Wood species
Custom Baltic Birch drawer boxes, built to your size
Baltic Birch is the wood most of our custom drawer boxes leave the shop in. It is the default on the configurator, the material behind every one of the 98 standard sizes, and the fastest box we build. This page walks through every option on the configurator in the order you see it, a worked price example, how to measure, and what to expect on shipping and returns.
Quick answer. Baltic Birch is our standard wood for a custom dovetail drawer box, built to your exact size from $46.99 and cut to the 1/32 in. It is a void free, multi ply birch panel, not a solid board, dovetailed at all four corners with a bottom captured in a groove. Every Baltic Birch order ships assembled, free, nationwide from our Las Vegas shop; see shipping for current lead times. Gritly’s Baltic Birch is a 9-Ply panel with no voids, cross laminated for strength, never a solid board.
Ready to build it? Baltic Birch is already selected when you open the configurator, and every option below prices itself live as you build.
Build yours
From $46.99
Baltic Birch drawer box specs
| Spec | Baltic Birch drawer box |
|---|---|
| MATERIAL AND GRADE | Void free, multi ply Baltic Birch panel, cabinet grade. Not solid wood |
| SIDES | 5/8 in standard; 1/2 in thin (+$5.99) or 3/4 in thick (+$15.99) on the configurator |
| BOTTOMS | 1/4 in Baltic Birch standard; 1/2 in Baltic Birch, melamine or Hard Maple (Select Grade) by choice |
| JOINERY | True interlocking dovetails at all four corners, bottom captured in a groove on all four sides |
| FINISH | Sanded, assembled, finished as standard |
| SIZE LIMITS | Width 6 to 35 31/32 in, depth 9 to 24 31/32 in without notching (up to 30 in notched for undermount), height 2 to 12 3/4 in |
| PRECISION | Cut to the 1/32 in |
| SLIDE PREP | None for side mount, bottom mount or center mount; notched and drilled free for 16 undermount models |
| LEAD TIME | See shipping for current lead times, retail and trade portal |
| PRICE FROM | $46.99 |
Is Baltic Birch right for your drawers?
Pick Baltic Birch for kitchens, bathrooms, closets, shops and rental units, anywhere a drawer needs to stay flat and square through humidity swings without the cost of solid wood. It is also the lighter choice, which matters on an undermount runner rated by total load. It is not the pick for a drawer meant to read as furniture, such as an open nightstand or a glass front cabinet, or for a buyer who specifically wants solid hardwood; Hard Maple (Select Grade) is the stocked answer there. The full head to head on construction, look, price and lead time is on the Baltic Birch vs Hard Maple comparison page.
Every option, step by step
The configurator asks these questions in this order. Every price below comes straight from the live configurator and is current as of October 2026.
Do I need my drawer box notched?
Only if you are using undermount slides, the type hidden under the box. The field is called Notching, and both choices are free: we cut the notch and drill the hook hole at no charge on every runner we support. Side mount, bottom mount and center mount boxes leave with plain sides, no cutting at all.
| Choice | Price | When to pick it |
|---|---|---|
| None | $0 | Side mount, bottom mount, center mount, or no slides at all |
| Notched & Drilled For Undermount Slides | $0 | Any concealed undermount or soft close runner that hooks under the box |
A generic box will not seat on an undermount runner. The notch and hook hole have to match the runner maker’s published spec or the drawer will not lock in, will sit crooked, or will not close. Tell us your exact model and we match it. Choosing Notched also changes the Depth Selection list below to the runner’s own whole inch lengths and removes the depth fraction field. See the notched drawer boxes hub for the notch and hook hole by model.
Which slide brand and model do I pick?
Name the exact runner so the notch, hook hole and depth list match it. This field, Slide Brand/Model, only appears once Notching is set to Notched, and it lists 16 choices, all free. If yours is not listed, pick Other or unlisted slide model and type the brand and model from the slide’s label.
| Choice | Price | When to pick it |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Notching W/Drill | $0 | You want the generic notch and are not naming a brand |
| Blum TANDEM plus BLUMOTION 563 | $0 | Blum’s common undermount runner, 9 to 21 in lengths |
| Blum MOVENTO 763 | $0 | Blum’s heavier runner, 12 to 30 in lengths |
| Grass Dynapro | $0 | Grass undermount runners, 9 to 30 in lengths |
| Other or unlisted slide model (I’ll enter it) | $0 | Any other maker, type the brand and model and we match it |
We list models instead of one generic undermount choice because the notch width, hook hole position and available lengths differ by maker, a Blum MOVENTO notch runs 50 mm where a TANDEM notch runs 35 mm. Picking a model here sets which Clips choices appear next and which Depth Selection list loads further down. The undermount drawer slide guide has the full table for all 16.
Do I need clips too?
Only if your runners did not come with their own. Clips are the front locking devices that connect the box to the slide, and we press them on before shipping for +$5.99. This field shows for 11 of the 16 models; it skips Standard Notching and Other or unlisted slide model, where the part number goes in order notes instead.
| Choice | Price | When to pick it |
|---|---|---|
| No Clips | $0 | Your runners already came with a pair |
| Blum T51.1901 Clips (shown for Blum TANDEM plus BLUMOTION 563) | +$5.99 | New Blum TANDEM runners without clips |
| PRO634 2D Front Locking Devices (shown for Wurth PRO634) | +$5.99 | New Wurth PRO634 runners without clips |
The clip is what lets the drawer come out without tools and gives side to side and height adjustment once it is mounted. It is a flat add with nothing downstream; the notch and depth are already set by the slide model above. The undermount drawer slide guide lists the part number for every model.
Should I build this box in Baltic Birch?
Baltic Birch is the standard wood on the Select Your Wood Type field at no extra charge; switching to Hard Maple (Select Grade) adds $34.99. Baltic Birch is a plywood, but not the home center kind: every ply is birch, cross laminated so the grain of each layer runs at a right angle to the layer under it, with no softwood core and no voids. Our plywood dovetail drawer boxes hold that construction through every corner, so the joint is cut into real material, not a veneer. That is why it will not warp or cup like a solid board, and why it holds a screw hard, the threads bite through several layers of grain instead of one. It scores about 1260 on the Janka hardness scale, below Hard Maple at about 1450, and it weighs less than the same box in Hard Maple, which matters on an undermount runner rated by total load.
| Choice | Price | When to pick it |
|---|---|---|
| Baltic Birch (Our Standard) | $0 | Kitchens, closets, shops, rentals, most kitchen drawers |
| (Select) Hard Maple | +$34.99 | Heavy use kitchen drawers, furniture and heirloom work, matching a maple interior |
Switching the wood here unlocks a Wood Finish field for Hard Maple only, and it swaps the Drawer Bottom Thickness/Wood Type list further down to the matching species. The wood species page lists the other 19 species we build by quote.
Do I need a scoop front?
Only if the box has no separate decorative front screwed to it. Standard Drawer keeps a plain square top edge at no charge. Scoop Front, +$8.99, cuts a hand pull into the front wall itself, which is how a pull out or rollout works when it sits behind a cabinet door or in a closet with no separate face.
| Choice | Price | When to pick it |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Drawer | $0 | The drawer gets its own separate decorative front |
| Scoop Front | +$8.99 | Pull outs, rollouts and pantries with no separate face |
On a Baltic Birch scoop front the ply stripes show along the cut edge of the scoop, which most buyers like. Picking Scoop Front unlocks the Scoop Style field below. See the scoop gallery for every profile with its drawing.
Which scoop profile should I pick?
Scoop Style only appears when Drawer Front Type is Scoop Front, and every one of its 55 codes is a standard cut at no extra charge. They group into five families: ogee, crescent, shallow U, deep round U and cloud lift, plus two specialty cuts.
| Choice | Price | When to pick it |
|---|---|---|
| OG1 Standard ogee (our standard) | $0 | General purpose rollouts, the default profile |
| CR6 Finger pull | $0 | Narrow drawers, a compact two finger pull |
| DU1 Deep round U | $0 | Deep reach pull outs and pantry drawers |
| CL1 Cloud lift | $0 | Craftsman style fronts |
Ogee is an S curve into a flat bottom; crescent is a simple arc; shallow and deep U give a flat bottomed grip; cloud lift is a two step Greene and Greene profile. Nothing downstream changes by style. The scoop gallery has all 55 codes.
What drawer side thickness should I choose?
5/8 in is standard at no charge. The outside size you order never changes with side thickness, only the inside clearance and the undermount fit do.
| Choice | Price | When to pick it |
|---|---|---|
| 1/2″ Thick Drawer Sides (Thin) | +$5.99 | Vanities, narrow or shallow drawers, cutlery and spice drawers |
| 5/8″ Thick Drawer Sides (Our Standard) | $0 | Kitchens, replacements, most drawers 14 to 32 in wide |
| 3/4″ Thick Drawer Sides (Thick) | +$15.99 | File drawers, pantry pull outs, pot drawers, wide heavy drawers |
A thicker wall is not about dovetail strength; 5/8 in dovetails already outlast the slides in a normal kitchen. It is about the inside width you keep and which undermount runners accept it, since a thicker wall widens the outside past a runner’s fixed inside width geometry. With 1/2 in sides, add 1/4 in to any undermount deduction below. 3/4 in sides work on four 19 mm undermount runners: Grass Dynapro 19, Würth PRO634, Blum 563F and Salice A7955. More on drawer side thickness.
What goes in the bottom?
1/4 in Baltic Birch is standard at no charge, captured in a groove on all four walls so it cannot fall out at any thickness. Six more choices are on the Drawer Bottom Thickness/Wood Type field.
| Choice | Price | When to pick it |
|---|---|---|
| 1/4″ Thick Baltic Birch Bottom (Our Standard) | $0 | Most drawers |
| 1/2″ Thick Baltic Birch Bottom | +$9.99 | Wide pot drawers and anything carrying real weight |
| 1/4″ Thick White Melamine Bottom | $0 | Wipe clean floor, bath and wet kitchen drawers |
| 1/2″ Thick White Melamine Bottom | +$3.99 | Wipe clean plus extra stiffness |
| 1/4″ Thick Black Melamine Bottom | $0 | Hides marks, modern dark interiors and workshops |
| 1/4″ Thick HardRock Maple Melamine Bottom | $0 | A maple look bottom inside a Baltic Birch box |
Black and HardRock Maple melamine also offer a 1/2 in step at +$3.99. Melamine wipes clean and needs no finishing; the groove protects its edges from chipping. A 1/2 in bottom takes 1/4 in off the inside height, since the bottom sits at the same position in the wall either way. See drawer bottom options for the full list.
How do I pick the depth?
That turns on Notching. With slide prep None, Custom Depth (Inches) runs any whole inch from 9 to 24, plus a free Depth Fraction down to the 1/32 in, so depth really runs 9 to 24 31/32 in. Once Notching is Notched, the field becomes Depth Selection, a short list of the runner’s own whole inch lengths with no fraction, because an undermount runner is a fixed length part: order a box shorter than the runner and the slide cannot reach its full travel, order it longer and the rear notch will not line up with the hook.
| Slide prep | Price range | How depth works |
|---|---|---|
| None | $0 at 9 in, up to +$15.99 at 23 or 24 in | Whole inch 9 to 24 in, plus a free 1/32 in fraction |
| Notched | $0 at 9 or 12 in, up to +$14.99 at 30 in | A short list of the runner’s own whole inch lengths, no fraction |
Switching Notching after you have picked a depth means repicking it, since the two depth fields never show at the same time. See drawer box sizes for the standard size depth grid.
How do I figure out the width?
Enter the outside box width; we cut exactly that number and make no deduction of our own. For side mount slides, that number is the cabinet opening minus 1 in. For undermount, it is the opening minus the runner maker’s own deduction, commonly 13/32 in (10 mm, often written 3/8 in) with 5/8 in sides, the same figure Blum publishes for its TANDEM and MOVENTO runners.
| Slide type | Width rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Side mount | Opening minus 1 in | 22 1/16 in opening becomes a 21 1/16 in box |
| Undermount, 5/8 in sides | Opening minus 13/32 in (10 mm, often written 3/8 in) | 21 13/32 in opening becomes a 21 in box on Blum |
Width runs any whole inch from 6 to 35 in, free at 6 and 7 in, then rising roughly a dollar an inch through the 20s, then about $20 more at 34 in. Only side thickness changes the undermount deduction itself. Full steps are in how to measure.
How tall should the box be?
Height is the side wall height of the box, not the decorative front, which is almost always taller. Most undermount runners cap box height at the opening minus about 13/16 in for clearance; Salice Futura caps it at the opening minus 1 in.
| Height | Price |
|---|---|
| 2 or 3 in | $0 |
| 4 in | +$2.99 |
| 7 in | +$27.99 |
| 12 in | +$46.49 |
Any whole inch from 2 to 12 in is available, with the full ladder live in the configurator. A 1/2 in bottom still takes 1/4 in off the inside height you get, independent of the outside height you order. See drawer box sizes for standard height options.
Can I order an exact fraction, like 14 and 15/32 inches?
Yes. Width Fraction and Depth Fraction both run 0 to 31/32 in, in 1/32 in steps, at no charge. Height Fraction runs the same steps but is capped at 3/4 in, so a height of 3 7/8 in or finer cannot be ordered.
| Field | Range | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Width Fraction, Depth Fraction | 0 to 31/32 in, 1/32 in steps | $0 |
| Height Fraction | 0 to 3/4 in, 1/32 in steps | $0 |
Undermount runners publish tight width tolerances, so even a box 1/2 in off can rattle on a side mount slide or bind on an undermount one. The number you measure is the box you get. See custom drawer boxes for more on sizing to the 1/32 in.
What goes in order notes?
Anything the dropdowns above cannot capture: existing slide hardware, matching an old box, job site details, or a clip variant we do not list, such as an inset front clip or a Tip-On MOVENTO. It is optional and free text, with no price attached.
It lets the shop confirm an unusual detail before we cut rather than after. The undermount drawer slide guide covers the variants worth a note.
A worked example
Say your cabinet opening is 21 13/32 in wide and 22 in deep, and you are keeping the Blum TANDEM plus BLUMOTION 563 runners already in the cabinet, 5/8 in sides. Blum’s own rule for that runner is opening minus 13/32 in, so the box is built 21 in wide, and the box depth equals the runner’s own length, 21 in. You pick Notching: Notched & Drilled For Undermount Slides, Slide Brand/Model: Blum TANDEM plus BLUMOTION 563, Clips: Blum T51.1901 Clips, Select Your Wood Type: Baltic Birch (Our Standard), Width: 21 in, Height: 4 in to clear the opening, Depth Selection: 21 in.
| Line item | Price |
|---|---|
| Base price | $46.99 |
| Width, 21 in | +$37.99 |
| Height, 4 in | +$2.99 |
| Depth, 21 in on the Blum 563 list | +$7.99 |
| Clips, Blum T51.1901 | +$5.99 |
| Total | $101.95 |
How to measure in three steps
Find the number you need
If an old box is in hand, measure its outside width, depth and height. If not, measure the clear cabinet opening between the sides or face frame stiles.
Make the deduction
Old box: that is the number, to the 1/32 in. Opening, side mount: subtract 1 in. Opening, undermount: subtract your runner maker’s own deduction, commonly about 13/32 in (10 mm, often written 3/8 in) with 5/8 in sides.
Set depth and height
Depth matches the slide length, side mount or undermount. Height is the opening height less enough room to clear the rail or face frame above the drawer.
The how to measure guide has the pictures and covers replacement boxes with no old slides in hand. Trade buyers order the same box through the trade portal; see shipping for current lead times.
Shipping, lead time and returns
Baltic Birch orders ship quickly, the build time before the label prints, not a delivery estimate; see shipping for current lead times, retail and trade portal. Retail shipping is free: the price on the product page is what you pay. Parcel orders go FedEx by default or UPS, with tracking emailed when the label prints; large orders ship LTL freight by TForce Freight, FedEx Freight, Central Transport or Estes, curbside, the carrier set by the shipping lane. Every box ships assembled and sanded. We do not offer local pickup.
The wood drawer box carries a lifetime warranty; hardware carries a 1 year warranty. We remake a box only if we built it wrong or it is defective, with photos as proof. Custom boxes built to your measurements are not returnable, and we do not offer a fit guarantee. Report shipping damage within 7 days with photos and we arrange a replacement or refund.
In photos
What Baltic Birch looks like
What customers say
4.8 out of 5, based on 20 customer reviews
Will be back!
We ordered new cabinet doors and drawer fronts for our drawers, without realizing the old drawer boxes could not be used… Quite the panic until we found Gritly! From start to finish, the drawer ordering process was super simple, and the drawer arrived quickly, 100% to spec. Will be ordering more!
Well Done
Exactly the size i ordered for a kitchen drawer. Dovetails definitely better than the original MDF drawer the house came with. A bit pricey - I thought at first - until I actually priced out making it myself. Cost of Baltic Birch plywood alone made it worth it to order online from here. Plus free shipping.
Solid Knife drawer
Really solid custom made knife drawer, 5/8” thickness, accuracy of cuts and fit with Blum slides installed easily. A few imperfections in finish but functionally huge improvement as retrofit over builder grade drawers
Just What I Needed
I've already recommended these to my neighbor. Dimensions were accurate and matched my cabinet perfectly.
Perfect Fit
These shelves fit my lower kitchen cabinet perfectly. The materials and workmanship are top-notch for these custom pull out cabinet drawers. Highly recommended!
Fast Shipping
Works just as described. No surprises. I'm not a pro, but this drawer was easy to get mounted.
Questions
Is Baltic Birch solid wood?
No. Baltic Birch is a void free, multi ply birch panel with cross laminated layers, which is exactly why it stays flat where a solid board would move. If you want solid hardwood, Hard Maple (Select Grade) is the stocked choice.
Is a Baltic Birch box strong enough for a heavy drawer?
Yes. The dovetailed corners carry the load and birch is a hard wood at about 1260 Janka. For a wide pot drawer, step the bottom up to 1/2 in Baltic Birch so it does not flex.
Can I use 1/2 in or 3/4 in sides on a custom Baltic Birch box?
Yes, both are on the configurator: 1/2 in thin for +$5.99 or 3/4 in thick for +$15.99. For undermount slides, stay at 5/8 in unless your runner is one of the four confirmed for 3/4 in sides: Grass Dynapro 19, Würth PRO634, Blum 563F or Salice A7955.
Does a Baltic Birch drawer box need to be finished?
No. Every prefinished Baltic Birch drawer box ships sanded and finished as standard, so it is ready to install straight out of the box. Hard Maple (Select Grade) is the one where you choose finished or unfinished on the configurator.
How precise is a custom Baltic Birch box?
Cut to the 1/32 in. Width, depth and height fractions all run in 1/32 in steps at no charge, so the number you measure is the box you get, not rounded to our sizes.
Can I get a melamine bottom instead of wood?
Yes. White, black or HardRock Maple melamine bottoms are on the configurator, 1/4 in at no charge or 1/2 in for +$3.99. Melamine is a wipe clean surface on a composite core, with its edges protected inside the groove.
Why do you say Built in USA?
Because the Baltic Birch panel is imported. The box is cut, dovetailed, sanded and assembled in our Las Vegas shop, so we say Built in USA.
Is Baltic Birch plywood worth it?
Yes, for most drawers. Gritly’s Baltic Birch is a 9-Ply panel with no voids, cross laminated so it stays flat, and every corner of the box is dovetailed. It is not solid wood, and it costs less than stepping up to Hard Maple (Select Grade), which is the solid hardwood option.
Is birch plywood good for drawers?
Yes. Gritly builds every Baltic Birch drawer box from a 9-Ply panel with no voids, so each dovetail is cut through solid layers of birch with no gaps inside the panel. The cross laminated layers resist warping across a wide drawer front to back and side to side.
Build it in Baltic Birch
Standard size or exact size, dovetailed, cut to the 1/32 in, built in our Las Vegas shop. See shipping for current lead times. This is the same custom box we sell on Amazon, sold direct from the shop that builds it.