File drawers
Custom file drawers for letter and legal hanging folders
Turn a desk or cabinet drawer into a proper hanging file drawer. We build file drawers as real dovetailed wood boxes in our Las Vegas shop, sized to the box dimensions you give us, tall enough for hanging folders and cut for rails at the letter or legal spacing, so files glide and never jam. Built in USA, not a stock office insert.
Quick answer. A Gritly hanging file drawer box is a dovetailed Baltic Birch or Hard Maple (Select Grade) box, 10 1/4 in tall as standard, with aluminum hanging file rails included, set 12 1/4 in apart for letter or 15 1/4 in apart for legal. The smallest letter box is 14 1/4 in wide and the smallest legal box is 17 1/4 in wide with our standard 5/8 in sides. We build it to the 1/32 inch, notch it for your undermount slides if you want, and ship it assembled nationwide.
New to the configurator? Our step by step file drawer configurator guide walks through every field, choice and price.
What makes a drawer a file drawer?
A file drawer is a drawer box with two things a normal box does not have: rails set at the exact spacing hanging folders hook onto, and enough height under those rails for the folders to hang free. Miss either one and the folders drag, lean or fall off. Four numbers decide it.
- Rail spread. 12 1/4 in for letter, 15 1/4 in for legal, measured to the outside of the rails.
- Inside width. At least 13 in for letter and 16 in for legal, so the rails have room to sit.
- Clear drop. At least 9 3/8 in from the top of the rail to the inside of the bottom, plus about 1 in above the rail for tabs.
- Box height. 10 1/4 in with our standard 1/4 in bottom, or 10 3/8 in with a 1/2 in bottom.
File drawer sizes at a glance
Front to back file drawers are sized by width. Lateral file drawers, with rails running side to side, are sized by depth. This table gives the smallest outside box for each layout with our standard 5/8 in sides, and the smallest cabinet opening it fits on most undermount runners (box plus 13/32 in) and on side mount slides (box plus 1 in).
| Layout | Smallest box, 5/8 in sides | Opening, undermount | Opening, side mount |
|---|---|---|---|
| LETTER, FRONT TO BACK | 14 1/4 in wide | 14 5/8 in wide | 15 1/4 in wide |
| LEGAL, FRONT TO BACK | 17 1/4 in wide | 17 5/8 in wide | 18 1/4 in wide |
| LETTER OR LEGAL, SLOTS FOR BOTH | 17 1/4 in wide | 17 5/8 in wide | 18 1/4 in wide |
| DOUBLE LETTER | 27 1/4 in wide | 27 5/8 in wide | 28 1/4 in wide |
| LETTER AND LEGAL SIDE BY SIDE | 30 1/4 in wide | 30 5/8 in wide | 31 1/4 in wide |
| DOUBLE LEGAL | 33 1/4 in wide | 33 5/8 in wide | 34 1/4 in wide |
| LATERAL LETTER | 14 5/16 in deep | 15 in runner or longer on undermount | |
| LATERAL LEGAL | 17 5/16 in deep | 18 in runner or longer on undermount | |
| DOUBLE LATERAL LETTER | 27 5/16 in deep | 30 in undermount runner | |
With 1/2 in sides each box minimum drops by 1/4 in, and with 3/4 in sides it grows by 1/4 in. The full chart, with inside widths, triple layout figures for the instant quote and other rail methods, is in letter vs legal file drawer dimensions. When to turn files sideways is in lateral vs front to back file drawers.
How tall is a file drawer?
Our standard file drawer is 10 1/4 in tall with a 1/4 in bottom. Choose a 1/2 in bottom and we build it 10 3/8 in tall. Both heights keep the 9 3/8 in of clear drop below the rail that hanging folders need, and both work on undermount and side mount slides. You do not type a height for a file drawer, so the box always clears the folders. We do not offer shorter file heights or a flush bottom online.
We suggest a cabinet opening of about 11 1/2 in or more so the folder tabs, which stand about 1 in above the rail, clear the face frame or drawer above. The numbers by slide and bottom are in how tall a file drawer needs to be.
Why a built to fit file drawer
Stock file drawer inserts come in a couple of widths and rarely match your cabinet, so folders lean and the drawer wastes space. A box built to your size holds files square, uses the full depth, and is dovetailed at every corner, so a full drawer of paper does not rack it.
| Gritly file drawer | Stock file insert | |
|---|---|---|
| FIT | Built to the box size you enter, cut to the 1/32 inch | A few fixed widths |
| FOLDERS | Aluminum rails included, 12 1/4 in letter or 15 1/4 in legal spread, files glide | Often one size, folders lean |
| HEIGHT | 10 1/4 in standard, 9 3/8 in minimum clear drop | Whatever the insert is |
| BUILD | Dovetailed Baltic Birch or Hard Maple (Select Grade), bottom captured in a groove | Particleboard or wire |
| DEPTH | Uses the full cabinet depth | Wasted space front or back |
| SLIDES | Notched and drilled for your undermount runner, or plain for side mount | Sits loose in the drawer |
Where file drawers fit
Home office and built ins
Convert a lower drawer in a desk or built in cabinet into a real custom office file drawer that matches the rest of the millwork.
Kitchen command center
A file drawer in a base cabinet 18 in or wider keeps mail, manuals and paperwork off the counter.
Credenzas and wide cabinets
A lateral layout turns a wide drawer into one long run of folders, or two letter bays fit front to back in a box 27 1/4 in wide.
Legal and letter
Rails set for either width, or slots for both with both rail sets supplied, so you can switch later. Tell us which and we build the box to suit standard hanging folders.
Cabinet shops
Order file drawers alongside the rest of a job’s boxes, in the same species and side thickness, so the whole run matches. See our trade portal.
See the other specialty drawers we build on the drawer types page, including trash pull outs and divider drawers.
What goes into every file drawer we build
A file drawer starts as one of our custom dovetail boxes, the same box we build every day, and adds the file layout, the file height, the rail slots and the rails. Here is the build sheet.
| Spec | Gritly file drawer |
|---|---|
| WOOD | Baltic Birch (our standard) or Hard Maple (Select Grade); other species by quote from our 21 wood species |
| FINISH | Baltic Birch ships finished; Hard Maple (Select Grade) finished or unfinished |
| JOINERY | True interlocking dovetails on all four corners |
| SIDES | 5/8 in standard, 1/2 in or 3/4 in available |
| BOTTOM | 1/4 in standard, 1/2 in available, captured in a groove on all four sides |
| HEIGHT | 10 1/4 in with a 1/4 in bottom (our standard), 10 3/8 in with a 1/2 in bottom |
| WIDTH AND DEPTH | Width 6 to 35 31/32 in; depth 9 to 24 31/32 in, or the runner length up to 30 in when notched |
| PRECISION | Cut to the 1/32 inch; every size is the outside of the box |
| FILE LAYOUTS | Letter, legal, letter or legal with slots for both (both rail sets supplied), double letter, double legal, letter and legal side by side, lateral letter, lateral legal, double lateral letter. Triple layouts by instant quote. |
| RAIL ALIGNMENT | Left, center (default) or right |
| RAILS | Included: anodized aluminum, cut to fit and set in slots cut into the top edge of the front and back (sides for lateral). 1/8 x 1 in flat bar for front to back spans up to 22 in, 1/2 x 1 in L bar for longer spans and every lateral layout. Or choose slots only, no rails. |
| SLIDE PREP | Notched and drilled for 14 named undermount runners or any model you name; plain for side mount |
| ORIGIN | Built in USA, in our Las Vegas, Nevada shop, shipped assembled |
| WARRANTY | Lifetime on the wood box, 1 year on hardware |
For a file drawer we suggest the 1/2 in bottom, which makes the box 10 3/8 in tall, because paper puts its weight in the middle of the span, and 3/4 in sides for wide drawers. On undermount runners, 3/4 in sides are confirmed only for Grass Dynapro 19, Würth PRO634, Blum 563F and Salice A7955; every other runner stays on 5/8 in. More on each choice in drawer bottom options and drawer side thickness, and on the species in Baltic Birch drawer boxes and Hard Maple drawer boxes.
Finish the install
Slides for a file drawer
File drawers hold real weight, so pick the slide by its maker’s rating. We make no load claim for the box. Blum TANDEM 563 runners are rated 100 lb and Blum MOVENTO 763 runners 125 to 170 lb. Würth PRO600 Heavy Duty runners are rated 130 to 150 lb, and Würth PRO100 side mount slides 100 lb. We notch and drill the box for the runner you pick and press on the front clips for you when you add them.
Undermount slides
Blum and Würth runners. We notch and drill the file drawer for the model you pick.
Shop undermount →Side mount slides
Würth side mount slides, standard or soft close, for face frame cabinets and shorter openings.
Shop side mount →Clips and brackets
Front locking devices that connect the box to the runners, and brackets for odd cabinets.
Shop clips and brackets →Not sure which slide you have? Our drawer slide types page helps you tell, and the undermount slide guide has every runner’s width rule.
How to order a file drawer
1. Measure the cabinet
Opening width, height and depth. The measuring guide covers face frame and frameless cabinets.
2. Work out the box size
Every size you enter is the outside of the box. Take off your slide’s deduction: 1 in for side mount, 13/32 in (10 mm, often written 3/8 in) for most undermount runners with 5/8 in sides.
3. Pick the file layout
Letter, legal, both, double or lateral. If your box is too narrow or too shallow for a layout, the live preview flags it in red before you order. Triple layouts go through the instant quote.
4. Set rails, bottom and slides
Rails are included unless you choose slots only. Choose left, center or right rails, a 1/4 in or 1/2 in bottom, your undermount runner or no notching, and clips if you want them pressed on.
5. Build it and order
Build it on the custom file drawer box page, where every option shows its price as you build it. We build it in our Las Vegas shop and ship it assembled with free retail shipping. See shipping.
Keep reading
Everything about file drawers
Every guide we have written on this drawer, from measuring to installing. Each one ends at the configurator, which prices every choice as you pick it and draws your box in 3D.
- Letter vs legal file drawer dimensions
- How tall does a file drawer need to be?
- Lateral vs front to back file drawers
- How to measure for a file drawer: step by step
- How to install a file drawer with hanging file rails
- How much does a custom file drawer cost?
- Best drawer slides for a file drawer, and how much weight it carries
- A file drawer in a kitchen cabinet: which cabinet fits one and how to size it
- Built in desk file drawer dimensions, and how to replace a broken one
- Hanging file rails for a drawer, explained
- Built in file drawer vs filing cabinet: an honest comparison
- Step by step configurator guide
File drawer questions
Do file drawers come with hanging file rails?
Yes. Every file drawer includes anodized aluminum rails at the letter spacing (12 1/4 in) or the legal spacing (15 1/4 in), set left, center or right. They are cut to fit and set in slots cut into the top edge of the box: 1/8 x 1 in flat bar for front to back spans up to 22 in, and 1/2 x 1 in L bar for longer spans and every lateral layout. If you already have rails, choose slots only, no rails.
How wide does a file drawer need to be?
A letter file drawer needs at least 13 in of inside width and a legal file drawer at least 16 in. With our standard 5/8 in sides that is a box at least 14 1/4 in wide for letter and 17 1/4 in wide for legal.
How tall is a file drawer?
Our standard file drawer box is 10 1/4 in tall with a 1/4 in bottom, or 10 3/8 in with a 1/2 in bottom. Both leave at least 9 3/8 in of clear drop under the rails for hanging folders. Leave about 1 in above the box for folder tabs.
Can a file drawer run on undermount slides?
Yes. File drawers hold real weight, so undermount soft close runners suit them well. We notch and drill the box for your runner, such as a Blum undermount slide, or leave it plain for side mount. Check the runner maker’s weight rating for a full drawer.
What is a lateral file drawer?
A lateral file drawer runs its rails side to side, so folders face left and right. It is sized by depth instead of width: at least 14 5/16 in deep for a letter file drawer and 17 5/16 in for a legal file drawer with 5/8 in sides.
How much does a file drawer cost?
It depends on your box size, layout, bottom and wood. A plain custom dovetail box starts at $46.99. Build your file drawer on the custom file drawer box page and every option shows its price as you build it.
Can I return a custom file drawer?
No. A file drawer built to your measurements is not returnable, and we do not offer a fit guarantee, so check your sizes against the charts above. The wood box carries a lifetime warranty and hardware carries 1 year. If we built it wrong or it is defective, send photos and we remake it.
Where can I buy a file drawer for a cabinet?
Gritly sells a custom file drawer box built to fit your cabinet, dovetailed in Baltic Birch or Hard Maple (Select Grade) with aluminum rails set for letter or legal hanging folders. Enter your width and depth and build it on the custom file drawer box page, where the rails, bottom and slide prep are priced together. Retail orders ship free, and Baltic Birch leaves our shop in about 2 to 4 days.
Where can I buy a file drawer box for hanging folders?
Gritly builds the file drawer box with hanging rails set inside it, at the letter spacing or the legal spacing, so folders hang straight from day one. Pick letter, legal or a layout with room for both on the custom file drawer box page, or slots only if you already own rails. The box ships dovetailed with the slide prep done for whichever slides you pick, and no separate rail kit to source.
A file drawer that fits your cabinet
Enter your box size and letter or legal, and get a real dovetailed file drawer built to the 1/32 inch, rails included. Every option shows its price as you build it. Need a triple layout or something the configurator does not show? Describe it on the instant quote.