Drawer Slides for a Systainer Bank
The slide you pick changes the cabinet, not just the drawer. Here is how side-mount and undermount slides differ in what they cost you in width, height and depth, and how to size a slide to your boxes.
Side-mount vs undermount, at a glance
For a Systainer bank, side-mount ball-bearing slides are the simple, strong default: about half an inch of clearance on each side, no added height, and heavy load ratings. Undermount slides give a cleaner, hidden look but cost about 14 mm of height under each tray and ask for a bottom inset and a rear notch. Both easily carry a loaded Systainer; the choice is mostly about finish and how much height you want to spend.
| Side-mount clearance | about 12.7 mm (half an inch) each side; 0 mm added height |
|---|---|
| Undermount clearance | about 8 mm side air gap each side; about 14 mm added height per tray |
| Typical load per pair | side-mount around 45 kg; undermount around 35 kg |
| Standard lengths | side-mount 10 to 24 in in 2 in steps; undermount 9 to 21 in |
| Depth behind the slide | side-mount about half an inch; undermount about 37 mm |
In this guide
The two slide types worth using
For a Systainer bank, two families of slide do almost all the work. Both are full-extension, so the whole box clears the cabinet and you can lift the lid and reach the latches.
Side-mount ball-bearing slides mount on the cabinet wall and the side of the tray. They are the workhorse: cheap, forgiving to install, and strong. In this class they are typically rated around 45 kg per pair, far more than a loaded Systainer needs. Because the slide body sits beside the tray, it costs width but no height.
Undermount slides hide below the tray, so you never see the hardware and the drawer looks cleaner. Blum and Salice make the common ones. They run a little lighter, around 35 kg per pair here, and they need a bottom inset and a rear notch cut into the tray to clear the mechanism. Because they live under the tray, they cost height instead of width.
What each one costs you
The reason the slide choice matters for planning is that it feeds straight into the cabinet dimensions. Change the slide and the width, the height, and the depth all shift.
Width. A side-mount slide needs about 12.7 mm, half an inch, between the tray and the cabinet wall on each side. That is the biggest single term in the width chain after the box itself. An undermount slide needs only a small side air gap of about 8 mm each side, so it makes a narrower cabinet possible for the same box.
Height. This is the trade-off in reverse. A side-mount slide adds nothing under the tray. An undermount slide adds roughly 14 mm of height under every tray, plus a bottom inset of about 13 mm, so a stack of undermount drawers gives up some boxes compared with side-mount in the same cabinet.
Depth. Both need room behind them. A side-mount slide wants about half an inch of clearance behind its nominal length; an undermount wants about 37 mm. A Systainer needs roughly 470 mm of inside depth to travel and clear, so the cabinet is usually deeper than the box regardless.
Sizing the slide length
Slides come in standard lengths, and the rule is simple: pick the longest standard slide that fits the cabinet inside depth after you leave room behind it. Side-mount slides step up in 2-inch increments, commonly 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24 inches. Undermount slides come in 9, 12, 15, 18 and 21 inches.
Work back from the cabinet depth. A Systainer needs about 470 mm of usable inside depth, roughly 18.5 inches. Leave the rear clearance for the slide type, and an 18-inch slide is a natural fit for a typical Systainer cabinet, with a longer 20 or 21-inch slide if you build the cabinet deeper for extra travel. A planner will recommend the largest standard slide that fits the depth you set, so you do not have to reverse the arithmetic by hand.
Rule of thumbUsable inside depth for a Systainer is around 470 mm. Subtract the rear clearance (about half an inch for side-mount, about 37 mm for undermount), then pick the longest standard slide that still fits. Eighteen inches suits most Systainer cabinets.
Let the tool pick
Choose a slide and see the cabinet resize
Set the slide type in the planner and watch the width, height and recommended slide length update, then get the cut list to match.
Frequently asked questions
What drawer slides are best for Systainer drawers?
Side-mount ball-bearing slides are the easy default for a Systainer bank: they carry heavy tool cases, install with simple half-inch clearance on each side, and add no height under the tray. Undermount slides hide the hardware and give a cleaner look, but they cost about 14 mm of height under each tray and need a bottom inset and a rear notch, so they suit a more finished build.
How much clearance does a drawer slide need beside a Systainer tray?
Side-mount ball-bearing slides need about 12.7 mm, half an inch, of clearance between the tray and the cabinet wall on each side. Undermount slides run under the tray and need only a small side air gap of about 8 mm each side, but they add roughly 14 mm of height under every tray instead.
How long a slide fits my cabinet?
Match the slide length to the cabinet inside depth minus a rear allowance. Side-mount slides come in 2-inch steps from 10 to 24 inches and need about half an inch behind them; undermount slides come in 9 to 21 inch lengths and need about 37 mm behind. A Systainer needs roughly 470 mm of inside depth, so an 18-inch slide is a common fit.
Can a Systainer tray hold a full box of tools?
Yes. Side-mount ball-bearing slides in this class are typically rated around 45 kg per pair and undermount around 35 kg, both well above a loaded Systainer. The tray is a low retention wall the box sits on, so the box latches stay reachable and the case pulls straight out.
Keep reading
Sources & references
The slide clearances, added heights, load ratings and standard lengths here come from the verified slide model in the StackDesign planner, cross-checked against common side-mount and undermount slide specifications. Confirm the figures on the actual slide you buy before cutting.
- StackDesign slide model: side-mount and undermount clearances, per-tray height cost, rear clearance, and the standard length tables.
- Side-mount ball-bearing slide references (Accuride 3832 class and equivalents) for the 2-inch length steps and load range.
- Undermount slide references (Blum TANDEM and Salice class) for the 9 to 21 inch lengths, the under-tray rise, and the bottom inset and rear notch.
Systainer is a trademark of TANOS GmbH. Brand names are used only to describe compatible hardware; StackDesign is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by any of them.