Ball-bearing drawer slides · Load and cycle rating, extension, side space, wide drawers and corrosion testing
A drawer slide is a pair of telescopic metal runners, such as ball-bearing slides, fixed between a drawer and its cabinet so the drawer opens smoothly under load. Ask three things first: what gross load the pair is rated for and over how many test cycles, how far it extends, and what side space and drawer width it was tested for.
Ball-bearing and roller drawer slides for furniture, kitchen, office and equipment drawers, side- or undermount, with options such as soft close. Linear guides for machinery, heavy industrial telescopic slides and door sliding systems are outside this page.
CNFX editorial research · Sources checked October 12, 2026 · 5 sources
Accuride Europe defines its load rating as the maximum gross load a pair of slides supports for a stated number of cycles when mounted as recommended, so the drawer's own mass must be included; one cycle is a complete open and close on dedicated test machines. Accuride gives cycle tests of 50,000–80,000 cycles for the furniture market and 2,000–10,000 for industrial and electronic markets, and static-tests all products at full extension with a load that “will typically be at least twice that of the dynamic load test”. [1]
For corrosion, Accuride salt-spray tests parts and assemblies in a 5% salt fog to standards such as ASTM B117 and ISO 9227 and offers three levels of corrosion resistance: 12 hours, 96 hours and up to 500 hours for high-performance finishes; minor white rust is described as cosmetic. [5]
Editorial calculation: a 20 kg drawer box carrying 25 kg of contents needs a pair rated for at least 45 kg gross at the cycle count you expect; at 10 openings a day, 50,000 cycles last about 13.7 years. Weights and usage are assumed examples. [1]
Give the supplier the drawer's gross load, drawer width, depth and height, cabinet construction, required extension, side or undermount fixing, slide length, soft-close or push-to-open options, cycle life, corrosion finish and test hours, temperature range, and quantities.
02
Choose extension, side space and length for the drawer
Accuride describes extension (travel) as the percentage a slide extends relative to its closed length: 75% slides need only two members and can be simpler and slimmer but leave the rear of the drawer covered; 100% slides need at least three members and give full access; some slides reach 120%. [2] Side space between cabinet and drawer must be slightly greater than slide thickness — Accuride recommends +0.2 to +0.5 mm “for most slides” — so its 12.7 mm-thick 3832 slide needs 12.9–13.2 mm; too narrow compresses the members and too wide pulls them apart, both harming movement. [3]
For wide drawers, Accuride warns that a slide tested on a 450 mm wide drawer may not work on a 1 m wide one, recommends a slide length equal to or slightly longer than the drawer width, a central pull handle on wide drawers, and stiff drawer construction to limit racking. It explains that 'inching', or ball migration, occurs when ball retainers drift out of step, and that it keeps movement between members and retainers at a 2:1 ratio by controlling the ball track shape. [4]
Editorial calculation: a 500 mm slide at 75% extension gives about 375 mm of travel, at 100% about 500 mm. A 500 mm wide drawer box on 12.7 mm slides at 13.0 mm side space needs an opening of 500 + 2 × 13.0 = 526 mm. Dimensions are assumed examples. [2][3]
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Ball-bearing and undermount slides in half and full extension, with soft close
Listings include ball-bearing and undermount slides in half and full extension, with soft-close versions; ask each for the load and cycle test basis, the drawer width tested and the salt-spray hours of the finish.
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Cabinet, intermediate and drawer members, ball retainers, finish and options
The intermediate member is what turns a 75% slide into a 100% one, and the ball retainers are the part Accuride connects with ball migration and inching on wide drawers. [2][4]
Extension, length, gross load, thickness and salt-spray hours for a slide order
A load figure means little without its cycle count and the drawer width it was tested on, because Accuride rates a pair of slides for a gross load at a stated number of cycles. [1]
2 companies list this product among what they make. Company figures are quoted from each
company's own website; every card states where the relationship came from.
Baoertai Hardware
Manufacturing site to be confirmed for the order
Lists custom drawer slides including undermount and soft-closing full-extension slides, with cabinet hinges.
Explore company information and manufacturing capabilities, then discuss the scope of your project with a relevant supplier.
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Compiled and source-reviewed by the CNFX editorial team.
Each manufacturer above links to the page on that company's own website where the product is listed, with the date we checked it. How we source and review
· Page last updated 13 October 2026
Buyer questions
Does a drawer slide load rating include the drawer?
Yes; Accuride's rating is a gross load for a pair, including the drawer's mass. [1]
How many cycles are drawer slides tested to?
Accuride gives 50,000–80,000 test cycles for the furniture market. [1]
How much side space does a ball-bearing slide need?
Accuride recommends +0.2 to +0.5 mm over slide thickness “for most slides”, e.g. 12.9–13.2 mm for its 12.7 mm slide. [3]
What is the difference between 75% and 100% extension?
75% slides use two members and leave the drawer rear covered; 100% slides use three or more members for full access. [2]
Sources and what still needs a direct check
Sources checked 2026-10-12. All five sources are technical notes from Accuride Europe, a drawer slide maker, explaining how it rates, tests and recommends slides; other makers may test differently.
