If you build cabinetmaker-grade kitchens, garages or vanities, you live or die by the drawer box. Veteran cabinetmaker Jason has cranked out 5 000-plus drawer box assemblies and swears his universal math works with every under-mount drawer slide on Earth—Blum, Grass, KV or no-name imports. No specialty bits, no $200 jig, just one drawer slide equation: minus 1-⅝" from cabinet width and your drawer box drops straight onto the under-mount drawer slide every single time.
Forget millimetre charts. Measure left-to-right inside the face frame, knock off 1-⅝", rip your drawer box front and back at that length, and the drawer slide locking claws bite perfectly whether your plywood is ½" or 7⁄16". “That universal 1-⅝" offset gives the under-mount drawer slide its factory clearance and still leaves 1⁄16" wiggle for seasonal swelling,” the cabinetmaker explains.
Height? Deduct 1" from the opening and the drawer box clears the face frame even with thick finishes. Depth? Match the drawer slide length—9", 12", 21", 30"—and cut your drawer box sides identical; no extra setback is required for any under-mount drawer slide brand.
Jason's next cabinetmaker hack: skip the variable locking notch. Simply terminate the drawer box back flush with the top of the drawer slide front lock, eliminating the 1-5" cut-out puzzle. “I’ve shipped thousands of drawer box units and never had a drawer slide fail to click,” he laughs.
The entire universal system runs on ordinary ½-⅝" plywood or Baltic birch—no metric rulers, no special bits. DIYers report 40 % faster builds, and pro shops can swap under-mount drawer slide brands mid-project without re-cutting a single drawer box. “If Blum dries up, grab Grass or KV and keep the same numbers,” the cabinetmaker insists.
Ready to test the minus 1-⅝" universal rule? Download our free drawer box cut-list at ficgoal, snap a pic of your finished drawer slide install and tag #FicgoalBuild to win a soft-close under-mount drawer slide set.
About Ficgoal
Founded in 2003 as a small fixture workshop, Ficgoal has grown into a one-stop supply chain for hardware that makes furniture move and last. Our core lines are:
Ball-bearing drawer slides – 25 kg to 45 kg dynamic load, full-extension, side-mount
Soft-close drawer slides – hydraulic damping for 35 lb-250 lb loads, 50,000-cycle certified
Push-to-open drawer slides – magnetic release, no handle needed, perfect for high-gloss kitchens
Under-mount drawer slides – ¾ and 9/16 extension profiles, tool-free tilt adjustment, compatible with Blum Grass drilling patterns
Furniture hinges – 110°, 135° and 165° opening angles, clip-on or slide-on, nickel-plated or matte-black finish
Standard lead time is 45 days from PO confirmation, but express air, sea + rail, and fast-boat options are all available to match your project schedule. Every batch is CE, ANSI/BHMA and SGS tested; we include a 1% spare-parts kit and 30-day empty-box return for risk-free purchasing. From one-off DIY builds to container-load OEM orders, Ficgoal keeps your production flowing on time and on budget.
