Divider drawer guide
Drawer divider layouts: lateral, axial and the L/A code
Every drawer divider layout comes down to two choices: how many dividers run side to side, and how many run front to back. Name those two numbers and you have described the whole drawer. This guide explains the simple code we use in our shop, shows the compartment sizes you get in common box sizes, and covers how grids are joined where dividers cross.
Quick answer. Lateral dividers run side to side and split the drawer into rows; axial dividers run front to back and split it into long bays. Write a layout as L (lateral count) and A (axial count): the number of compartments is (L + 1) times (A + 1), so L2/A3 gives 12. Our divider drawers take 0 to 6 of each, up to 49 compartments.
What is the difference between lateral and axial dividers?
A lateral divider runs side to side, parallel to the drawer front, and splits the drawer into rows from front to back. An axial divider runs front to back, along the direction the drawer travels, and splits it into long bays from left to right. A flatware drawer is usually all axial. A foil and wrap drawer is usually all lateral.
The names come from the drawer’s axis of travel. Axial dividers line up with that axis, lateral dividers cross it. You can mix both in one drawer to make a grid.
How does the L/A layout code work?
The code counts dividers, not spaces. L is the number of lateral dividers and A is the number of axial dividers. Each divider adds one space in its direction, so a drawer has L + 1 rows and A + 1 bays, and the total compartment count is (L + 1) times (A + 1). L1/A3 is 2 rows by 4 bays, or 8 compartments.
| Compartments | A0 | A1 | A2 | A3 | A4 | A5 | A6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| L1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 |
| L2 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 18 | 21 |
| L3 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 | 24 | 28 |
| L4 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 | 30 | 35 |
| L5 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | 30 | 36 | 42 |
| L6 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 28 | 35 | 42 | 49 |
L0/A0 is a plain box with no dividers, which is our standard custom drawer box. Anything above that is a divider drawer, which you build on the custom divided drawer box page.
Common divider layouts and compartment sizes
These are clear compartment sizes, width by depth, with equal spacing in five common box sizes. A 20 x 20 in box with an L1/A3 layout gives eight compartments 4 1/2 in wide and 9 1/4 in deep. The math assumes 5/8 in sides, front and back, and our standard 1/4 in dividers. With 1/2 in dividers, each divider takes 1/4 in more.
| Layout | 14 x 20 in box | 17 x 20 in box | 20 x 20 in box | 23 x 22 in box | 29 x 22 in box |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L0 / A2 (3) | 4 3/32 x 18 3/4 | 5 3/32 x 18 3/4 | 6 3/32 x 18 3/4 | 7 3/32 x 20 3/4 | 9 3/32 x 20 3/4 |
| L0 / A3 (4) | 3 x 18 3/4 | 3 3/4 x 18 3/4 | 4 1/2 x 18 3/4 | 5 1/4 x 20 3/4 | 6 3/4 x 20 3/4 |
| L2 / A0 (3) | 12 3/4 x 6 3/32 | 15 3/4 x 6 3/32 | 18 3/4 x 6 3/32 | 21 3/4 x 6 3/4 | 27 3/4 x 6 3/4 |
| L1 / A1 (4) | 6 1/4 x 9 1/4 | 7 3/4 x 9 1/4 | 9 1/4 x 9 1/4 | 10 3/4 x 10 1/4 | 13 3/4 x 10 1/4 |
| L1 / A3 (8) | 3 x 9 1/4 | 3 3/4 x 9 1/4 | 4 1/2 x 9 1/4 | 5 1/4 x 10 1/4 | 6 3/4 x 10 1/4 |
| L2 / A2 (9) | 4 3/32 x 6 3/32 | 5 3/32 x 6 3/32 | 6 3/32 x 6 3/32 | 7 3/32 x 6 3/4 | 9 3/32 x 6 3/4 |
| L2 / A4 (15) | 2 11/32 x 6 3/32 | 2 15/16 x 6 3/32 | 3 9/16 x 6 3/32 | 4 5/32 x 6 3/4 | 5 11/32 x 6 3/4 |
| L3 / A5 (24) | 1 29/32 x 4 1/2 | 2 13/32 x 4 1/2 | 2 29/32 x 4 1/2 | 3 13/32 x 5 | 4 13/32 x 5 |
All sizes in inches. The box widths match our standard sizes for 15 to 30 in cabinets; see drawer box sizes for the full list. Any width from 6 to 35 31/32 in works, cut to the 1/32 inch.
How do I calculate compartment size myself?
Clear bay width equals the inside width, minus the axial dividers’ total thickness, divided by A + 1. Inside width is the outside box width minus two side thicknesses. For a 23 in box with 5/8 in sides: 23 minus 1 1/4 is 21 3/4 in inside. With four 1/4 in axial dividers, subtract 1 in to get 20 3/4 in, then divide by 5 for bays 4 5/32 in wide.
Row depth works the same way front to back: inside depth, minus the lateral dividers’ total thickness, divided by L + 1. Groove depth does not matter for the clear space, since the dividers sit in the walls, not on top of the floor space you measure.
| Step | Formula | Example, 23 x 22 in, L2/A4 |
|---|---|---|
| INSIDE WIDTH | Box width minus 2 x side thickness | 23 minus 1 1/4 = 21 3/4 in |
| BAY WIDTH | (Inside width minus A x divider) / (A + 1) | (21 3/4 minus 1) / 5 = 4 5/32 in |
| INSIDE DEPTH | Box depth minus front and back | 22 minus 1 1/4 = 20 3/4 in |
| ROW DEPTH | (Inside depth minus L x divider) / (L + 1) | (20 3/4 minus 1/2) / 3 = 6 3/4 in |
Which way should the dividers run?
Long things go in axial bays, which run front to back, because you reach in from the front and pick them up by the handle end. Flatware, utensils and knives all lie front to back. Boxes of foil, wrap and bags sit best in lateral rows, labels up, so you can read every one with the drawer half open.
Mind the slide, too. Full extension slides bring the whole drawer out, so the back row is as easy to reach as the front. On partial extension slides the back of the drawer stays inside the cabinet, so put everyday items in the front row. The drawer slide types guide covers extension.
How are divider grids joined where they cross?
With a half lap joint. When a layout has both lateral and axial dividers, each crossing gets a slot cut halfway through both pieces: one slot from the top edge, one from the bottom edge, each as wide as the divider is thick. The two pieces slide together and finish flush, so the grid reads as one flat surface and neither divider has to be cut into short pieces. We half lap every crossing we build.
We do not sell a loose drop in grid. Our dividers always sit in 1/4 in deep dados in the box walls, so the grid stays square and cannot shift.
Equal spacing or custom spacing?
Equal spacing divides the drawer into same size compartments and needs nothing beyond your L and A counts. Custom spacing lets each bay be a different size, such as one wide serving bay beside four flatware bays. For custom spacing, type the bay sizes in the layout notes when you order, or email a sketch to Sales@gritlyusa.com with your order number.
- Measure from the left side and from the front. Give each bay’s clear width left to right and each row’s clear depth front to back.
- Check the total. Clear bays plus divider thicknesses should add up to the inside width. We read your notes and contact you if anything is unclear or does not add up.
- Name the tallest item. It tells us the box height you need. Our standard divider top sits 1/8 in below the box top, or you can choose a custom divider height.
How to plan a divider layout in five steps
1. Size the box
Measure the opening with the measuring guide and make your slide deduction. Side mount boxes are 1 in narrower than the opening; undermount depends on the runner, see the undermount guide.
2. Lay out what you store
Set the items on a table in the footprint of the inside of the box. Group them by size.
3. Pick the direction
Long items front to back in axial bays, boxes side to side in lateral rows.
4. Count the dividers
Write the L and A numbers and check the compartment size against the table above. Bay sizes for kitchen items are in kitchen drawer divider sizes.
5. Choose the style and build it
Fixed, removable or multi groove. Fixed vs removable dividers explains each one. Then build it on the custom divided drawer box page, where every option shows its price as you build it.
Divider layout questions
How many compartments can a divider drawer have?
Up to 49 in our configurator, from 6 lateral and 6 axial dividers. The practical limit is the box size: in a 14 in wide box, six axial dividers leave bays 1 19/32 in wide, which is too narrow for most kitchen items.
Does L2/A3 mean 2 by 3 compartments?
No. The code counts dividers, not spaces. L2/A3 is 2 lateral and 3 axial dividers, which makes 3 rows by 4 bays, or 12 compartments. Add one to each number to get the rows and bays.
What is an axial divider in a drawer?
An axial divider runs front to back, in line with the direction the drawer slides. Three axial dividers turn a drawer into four long bays, the classic flatware layout.
Can I have different size compartments in one drawer?
Yes. Choose custom spacing and type the bay sizes in the layout notes, or email a sketch to Sales@gritlyusa.com with your order number. A common example is one 5 1/2 in serving bay beside four flatware bays about 3 in wide.
How are crossing dividers joined?
With half lap joints, at every crossing. Each crossing has a slot halfway through both dividers, one cut from the top and one from the bottom, so the pieces interlock and finish flush.
Do dividers make the drawer smaller inside?
Only by their own thickness. Each divider takes its thickness out of the clear width or depth. Four of our standard 1/4 in axial dividers use 1 in of a drawer’s inside width, and four 1/2 in dividers use 2 in; the rest is compartment space.
Got your L and A numbers?
Enter your box size and layout code and we build the dividers into a dovetailed Baltic Birch or Hard Maple (Select Grade) box in our Las Vegas shop. Every option shows its price as you build it. For a layout the configurator does not show, describe it on the instant quote.