A cabinet hardware spacing calculator gives you precise mounting measurements for knobs, pulls, and bar handles — with a visual cabinet face diagram showing drill point locations. Enter your door or drawer dimensions for exact placement coordinates.
Common Hardware Styles
Cabinet Details
Batch Calculator (Optional)
Cabinet Face Diagram
Orange dots = drill points. Hinges shown on left side.
Placement Instructions
Batch Order Summary
How to Use the Cabinet Hardware Spacing Calculator
Consistent hardware placement is what separates a professional kitchen remodel from a DIY job that looks slightly off. The cabinet hardware spacing calculator gives you exact drill point measurements based on your door dimensions, hardware type, and cabinet position.
Standard Placement Rules
Upper cabinet doors: Hardware goes in the lower corner of the opening stile (the side with no hinge), about 2 inches from the bottom and 2 inches from the edge. This puts the pull near your natural reach-and-grab motion when the door is at eye level.
Lower cabinet doors: Hardware goes in the upper corner of the opening stile. Reaching down and slightly inward is natural, so the hardware should be 2 inches from the top and 2 inches from the edge.
Drawers: Knobs and single pulls go at the drawer's center point. Bar pulls are centered horizontally with their center-to-center spacing symmetrically placed around the midpoint.
Using a Drill Template
Once you calculate placement, make a cardboard template cut to your door/drawer size with holes poked at the drill points. Hold the template against each cabinet face, mark with an awl, and drill. This keeps all hardware perfectly consistent even across 30+ cabinet doors. Use the Print Template button to print the diagram at reference scale.
Knobs vs. Pulls — Which to Use
Knobs work well on doors where a small footprint is preferred (traditional or minimalist kitchens). Bar pulls are ergonomically superior for drawers and lower cabinets because they're easier to grip without bending your wrist. A popular combination: knobs on upper doors, bar pulls on lower doors and all drawers. The visual cabinet face diagram shows exactly where each drill point falls relative to your door dimensions.
FAQ
Where should cabinet knobs be placed?
On upper doors: knob goes in the bottom corner on the opening side, about 1.5-2 inches from each edge. On lower doors: knob goes in the upper corner on the opening side. On drawers: center the knob horizontally and vertically.
Where should cabinet pulls be placed?
On upper doors: pull is centered vertically on the door stile, about 2 inches from the edge. On lower doors: pull is near the top on the opening side. On drawers: center the pull horizontally.
What is the standard distance from the edge for cabinet hardware?
Most designers recommend 1.5-2.5 inches from the nearest edges for knobs. For pulls, center them along the edge stile, 2-3 inches from the frame. This varies by door size and hardware size.
Should I use knobs or pulls?
Pulls are more functional (easier to grip) and popular for modern kitchens. Knobs are more traditional and take less visual space. Mixing: knobs on doors, pulls on drawers is a classic and practical combination.
Is this calculator free?
Yes, completely free with no signup required.