How the cabinet hardware placement calculator works
Enter the width and height of the cabinet door or drawer front, choose a knob or a pull, and the calculator gives you the exact position of every hole to drill, measured from the edges. A diagram shows the result, and a table gives the marks for your jig or tape measure. Use the in / mm buttons to switch units. Millimetres are handy for drilling.
Where to put knobs and pulls on cabinet doors
The hardware always goes on the edge opposite the hinges, so the door opens easily. The height depends on where the cabinet is:
| Cabinet | Position |
|---|---|
| Upper (wall) cabinet | In the lower corner of the door, 2 1/2 to 3 in from the bottom and the side edge |
| Base (lower) cabinet | In the upper corner of the door, 2 1/2 to 3 in from the top and the side edge |
| Tall or pantry door | About 36 to 42 in from the floor, near the middle of the stile |
For a knob, the figures above are to the centre of the knob. For a pull mounted upright, the closest hole to the corner is 3 in from the edge and the pull runs along the stile.
Shaker doors
On a shaker door the hardware goes in the middle of the frame (the rail and the stile) so that it lines up with the frame instead of the flat panel. For a 2 1/4 in frame, that is 1 1/8 in from each edge. Choose Shaker door with a frame in the calculator and enter the width of the frame.
Where to put hardware on drawers
- Centre it from side to side and top to bottom on the drawer front.
- Use one knob or pull for most drawers. For knobs, add a second one for drawers over 24 in wide. For pulls, add a second one over 30 in wide.
- Place two pieces at the quarter points, at one quarter and three quarters of the width from the left.
- Pick a pull about one third of the drawer width for a single pull. A 24 in drawer suits a pull of about 7 1/2 in.
What size pull should you choose?
| Pull size (hole to hole) | Metric | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| 3 in | 76 mm | Small doors and narrow drawers |
| 3 3/4 in | 96 mm | Doors and drawers up to 18 in wide |
| 5 in | 128 mm | Doors, and drawers 18 to 30 in wide |
| 6 5/16 to 7 9/16 in | 160 to 192 mm | Wider drawers |
| 10 to 12 in | 256 to 305 mm | Wide drawers and appliance doors |
Always measure the distance between the screw holes on the back of the pull, not the overall length.
Worked examples
A 15 in × 30 in upper door, hinges on the left, 5 in pull
The pull goes on the right edge, 2 1/2 in in from the edge. The lower hole is 3 in from the bottom edge and the upper hole is 8 in from the bottom.
The same door on a base cabinet, hinges on the right
The pull goes on the left edge, 2 1/2 in in from the edge. The upper hole is 3 in from the top edge, and the lower hole is 8 in from the top.
A 36 in × 9 in drawer with two pulls
Both are centred 4 1/2 in from the top and bottom, at 9 in and 27 in from the left edge. A pull of about 5 in (128 mm) suits it.
How to drill accurately
- Make a jig from a piece of scrap wood or a plastic template. Mark the hole positions with the table from the calculator, and drill pilot holes in it.
- Test the jig on the back of a spare drawer or door before you drill the real one.
- Clamp the jig to the door and drill from the front through the jig, with a bit that suits the screw.
- Put tape on the back of the door where the drill comes out, so the wood does not splinter.
- Check that the screws are the right length. Too long and they push through the front.
Common mistakes
- Putting the hardware on the hinge side. The door will not open properly.
- Not using a jig. Every hole will be a little different.
- Measuring the pull size wrong. The size is the distance between the holes, not the length of the handle.
- Drilling before checking the door. A drilled hole in the wrong place cannot be fixed easily.
- Choosing a pull that is too long. A long pull on a small door looks clumsy and can hit the next door.
Tips
- Do the drawers first, and then the doors, so that all the hardware lines up across the kitchen.
- Keep the same distance from the edge on every upper and every base door, for a consistent look.
- Use a combination of knobs on the doors and pulls on the drawers for a classic look.
