Question about drawer side groove depth for undermount slides

I keep seeing new guys in our shop cut the groove for undermount slides way too shallow, like a quarter inch deep. They think it's fine because the slide fits in, but after a few months of use, the drawer starts to wobble and the slide can pop out. I learned this the hard way on a big kitchen job in Spokane about two years back. I had to go back and fix twelve drawers because the slides kept failing. The trick is you need to cut that groove at least three eighths of an inch deep, maybe even a bit more depending on the slide brand. This gives the metal tab on the slide enough material to really bite into and hold. I use a dado stack set to 3/8 on my table saw now and it never fails. Has anyone else found a different depth that works better for Blum slides specifically?

2 comments

2 Comments

andrewwhite15d ago

Blum's own spec sheet actually calls for a 10mm groove, which is just under three eighths.

schmidt.karen14d ago

My buddy had the exact same issue with some Blum slides last year. He cut the grooves too shallow and a whole set of drawers in his own kitchen came loose. He ended up redoing them all at 10mm like Andrew said and they've been solid since.