heavy-duty, or specialty slides.
Should the drawer box be the same length as the slides?
For conventional side-mount slides, the drawer-box depth normally matches the nominal slide length. The calculator still checks whether that length plus rear clearance fits within the cabinet depth. If it does not fit, choose a shorter slide or change the cabinet layout.
How is the front and back length calculated?
This cut list assumes the front and back fit between the two full-depth sides. Their length is the finished outside width minus two side-material thicknesses. If your joinery overlaps the side pieces, adjust the parts for that joint instead.
How large should a captured drawer bottom be?
The bottom panel spans the inside opening plus the groove engagement on both opposing edges. With 1/2 inch sides and 1/4 inch grooves, the bottom is 1/2 inch larger than the clear inside width and 1/2 inch larger than the clear inside depth.
Should I use nominal or measured plywood thickness?
Use measured thickness. Nominal 1/2 inch plywood is often thinner than 0.5 inch, and that changes the front, back, bottom, and interior dimensions. A quick caliper check prevents a batch of parts from being consistently loose or tight.