File drawer configurator guide
How to order a custom file drawer: step by step configurator guide
This is how to order a custom file drawer from us, field by field, in the order the configurator shows them: every choice and price, when to pick it, what it changes and what the live 3D preview draws.
Quick answer. Open the custom file drawer box configurator and work down its six sections: Size, File layout and rails, Slide prep, Wood, Drawer front, and Sides and bottom. It opens on a 15 in wide, 21 in deep box with letter rails included, which is the From $149.95 on the product page: a base price of $91.99 plus each option’s own price. A typical desk file drawer, 15 5/8 in wide and 21 in deep on Blum TANDEM runners with letter rails, totals $147.95. The bottom sets the height, 10 1/4 in with a 1/4 in bottom or 10 3/8 in with a 1/2 in bottom, and we build it in our Las Vegas shop, cut to the 1/32 inch.
Prices as of October 2026; the configurator always shows the live price as you build.
Before you start
Every size you enter is the outside of the box, and we build exactly that. Have these ready:
- The opening. Width, height and depth, measured as our how to measure guide shows.
- Your slides. Side mount, or your undermount runner’s brand and model from its label or box.
- The box size. Width is the opening minus 1 in for side mount, or minus 13/32 in (10 mm, often written 3/8 in) for most undermount runners with 5/8 in sides; our undermount slide guide lists each runner. On undermount, depth is the runner length.
- Your files. Letter or legal, facing front to back or sideways. Size rules: letter vs legal file drawer dimensions and lateral vs front to back file drawers.
- The opening height. We suggest about 11 1/2 in of clear opening so folder tabs clear; see how tall a file drawer needs to be.
Step 1: Size
Outside width and depth, cut to the 1/32 inch. There is no height field: the bottom you pick in Step 6 sets it, 10 1/4 in tall with a 1/4 in bottom or 10 3/8 in with a 1/2 in bottom, so hanging folders get the 9 3/8 in drop they need. The configurator opens on a 15 in wide, 21 in deep box. The whole inch and fraction fields sit side by side; every other field runs full width.
Width (Inches)
Always shown. Pick the whole inch here and add any fraction in the next field. Work it out from your opening: minus 1 in for side mount slides, or minus 13/32 in (10 mm, often written 3/8 in) for most undermount runners with 5/8 in sides. Width decides which front to back layouts fit in Step 2, and the preview redraws it exactly.
| Choice | Price | Choice | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6″ Dovetail Drawer Box | $0 | 21″ Dovetail Drawer Box | $37.99 |
| 7″ Dovetail Drawer Box | $0 | 22″ Dovetail Drawer Box | $38.99 |
| 8″ Dovetail Drawer Box | $15.00 | 23″ Dovetail Drawer Box | $39.99 |
| 9″ Dovetail Drawer Box | $17.00 | 24″ Dovetail Drawer Box | $40.99 |
| 10″ Dovetail Drawer Box | $18.00 | 25″ Dovetail Drawer Box | $41.99 |
| 11″ Dovetail Drawer Box | $19.00 | 26″ Dovetail Drawer Box | $42.99 |
| 12″ Dovetail Drawer Box | $21.99 | 27″ Dovetail Drawer Box | $44.99 |
| 13″ Dovetail Drawer Box | $23.99 | 28″ Dovetail Drawer Box | $45.99 |
| 14″ Dovetail Drawer Box | $25.99 | 29″ Dovetail Drawer Box | $46.99 |
| 15″ Dovetail Drawer Box | $27.99, default | 30″ Dovetail Drawer Box | $47.99 |
| 16″ Dovetail Drawer Box | $29.99 | 31″ Dovetail Drawer Box | $48.99 |
| 17″ Dovetail Drawer Box | $32.99 | 32″ Dovetail Drawer Box | $49.99 |
| 18″ Dovetail Drawer Box | $34.99 | 33″ Dovetail Drawer Box | $49.99 |
| 19″ Dovetail Drawer Box | $35.99 | 34″ Dovetail Drawer Box | $69.99 |
| 20″ Dovetail Drawer Box | $36.99 | 35″ Dovetail Drawer Box | $72.99 |
Width Fraction
Always shown. It adds any 1/32 in step up to 31/32 in at $0, so the widest box is 35 31/32 in. For 15 5/8 in, pick 15″ Dovetail Drawer Box above and 5/8 in here; leave 0/0 (No Adjustment) for a whole inch.
Custom Depth (Inches)
This field appears while Notching in Step 3 is None, which it is when you start. Depth is the outside of the box, front to back, and the preview redraws it exactly.
| Choice | Price | Choice | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9″ Inches (D) | $0 | 17″ Inches (D) | $9.99 |
| 10″ Inches (D) | $5.99 | 18″ Inches (D) | $9.99 |
| 11″ Inches (D) | $9.99 | 19″ Inches (D) | $9.99 |
| 12″ Inches (D) | $9.99 | 20″ Inches (D) | $9.99 |
| 13″ Inches (D) | $9.99 | 21″ Inches (D) | $9.99, default |
| 14″ Inches (D) | $9.99 | 22″ Inches (D) | $9.99 |
| 15″ Inches (D) | $9.99 | 23″ Inches (D) | $15.99 |
| 16″ Inches (D) | $9.99 | 24″ Inches (D) | $15.99 |
Depth Fraction
This field also appears only with None. It adds any 1/32 in step up to 31/32 in at $0, so the deepest box without notching is 24 31/32 in. For 21 1/4 in, keep 21 in above and pick 1/4 in here; leave 0/0 (No Adjustment) for a whole inch.
Depth Selection
This field replaces the two above once you choose Notched & Drilled For Undermount Slides in Step 3. On undermount the box depth is the runner length, so it lists your model’s whole inch lengths, with no fraction; the Step 3 table shows each model’s list. Each length costs the same on every list.
| Choice | Price | Choice | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9” Inches (D) | $0 | 21” Inches (D) | $7.99 |
| 12” Inches (D) | $0 | 24” Inches (D) | $9.99 |
| 15” Inches (D) | $7.99 | 27” Inches (D) | $12.99 |
| 18” Inches (D) | $7.99 | 30” Inches (D) | $14.99 |
The depth you already chose carries over whenever the new list has that length, so the opening 21 in stays put on every model but Wurth PRO600 Heavy Duty, whose list starts at 24” Inches (D) for $9.99. When a length is not offered, the field drops back to the first length on its list and a note under it tells you to pick again; Salice Progressa+ starts at 15” Inches (D) for $7.99. Lateral layouts in Step 2 are sized by depth: with 5/8 in sides, lateral letter needs at least 14 5/16 in, so a 15 in or longer runner, lateral legal 17 5/16 in, so 18 in or longer, and double lateral letter 27 5/16 in, so the 30 in length, which six lists in the Step 3 table offer. No box without notching is deep enough for double lateral letter. Check your cabinet depth in our undermount slide guide.
Step 2: File layout and rails
File layout
Always shown, and it lists all nine layouts whatever your box size; the configurator opens on Letter, front to back. Front to back layouts are sized by box width: with 5/8 in sides, at least 14 1/4 in for letter and 17 1/4 in for legal. Lateral layouts are sized by box depth instead: at least 14 5/16 in for letter and 17 5/16 in for legal.
| Choice | Price | Smallest box, 5/8 in sides |
|---|---|---|
| Letter, front to back | $9.99, default | 14 1/4 in wide |
| Legal, front to back | $9.99 | 17 1/4 in wide |
| Letter or legal, slots for both (one bay) | $14.99 | 17 1/4 in wide |
| Double letter, front to back | $17.99 | 27 1/4 in wide |
| Double legal, front to back | $17.99 | 33 1/4 in wide |
| Letter and legal side by side (two bays) | $17.99 | 30 1/4 in wide |
| Lateral letter, rails side to side | $12.99 | 14 5/16 in deep |
| Lateral legal, rails side to side | $12.99 | 17 5/16 in deep |
| Double lateral letter, rails side to side | $19.99 | 27 5/16 in deep |
1/2 in sides lower each minimum by 1/4 in and 3/4 in sides raise it by 1/4 in. Triple layouts pass our 35 31/32 in width limit, so they go through the instant quote.
Letter rails sit 12 1/4 in apart and legal rails 15 1/4 in apart, outside to outside, in slots in the front and back, or in the sides on a lateral layout. Letter or legal, slots for both (one bay) cuts slots for both spacings so you can move the rails later, and with rails included you get both sets.
The preview draws the rails, slots and bays, Show folders hangs folders on them, and a red warning flags a box too narrow, or too shallow for lateral, and holds Add to cart until you fix it.
Rail alignment
This field appears for the six front to back layouts, not lateral ones. It sets where the rails sit when the box is wider than the layout needs, all at $0: Center (our standard), the default, splits the spare width evenly, and Left or Right leaves one open strip for pens or a charger. A 20 in letter box with 5/8 in sides has 5 3/4 in to spare: two 2 7/8 in strips, or one 5 3/4 in strip. On a single letter or legal layout the preview slides the rails over.
File rails
- Include aluminum rails, cut to fit, $9.99 (the default): anodized aluminum set in the slots, 1/8 x 1 in flat bar for spans up to 22 in and 1/2 x 1 in L bar beyond that and on every lateral layout.
- Slots only, no rails, $0: we cut the slots and you supply the rails.
Always shown. The preview draws the rails in their slots, or just the empty slots.
Step 3: Slide prep
This section asks which slides the box will run on. For undermount slides we notch and drill the back to match; for side mount slides, choose None.
Notching
This field sets whether we cut the rear notches and drill the hook holes undermount runners lock into. Both choices are $0.
- None (the default): for side mount slides. Step 1 keeps Custom Depth (Inches) and Depth Fraction.
- Notched & Drilled For Undermount Slides: for undermount runners. It reveals Slide Brand/Model, and Step 1 switches to Depth Selection, your runner’s lengths, keeping the depth you chose when that length exists. The preview adds the rear notches and hook holes; the Back view shows them best.
Slide Brand/Model
This field appears when you choose Notched & Drilled For Undermount Slides. All 16 choices are $0 and Standard Notching W/Drill is the default. Each model has its own clip choice and depth list.
| Slide model | Clip choice, $5.99 | Depth choices, inches |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Notching W/Drill | No clips field | 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30 |
| Blum TANDEM plus BLUMOTION 563 | Blum T51.1901 Clips | 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 |
| Blum MOVENTO 763 | Blum T51.7601 Clips | 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30 |
| Grass Dynapro | Grass Locking Clips | 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30 |
| Salice Progressa | Salice AFCGXX3B Locking Clips | 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 |
| Salice Progressa+ | Salice AFCGXX3B Locking Clips | 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30 |
| Salice Futura Smove A7555 | Salice A750.010 Clips | 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 |
| Salice Futura Smove A7955 | Salice A750.010 Clips | 12, 15, 18, 21 |
| Hettich Quadro V6 | Hettich 9144597 Catches | 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24 |
| Wurth PRO500 | PRO500 Front Locking Devices | 12, 15, 18, 21 |
| Wurth PRO560 | PRO560 3D / 6-Way Front Locking Devices | 12, 15, 18, 21 |
| Wurth PRO600 Standard | PRO600-FCLIP2D, PRO600-FCLIP2D-NF, PRO600-FCLIP3D, PRO600-FCLIP3D-NF, PRO600-FCLIPNARROW | 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 |
| Wurth PRO600 Heavy Duty | The same five PRO600 clips | 24, 27, 30 |
| Wurth PRO634 | PRO634 2D Front Locking Devices | 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 |
| Wurth PRO Economy / PRO Eco | PRO Economy Front Locking Devices | 12, 15, 18, 21 |
| Other or unlisted slide model (I’ll enter it) | No clips field | 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30 |
Pick your exact runner when it is listed and we match the notch and drilling to it. Standard Notching W/Drill cuts our standard rear notch and hook holes, the common pattern in our undermount slide guide, so choose it only when you know your runner takes that pattern. Brand pages: Blum, Grass, Hettich, Salice and Würth.
Your Slide Brand & Model
This text box appears when you choose Other or unlisted slide model (I’ll enter it). Type the brand and model from the runner’s label or box, and we match the notch and drilling to it at $0.
Clips
A Clips field appears for the 14 named models. It starts on No Clips at $0 and offers your model’s front locking devices at $5.99, which we install; the PRO600 runners offer five part numbers at $5.99 each, so pick the one your runners call for. Add clips unless you already have them. The preview draws them on the box.
Step 4: Wood
Baltic Birch ships finished. Hard Maple (Select Grade) ships finished or unfinished.
Select Your Wood Type
- Baltic Birch (Our Standard), $0 (the default): stable birch plywood, right for most file drawers, which sit behind a drawer front.
- (Select) Hard Maple, $34.99: solid Hard Maple (Select Grade), for a box that shows or must match other maple boxes. It reveals Wood Finish and swaps the bottom list in Step 6.
The preview recolors the box as you switch. More on Baltic Birch and Hard Maple (Select Grade).
Wood Finish
This field appears when you choose (Select) Hard Maple: Unfinished (the default) or Finished, both $0. Pick Finished to install it as is, or Unfinished to finish it yourself. The preview shows the sheen.
Step 5: Drawer front
Drawer Front Type
- Standard Drawer, $0 (the default): a straight front, for when you attach a decorative drawer front, the usual file drawer setup.
- Scoop Front, $8.99: a finger pull cut into the top of the front, the classic choice for a pull out behind a cabinet door. It reveals Scoop Style.
Scoop Style
This field appears when you choose Scoop Front. All 55 named profiles are standard cuts at $0 with no setup fee: OG ogee, CR crescent, SU shallow U, DU deep round U, CL cloud lift, and SP oval and keyhole. The default is OG1 Standard ogee (our standard). Every code is drawn in our scoop gallery, and the preview cuts the one you pick.
Step 6: Sides and bottom
The bottom sets the height: every 1/4 in bottom builds the box 10 1/4 in tall and every 1/2 in bottom builds it 10 3/8 in tall. Both leave the 9 3/8 in drop hanging folders need.
Drawer Side Thickness
- 5/8″ Thick Drawer Sides (Our Standard), $0 (the default). The layout minimums in Step 2 assume it.
- 1/2″ Thick Drawer Sides (Thin), $5.99. Lowers each layout minimum by 1/4 in, handy in a tight opening. Most undermount runners accept 1/2 to 5/8 in sides.
- 3/4″ Thick Drawer Sides (Thick), $15.99. Stiffer walls for a wide drawer, raising each minimum by 1/4 in. On undermount it is confirmed only for Grass Dynapro 19, Würth PRO634, Blum 563F and Salice A7955.
The preview redraws the walls. More in drawer side thickness.
Drawer Bottom Thickness/Wood Type for a Baltic Birch box
This list appears when you choose Baltic Birch (Our Standard).
| Choice | Price |
|---|---|
| 1/4″ Thick Baltic Birch Bottom (Our Standard) | $0, default |
| 1/2″ Thick Baltic Birch Bottom | $9.99 |
| 1/4″ Thick White Melamine Bottom | $0 |
| 1/2″ Thick White Melamine Bottom | $3.99 |
| 1/4″ Thick Black Melamine Bottom | $0 |
| 1/2″ Thick Black Melamine Bottom | $3.99 |
| 1/4″ Thick HardRock Maple Melamine Bottom | $0 |
| 1/2″ Thick HardRock Maple Melamine Bottom | $3.99 |
Drawer Bottom Thickness/Wood Type for a Hard Maple (Select Grade) box
This list appears when you choose (Select) Hard Maple. A bottom you picked on the Baltic Birch list carries over when this list has it too.
| Choice | Price |
|---|---|
| 1/4″ Thick Hard Maple(Select) Bottom | $0, default |
| 1/2″ Thick Hard Maple(Select) Bottom | $9.99 |
| 1/4″ Thick Baltic Birch Bottom | $0 |
| 1/2″ Thick Baltic Birch Bottom | $6.00 |
| 1/4″ Thick White Melamine Bottom | $0 |
| 1/2″ Thick White Melamine Bottom | $3.99 |
| 1/4″ Thick Black Melamine Bottom | $0 |
| 1/2″ Thick Black Melamine Bottom | $3.99 |
| 1/4″ Thick HardRock Maple Melamine Bottom | $0 |
| 1/2″ Thick HardRock Maple Melamine Bottom | $3.99 |
Every bottom sits in a groove on all four sides. Paper loads the middle of the bottom, so we suggest 1/2 in for a file drawer. Melamine wipes clean, in white, black or a HardRock Maple wood look. The preview shows the material and the new height. Compare them in drawer bottom options.
Check your build in the live 3D preview
The preview under the product photos redraws on every choice, to the 1/32 in. It is a drawing to check your choices; we build to the numbers you enter.
- Views. Buttons switch between 3D, Top, Front and Back, and you can drag the box to turn it. Top adds the rail spread callouts; Back shows the notches.
- Dimensions. Size callouts that never cover the drawer. Check them against your box size.
- Show folders. This toggle hangs folders on the rails.
- Spec summary. One line under the preview restates the build, your final check.
- Red warning. The box is too narrow for the layout, or too shallow for a lateral one. While it shows, the Add to cart button is greyed out and a message under it names the problem, so a box too narrow or too shallow for its layout cannot be ordered. Widen the box, pick a smaller layout, add depth (a longer runner when notched), or switch to 1/2 in sides for 1/4 in more room.
- On a phone. A bar at the bottom of the screen shows your live price and a Preview button that opens the drawing over the page; close it to get back to your options.
Worked examples with exact totals
Every field not listed stays on its $0 default, including None for notching on the last three. The 5/8 in on three of the widths goes in Width Fraction at $0.
| Build | What you pick | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Desk file drawer, 15 5/8 W x 21 D, letter rails, Blum Tandem 10 1/4 in tall | Base price $91.99 15″ Dovetail Drawer Box $27.99 21” Inches (D) $7.99 Letter, front to back $9.99 Include aluminum rails, cut to fit $9.99 Notched & Drilled For Undermount Slides $0 Blum TANDEM plus BLUMOTION 563 $0 | $147.95 |
| Legal file drawer, 18 5/8 W x 22 D, side mount slides, 1/2 in Baltic Birch bottom 10 3/8 in tall | Base price $91.99 18″ Dovetail Drawer Box $34.99 22″ Inches (D) $9.99 Legal, front to back $9.99 Include aluminum rails, cut to fit $9.99 1/2″ Thick Baltic Birch Bottom $9.99 | $166.94 |
| Wide credenza drawer, 30 5/8 W x 22 D, letter and legal side by side 10 1/4 in tall | Base price $91.99 30″ Dovetail Drawer Box $47.99 22″ Inches (D) $9.99 Letter and legal side by side (two bays) $17.99 Include aluminum rails, cut to fit $9.99 | $177.95 |
| Lateral legal, 24 W x 22 D, rail slots only (customer supplies rails) 10 1/4 in tall | Base price $91.99 24″ Dovetail Drawer Box $40.99 22″ Inches (D) $9.99 Lateral legal, rails side to side $12.99 Slots only, no rails $0 | $155.96 |
Recommendations by situation
- Desk pedestal or base cabinet: letter front to back in a box 14 1/4 in or wider; legal from 17 1/4 in.
- Legal files in a narrow but deep box: lateral legal, which needs 17 5/16 in of depth instead of width.
- Unsure, or both paper sizes: slots for both, $14.99, in a box 17 1/4 in or wider.
- Credenza: double letter from 27 1/4 in wide, letter and legal side by side from 30 1/4 in, double legal from 33 1/4 in, or lateral for one long run.
- A drawer you will fill with paper: a 1/2 in bottom. 1/2 in melamine costs the least at $3.99.
- Slides: notch for undermount, keep None for side mount, and judge a heavy drawer by the maker’s rating: Blum TANDEM 563 at 100 lb, MOVENTO 763 at 125 to 170 lb, Würth PRO600 Heavy Duty at 130 to 150 lb.
- Clips: add them at $5.99 unless you already have them.
- Hard Maple (Select Grade): worth $34.99 when the box shows. Behind a drawer front, Baltic Birch.
- Sides: 5/8 in; 1/2 in for a tight opening; 3/4 in only on side mount slides or the four confirmed runners.
- Rails: keep them included unless you own a set.
- Triples or shorter drawers: the instant quote.
After you order
We build your file drawer to order in our Las Vegas shop, cut to the 1/32 inch, and ship it assembled with free retail shipping and tracking. Built in USA. We do not promise a lead time for these builds; see shipping.
The wood box has a lifetime warranty and hardware 1 year. A box built to your measurements is not returnable and there is no fit guarantee; if we built it wrong or it is defective, send photos and we remake it. Questions: Sales@gritlyusa.com or 1-800-421-7163. See also our file drawers page.
File drawer configurator questions
How much does a custom file drawer cost?
From $149.95, which is the configurator’s opening build: a 15 in wide, 21 in deep box with letter rails included, on a base price of $91.99 plus each option’s own price. A desk file drawer 15 5/8 in wide and 21 in deep on Blum TANDEM runners totals $147.95, and a 30 5/8 in wide credenza drawer with letter and legal side by side totals $177.95.
Do I enter the cabinet opening or the box size?
You enter the box size. Every width and depth is the outside of the box, and we build exactly that, cut to the 1/32 inch. Take the slide deduction first: the opening minus 1 in for side mount slides, or minus 13/32 in (10 mm, often written 3/8 in) for most undermount runners with 5/8 in sides.
Can I choose the height of a file drawer?
No, the bottom sets it. A 1/4 in bottom builds the file drawer 10 1/4 in tall and a 1/2 in bottom builds it 10 3/8 in tall, and both leave the 9 3/8 in drop hanging folders need. We suggest about 11 1/2 in of clear opening height so the folder tabs clear.
Are hanging file rails included?
Yes, by default. Include aluminum rails, cut to fit adds $9.99 for anodized aluminum rails set in slots: 1/8 x 1 in flat bar for spans up to 22 in, and 1/2 x 1 in L bar beyond that and on every lateral layout. Choose Slots only, no rails at $0 if you have your own.
What is the smallest box for letter or legal files?
With 5/8 in sides, a letter file drawer needs a box at least 14 1/4 in wide and a legal one 17 1/4 in, because letter rails sit 12 1/4 in apart and legal rails 15 1/4 in, outside to outside. Lateral layouts are sized by depth instead: at least 14 5/16 in for letter and 17 5/16 in for legal.
Which clips do I need for my undermount slides?
Pick your runner under Slide Brand/Model and its Clips field offers the matching front locking devices at $5.99, such as Blum T51.1901 Clips for Blum TANDEM 563. We install them on the box. If your runner is not listed, choose Other or unlisted slide model (I’ll enter it) and type its brand and model; that choice has no clips field.
Can I return a file drawer if it does not fit?
No. A file drawer built to your measurements is not returnable and there is no fit guarantee. The configurator holds Add to cart while the preview shows a red warning, but it cannot check your cabinet, so check the callouts and spec summary against your measurements before you order. The wood box has a lifetime warranty, hardware has 1 year, and we remake anything we built wrong.
Plan it here, build it in the configurator
Work down the six steps with this guide beside you. Every option shows its price as you build. For a triple layout or a shorter drawer, describe it on the instant quote.