Cabinet hardware size and count calculator
Size a cabinet pull to about one third of the drawer's width, then pick the nearest standard hole spacing: a 15 inch drawer takes a 5-1/16 inch pull and an 18 inch drawer a 6-5/16 inch pull. From 24 inches wide, use two pulls or one long one. Count one piece per door and drawer front.
Updated · By the Interior Redesign AI editorial team · Sources cited on the page
The 1/3 rule sizes a pull to about a third of the drawer's width. We snap that to the nearest common center-to-center length, the distance between the screw holes, which is how pulls are sold.
Pieces to order
27
11 pulls and 16 knobs. Order one or two spares.
Drawer pulls
11
Hardware cost
$162
At your price per piece
| 15 in drawer × 4 | 5-1/16 in |
|---|---|
| 18 in drawer × 3 | 6-5/16 in |
| 30 in drawer × 2 | 2 × 5-1/16 in (or 1 × 10-1/16 in) |
Placement: center pulls on drawer fronts; on doors, put the knob or pull on the stile (the vertical frame) opposite the hinges, usually 2-3 in from the corner. That offset is a common convention, not a rule. Drawers 24 in and wider get two pulls, at about a quarter of the width in from each side, or one long pull.
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Key numbers
- The 1/3 rule
- Pull length ≈ drawer width ÷ 3
- Two pulls from
- About 24 in of drawer width
- US center-to-center sizes
- 3, 3-3/4, 5-1/16, 6-5/16, 7-9/16, 8-13/16, 10-1/16, 12 in
- Metric sizes (32 mm system)
- 64, 96, 128, 160, 192, 224, 256, 288, 320 mm
- Placement on drawers
- Centered on the drawer front
- Placement on doors
- On the stile opposite the hinges, near the corner
Worked example
A typical kitchen: 9 drawers and 16 doors
Four 15 in drawers, three 18 in drawers, two 30 in drawers, 16 doors with knobs, $6 per piece.
- 15 in drawers: 15 ÷ 3 = 5 in, so 5-1/16 in pulls.
- 18 in drawers: 18 ÷ 3 = 6 in, so 6-5/16 in pulls.
- 30 in drawers: two pulls of 5-1/16 in each, or one 10-1/16 in pull.
- Count: 4 + 3 + (2 × 2) = 11 pulls, plus 16 knobs = 27 pieces, $162 at $6 each.
27 pieces: 11 pulls in three sizes and 16 knobs, about $162 at $6 each.
How we calculate
For each drawer size you enter, we take a third of the width, the proportion Rejuvenation and other hardware guides recommend, and snap it to the nearest common center-to-center length: the distance between the two screw holes, which is how pulls are sold. In metric we snap to the 32 mm-system lengths.
Drawers 24 in and wider get two pulls, as designers commonly advise. We size each of the two to a third of half the drawer, and also show the single long pull you could use instead. That split rule and the 2-3 in door offset are our conventions, not a standard.
The count is one piece per door plus one or two per drawer. The cost line simply multiplies by the price per piece you enter.
Estimates, sources
Planning estimates and published guidelines, not quotes, designs or code rulings. Local prices, your home and your jurisdiction's adopted code decide the real answer: get local bids and check with your inspector.
- Quick guide to choosing cabinet hardware (Rejuvenation, 2025): pull length about one third of the drawer width; sized by center-to-center; centered on drawers, on the stile for doors
- The 1/3 rule for kitchen cabinet hardware (Tasting Table, 2024): divide the drawer width by three to size the pull
- The 9 cabinet hardware placement rules designers always follow (Osmoz, 2025): from about 24 in wide, drawers often get two knobs or pulls; mark every hole from one reference point
Cabinet pull size chart
Pull sizes for common drawer widths by the 1/3 rule, snapped to standard center-to-center lengths. Taste still wins: modern kitchens often go longer, traditional ones shorter.
| Drawer width | 1/3 of width | Pull to buy (center-to-center) |
|---|---|---|
| 12 in | 4 in | 3-3/4 in |
| 15 in | 5 in | 5-1/16 in |
| 18 in | 6 in | 6-5/16 in |
| 21 in | 7 in | 7-9/16 in |
| 24 in | 8 in | 2 × 3-3/4 in or 1 × 7-9/16 in |
| 30 in | 10 in | 2 × 5-1/16 in or 1 × 10-1/16 in |
| 36 in | 12 in | 2 × 6-5/16 in or 1 × 12 in |
Where to put knobs and pulls
Center pulls on drawer fronts, both left to right and top to bottom, unless the drawer is very tall; then many people line them up a few inches from the top. On doors, mount the knob or pull on the stile, the vertical frame opposite the hinges: near the bottom corner on wall cabinets and near the top corner on base cabinets.
Make a drilling template from scrap wood or buy one, and mark every hole from the same reference point so the hardware lines up across the kitchen.
- Knobs on doors and pulls on drawers is the classic mix.
- Pulls everywhere reads more modern and is easier to grip.
- Order a couple of spares; finishes change between batches.
How to use this tool
List your drawers
Each drawer width and how many of that width you have.
Count your doors
Enter the number of doors and pick knobs or pulls for them.
Read sizes and count
Pull sizes in standard hole spacings, and the total to order.
Try the finish
See brass, black or nickel with new cabinet colors on your own kitchen photo.
Questions
What size pulls should I use on kitchen drawers?
About one third of the drawer's width, rounded to a standard hole spacing. A 15 in drawer takes a 5-1/16 in pull, an 18 in drawer a 6-5/16 in pull and a 21 in drawer a 7-9/16 in pull.
What is the 1/3 rule for cabinet hardware?
Size a pull to roughly a third of the width of the drawer front. It is a proportion guide from hardware sellers and designers, not a code; longer pulls look more modern.
When should a drawer have two pulls?
From about 24 in wide. Two pulls look balanced and make wide, heavy drawers easier to open evenly. A single long pull is the modern alternative.
How do I measure cabinet pull size?
By center-to-center: the distance between the centers of the two screw holes. The overall length is longer, so check both if the pull has to fit between details.
How many knobs and pulls do I need for my kitchen?
One per door and one per drawer, plus a second on each drawer 24 in or wider. A typical kitchen needs 20 to 40 pieces; order one or two spares.
Should I use knobs or pulls on kitchen cabinets?
Either works. A common mix is knobs on doors and pulls on drawers; pulls everywhere is easier to grab and reads more modern. Match the finish to your faucet or lighting.
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