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Project tools

Cabinet Drawer Calculator

Built for UK makers in millimetres. Pick a typical carcass size, check your measurements, and get plain-English sizes plus a cut list — no joinery jargon required.

Related guidesSpecies data
All sizes in millimetres — the UK standard. Measure the empty rectangular hole inside your carcass (between the sides, rails, and back). If you haven't built the carcass yet, start with a preset below and adjust later.

Quick start

  1. Pick the carcass type closest to yours — usually a 600 mm kitchen base.
  2. Measure the internal opening in mm and overwrite the preset if your carcass differs.
  3. Choose side-mounted runners unless you already have undermount slides and a fitting chart.
  4. Pick inset (traditional) or full overlay (modern kitchen) drawer fronts.
  5. Read the plain-English summary, then copy the cut list for the workshop.

What each thing means

Opening (not outer carcass size)
Novices often measure the outside of the cabinet — you need the inside gap the drawer box travels through.
Side-mounted runners
The most forgiving option for a first build. Buy runners whose length matches your drawer depth (450 mm or 500 mm kits are common in the UK).
Full overlay fronts
Typical on flat-pack kitchens from Howdens, Wickes, Magnet, etc. The front hides the carcass edges.
18 mm sides + 6 mm ply bottom
Standard UK drawer box materials — 18 mm PSE/ply sides and 6 mm hardwood ply bottom from any timber merchant.

Step 1

What are you building?

Choose the closest match — we'll fill in typical UK opening sizes. You can tweak them in the next step.

Step 2

Check your opening size

Measure inside the carcass in millimetres. Adjust any field that doesn't match your cabinet.

FRONT — where you stand123SIDE — depth into carcass222 mm684 mmOpening 564 mm wide × 684 mm tall · 520 mm deep

Orange = drawer fronts · dashed = space inside the opening

Step 3

Drawers and runners

How many drawers, and which slide type? Side-mounted is the best starting point for most DIY builds.

Number of drawers

Runner type

Step 4

Drawer fronts and bottom

Pick the look you want. Full overlay suits modern kitchens; inset suits framed or workshop furniture.

Front style

Bottom panel

Step 5

Your drawer sizes

Read this first — then take the cut list to your bench or timber merchant.

The bench answer

Build 3 equal drawers: each box is 539 mm wide × 510 mm deep; cut each side 18 thick × 222 high × 510 long.

539 mm wide × 510 mm deep

Sides cut 222 mm high × 510 mm long· 3 drawers in the stack

Box width is the opening minus 12.5 mm runner clearance both sides. Box depth is the opening minus 10 mm at the back.

In plain English

  • You have a 564 mm wide × 684 mm tall opening, 520 mm deep.
  • 3 equal drawers — each slot is about 226 mm tall.
  • Runner type: Side-mounted runners. Allowance: 12.5 mm each side for the slides, and 10 mm at the back so the box can close.
  • Each drawer box is 539 mm wide × 510 mm deep, with 222 mm high sides.
  • Drawer fronts (Full overlay (modern kitchen)): cut 18 thick × 230 high × 600 wide — often left slightly oversize and planed flush after fitting.
  • Material: 18 mm board for sides, back, and front; 6 mm ply for bottoms.

What to buy

  • 6 × drawer sides (18 thick × 222 high × 510 long from board)
  • 3 × drawer backs (18 thick × 222 high × 503 long)
  • 3 × drawer bottoms (6 thick × 531 wide × 492 deep from ply)
  • 3 × drawer fronts (18 thick × 230 high × 600 wide)
  • 3 × runner sets (check slide length matches 510 mm box depth)

Drawer front

18 thick × 230 high × 600 wide

Back panel

222 high × 503 long

Bottom ply

531 wide × 492 deep

Runner clearance

12.5 mm each side

Cut list (mm)

Build 3 equal drawers: each box is 539 mm wide × 510 mm deep; cut each side 18 thick × 222 high × 510 long.

Sizes are written as labelled dimensions: thickness first, then the useful height or width, then the length into or across the cabinet.

Drawer 1

Side

Qty 2

18 thick × 222 high × 510 long

Runs 510 mm into the carcass; 222 mm is the side height.

Drawer 1

Back

Qty 1

18 thick × 222 high × 503 long

Sits between the two sides; 503 mm is the left-to-right length.

Drawer 1

Bottom

Qty 1

6 thick × 531 wide × 492 deep

Ply slips into 4 mm grooves; 492 mm runs front to back.

Drawer 1

Drawer front

Qty 1

18 thick × 230 high × 600 wide

Overlay front; check the reveal against your finished carcass.

Drawer 2

Side

Qty 2

18 thick × 222 high × 510 long

Runs 510 mm into the carcass; 222 mm is the side height.

Drawer 2

Back

Qty 1

18 thick × 222 high × 503 long

Sits between the two sides; 503 mm is the left-to-right length.

Drawer 2

Bottom

Qty 1

6 thick × 531 wide × 492 deep

Ply slips into 4 mm grooves; 492 mm runs front to back.

Drawer 2

Drawer front

Qty 1

18 thick × 230 high × 600 wide

Overlay front; check the reveal against your finished carcass.

Drawer 3

Side

Qty 2

18 thick × 222 high × 510 long

Runs 510 mm into the carcass; 222 mm is the side height.

Drawer 3

Back

Qty 1

18 thick × 222 high × 503 long

Sits between the two sides; 503 mm is the left-to-right length.

Drawer 3

Bottom

Qty 1

6 thick × 531 wide × 492 deep

Ply slips into 4 mm grooves; 492 mm runs front to back.

Drawer 3

Drawer front

Qty 1

18 thick × 230 high × 600 wide

Overlay front; check the reveal against your finished carcass.

Useful Mill & Merchant guides

Read before you cut

A few timber lessons that sit behind a drawer that slides cleanly and stays flat.

Frame and panel construction

Why flat fronts and panels need room to behave.

Designing for wood movement

The timber movement lesson that saves sticky drawers.

Buying timber before you build

Moisture, flatness, thickness, and what to check at the rack.

Get better results

  • Buy runners before final cutting — check the clearance figure on the cardboard packet.
  • Cut drawer fronts 1–2 mm oversize and plane flush — easier than filling a gap.
  • Undermount needs an exact side thickness (often 16 or 18 mm) — only choose it if you have the manufacturer's chart.
  • Grooved bottoms need a router or table saw slot in the sides — underneath is simpler for a first drawer.
  • Standard UK base units are 720 mm tall overall, but the drawer opening is usually a bit less once rails are fitted.

Reading the numbers

The big number is your drawer box width × depth — the package that slides on the runners. Side height is the drawer sides only (not the decorative front). Front sizes include your inset gap or overlay overlap.

Not a substitute for structural sign-off

Typical rectangular UK kitchen and workshop carcasses only. Unequal drawer heights, metal drawer systems, and angled cabinets are not covered. Always confirm against your runner manufacturer's datasheet.