Measuring a soft close drawer primarily involves measuring the available space within the cabinet opening and then calculating the required size of the drawer box itself, accounting for the space needed by the soft-close slides.
When installing a soft close drawer, you aren't just measuring the existing drawer (if there is one); you're measuring the cabinet opening where the drawer will sit and subtracting the space necessary for the soft-close slides to fit between the drawer box and the cabinet walls.
Here are the key measurements you typically need:
Key Measurements
- Opening Height: Measure the vertical distance from the bottom of the drawer opening to the top inside edge. As seen in the reference, this might be around "four and a half, four and five eighths". This gives you the maximum possible vertical space.
- Opening Width: Measure the horizontal distance from the inside of one cabinet side panel to the inside of the other side panel.
- Opening Depth: Measure the distance from the front of the cabinet opening (or face frame) to the back wall of the cabinet.
Accounting for Slide Clearance
Soft-close drawer slides require specific clearance on the sides (and sometimes top/bottom) to function correctly and allow the drawer box to move freely.
- Side Clearance: Soft-close slides are typically mounted to the sides of the cabinet opening and the sides of the drawer box. They require a certain amount of space on each side between the drawer box and the cabinet wall.
- Vertical Clearance: While side clearance is most common, some slides might also require a small amount of space above or below the drawer box.
- Reference Insight: The provided reference highlights the importance of this clearance, stating that certain slides like KV "really need about an inch of space" in terms of height accommodation within the opening, allowing you to calculate the maximum drawer box height.
Determining Drawer Box Size
Once you have your opening measurements, you subtract the required slide clearance (specified by the slide manufacturer) to determine the maximum size of your new drawer box:
- Drawer Box Height: Opening Height - Top Slide Clearance - Bottom Slide Clearance (Use manufacturer's specs, incorporating information like the reference's "about an inch of space" needed for KV slides within the total height).
- Drawer Box Width: Opening Width - Side Slide Clearance (usually specified per side, so often Opening Width - 2 * Side Clearance per slide).
- Drawer Box Depth: This depends on the length of the slides you choose, which should be slightly less than the opening depth to allow for the slide mechanism at the back.
Always consult the specific soft-close slide manufacturer's instructions for exact clearance requirements, as these can vary.
