Accuride’s 3832E/3834E technical sheet lists side space as 0.50 in +0.031/−0.00 in per side for these side-mounted ball-bearing drawer slides. Using that decimal-inch specification, allow 0.500–0.531 in between each drawer-box side and its corresponding cabinet-side mounting surface—not that amount for both sides combined. The sheet also lists the metric specification as 12.7 mm +0.8/−0.0 mm.
Side-Space Dimensions
The table below uses the technical sheet’s decimal-inch tolerance. Total clearance assumes the same side space on the left and right.
| Measure | Per side (in) | Both sides total (in) | Per side (mm) | Both sides total (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum listed side space | 0.500 | 1.000 | 12.7 | 25.4 |
| Maximum from the listed decimal-inch tolerance | 0.531 | 1.062 | 13.5 | 27.0 |
Millimeter values in the table are converted using 1 in = 25.4 mm and rounded to the nearest 0.1 mm. Before rounding, 0.531 in equals 13.4874 mm, and 1.062 in equals 26.9748 mm.
The Accuride 3832E/3834E technical sheet, document 3700-9464(1107)-MK097-R10-0616, presents the allowance as both +0.031 in and +1/32 in, alongside +0.8 mm. These are rounded representations: 1/32 in is exactly 0.03125 in, while 0.031 in converts to 0.7874 mm. Keep one dimensional convention throughout a calculation rather than treating every printed representation as exactly interchangeable.
The negative tolerance is zero: the listed specification provides no allowance below 0.500 in per side. The positive tolerance is an allowable increase, not an instruction to add 0.031 in to every installation. These values apply to the identified 3832E/3834E models; they are not a universal rule for other Accuride slides or undermount hardware.
Calculate Drawer-Box Outside Width
For equal clearance on both sides:
[
W_{\text{box}} = W_{\text{mounting}} – 2c
]
Where:
- (W_{\text{box}}) is the finished outside width of the assembled drawer box.
- (W_{\text{mounting}}) is the clear distance between the two opposing cabinet-side slide mounting surfaces.
- (c) is the selected side space for one slide.
Use the same units for all three values. This calculation determines drawer-box outside width, not the width of an applied drawer front or the cut length of individual drawer parts.
For example, with an 18.000 in mounting-space width and a selected clearance of 0.500 in per side:
[
W_{\text{box}} = 18.000 – 2(0.500) = 17.000\text{ in}
]
No rounding is needed for this example. The reverse check is ((18.000 – 17.000)/2 = 0.500) in per side, assuming the box is centered.
Check each side separately during layout. A combined 1.000 in allowance does not establish compliance if the drawer is offset and one side has less than 0.500 in.
Use the Drawer Box Size Calculator
The Drawer Box Size Calculator provides fields labeled “Opening width (in)” and “Slide clearance per side (in),” with an output labeled “Drawer box outside width.”
For the width calculation above:
- Enter
18.000in “Opening width (in),” representing the clear mounting-space width. - Enter
0.500in “Slide clearance per side (in),” representing one side—not the combined1.000in allowance.
The 17.000 in result above is an independently calculated width reference, not a recorded interactive calculator test. Enter the remaining depth, height, and clearance inputs from your project; the side-space specification alone does not determine them.
For face-frame construction, identify the actual mounting surfaces established by the frame, blocking, or brackets before choosing the opening-width input. Accuride’s sheet includes optional rear brackets and face-frame mounting details, so cabinet interior width and visible face-frame opening width should not automatically be treated as the same measurement.
Before cutting, check the installation sheet supplied for your exact slide model and confirm the mounting-space width along the slide travel. The width arithmetic does not establish cabinet squareness, slide alignment, or final installed fit. Accuride directs users to obtain current technical information and notes that specifications may change.