For a repeatable way to mount drawer slides and get an even reveal, mark centerlines, use a scrap spacer to set slide height, and leave the first screws adjustable until you have tested the drawer. The dimensions below— including a 7/8-inch cabinet-side offset and a 1/8-inch drawer-side setback—describe WOOD magazine’s demonstrated setup, not a universal standard. Check the instructions and clearance requirements for your selected slides before laying out the cabinet.
Before mounting: check the slides and cabinet
Choose slides that suit the cabinet, drawer size, and opening, then follow the hardware maker’s specifications for clearance, setback, length, and mounting orientation. WOOD magazine’s featured method uses full-extension slides; its presenter, Jeff Mertz, used slides rated for 100 pounds in that demonstration. That rating is his hardware choice, not a requirement for this method. See the WOOD magazine demonstration and transcript and its related guide, Make and Mount Super-Simple Drawers.
The related WOOD article says its full-extension slides typically need 1/2 inch of clearance on each side, so its example makes the drawer box 1 inch narrower than the cabinet opening. That is an example for the slides and method described there; do not use it in place of the clearance specification for your own hardware.
How to mount drawer slides with a repeatable layout
1. Mark and mount the drawer-side members
Mark a centerline on each drawer-box side so you can position the slide consistently. In the featured setup, the drawer-mounted slide sits 1/8 inch back from the front of the box. Use a combination square to establish that setback, then start a screw in an elongated slot. Do not fully tighten it yet: the slot lets you correct the position after checking the fit.
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2. Make a spacer to repeat the slide height
Measure from the bottom of the glide to the bottom of the drawer box. Rip a piece of scrap to that width and use it to support the slide at the same height on the opposite side. Reuse the spacer for the other drawers so their slides follow the same layout. This simple, task-specific spacer is the low-cost option in the WOOD method; it helps repeat height but does not replace slide-specific measurements.
3. Lay out and mount the cabinet-side members
If it is practical and safe to handle, lay the cabinet on its side. For the demonstrated arrangement, set a gauge to 7/8 inch from the cabinet front and mark the drawer-hardware centerlines inside the case. Align the cabinet-side slides with those marks and the offset line. The 7/8-inch offset is tied to that setup’s 3/4-inch drawer front and 1/8-inch setback; another front style or slide arrangement may call for a different layout.
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Start screws in the cabinet-slide elongated holes, square each slide to the case front, and keep the screws loose enough for adjustment. The related WOOD guide also places its cabinet-mounted slides 7/8 inch from the case front and drawer-mounted slides 1/8 inch from the box front, but those measurements remain specific to its described method.
4. Test the drawers before locking the slides
Install each drawer and check that it travels smoothly, parallel to the cabinet, and square in the opening. Use the slots to fine-tune the position: the featured method adjusts the drawer box up or down and moves the cabinet slide in or out as needed. Tighten the initial screws only after the drawer’s fit and operation are acceptable.
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5. Position the fronts and set the reveal
Place shims around the opening to hold the drawer front in position. WOOD’s demonstration uses 1/8-inch shims to create a 1/8-inch reveal, temporarily attaches the front through existing mounting holes, and then secures the front to the drawer box once alignment is checked. Adjust the slide through its slots if the front is not flush. The 1/8-inch reveal is the target in that demonstration, not a guarantee or a universal reveal dimension.
After the final fit is confirmed, add screws in non-slotted holes to lock the slide positions. The demonstration also recommends labeling parts and returning them to their locations after finishing the project, which can help preserve the drawer-to-opening match.
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Homemade spacer or drawer slide jig?
A scrap spacer suits the WOOD workflow when the main need is to repeat slide height. A commercial jig can support slides while they are fastened, but compatibility and cabinet construction still matter. Kreg’s Drawer Slide Jig is model KHI-SLIDE; Kreg lists it for face-frame and frameless cabinets and for ball-bearing, epoxy-coated, and undermount slides, with a minimum cabinet depth of 14 inches.
Kreg’s Drawer Slide Jig owner’s manual instructs users to follow the selected slide manufacturer’s directions. It also notes that face-frame cabinets may need mounting rails to provide a suitable surface. Choose between a spacer and jig based on the number of drawers, cabinet depth and construction, and whether the tool supports your slide type; the cited sources do not establish that a purchased jig is faster or more accurate than a homemade spacer.
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Adjustments when a drawer does not fit or run square
- Drawer rubs or travels out of parallel: Recheck the slide centerlines and use the elongated holes to adjust position. Test the drawer’s travel before tightening the screws fully.
- Front is proud, recessed, or uneven: Use shims to reposition the front, then adjust the slide in its slots if needed before fastening the front permanently.
- Clearance or setback seems wrong: Stop and compare the cabinet and drawer dimensions with the selected slide’s installation instructions. The 1/2-inch-per-side clearance, 7/8-inch cabinet offset, 1/8-inch box setback, and 1/8-inch reveal are examples from WOOD’s described method, not dimensions that fit every slide or cabinet.
For a hardwood installation using #6 panhead screws, the related WOOD guide specifies 3/32-inch pilot holes. Treat that as the guide’s instruction for its described parts and fasteners, not as a substitute for appropriate pilot-hole guidance for different materials or screws.
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