Divider drawer guide
Spice drawer dividers: built in rows sized to your jars, flat or standing
A spice drawer only works when every jar is visible and nothing rolls. This guide is for the homeowner planning the drawer beside the range and the cabinet shop quoting one: the two ways to store jars, the row depth and box height each needs, how many jars fit in a 15 to 24 in cabinet, and the configurator choices that build the dividers in. A spice drawer insert, a tray that drops into a drawer you already have, is the other common route; the section below compares it with the built in divided box we build.
Quick answer. Most round spice jars are about 1 3/4 to 2 in across and 4 to 4 3/4 in tall. Lying flat with the lids toward you, they need rows about 4 1/2 to 4 3/4 in deep and a box 3 1/2 to 4 in tall. Standing up, they need rows about 2 1/4 to 2 5/8 in deep and a box about 1 1/2 in taller than the tallest jar, so 6 in for 4 1/2 in jars. A built in spice drawer for an 18 in cabinet holds about 28 jars flat or 49 standing, between 1/4 in Baltic Birch dividers set in dados in the box.
Ready to build it? The configurator prices every choice live and draws your box in 3D, rows and all, before you order.
A spice drawer insert or a built in divided drawer?
A spice drawer insert is a separate tray dropped into a drawer you already have, sized to fit around whatever is already in there. We build the whole divided drawer instead: dividers built into a dovetailed box, not a drop in insert tray sitting loose on top of the bottom. The box and the dividers arrive as one piece, so nothing shifts, tips or has to be lifted back out to wipe underneath.
From $56.98 for the divided drawer box with dividers included, in Baltic Birch or Hard Maple (Select Grade).
Should spice jars lie flat or stand up?
Lay jars flat in a shallow top drawer and stand them up in a drawer 6 in or taller. Lying flat with the lids toward you, a jar shows its label from above and needs only 3 1/2 to 4 in of box height, which is why the top drawer beside the range, usually a 3 to 4 in box, is the classic spice drawer. Standing up, the same jars go in rows one jar deep, so a 21 in deep box holds seven rows instead of four and almost twice the jars, but it must be about 6 in tall, which usually means the second drawer.
Either way the rows are lateral dividers, side to side, set in 1/4 in deep dados in the box walls so nothing floats or slides. They are 1/4 in Baltic Birch plywood in both box woods, because thin plywood stays flat.
Spice drawer dimensions: row depth and box height
Row depth is the jar’s length lying flat or its diameter standing up, plus about 1/4 in of play. Box height is the jar’s diameter lying flat or its height standing up, plus about 1 1/2 in. Measure the jar you actually buy; the sizes below are typical.
| Jar | Flat: row depth | Flat: box height | Standing: row depth | Standing: box height |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROUND OR SQUARE, ABOUT 1 3/4 TO 2 IN ACROSS, 4 TO 4 1/2 IN TALL | 4 1/2 to 4 3/4 in | 3 1/2 to 4 in | 2 1/4 to 2 5/8 in | 6 in |
| TALL ROUND, 4 3/4 IN | 5 in | 3 1/2 to 4 in | 2 1/4 to 2 5/8 in | 6 1/4 in |
| BIGGER BOTTLES, MEASURE YOURS | Length plus 1/4 in | Diameter plus 1 1/2 in | Diameter plus 1/4 to 1/2 in | Height plus 1 1/2 in |
Box heights are outside heights. The bottom sits in a groove above the bottom edge, so the clear height inside is less than the outside height; the 1 1/2 in allowance covers that and leaves room to lift a jar out. Our standard divider tops sit 1/8 in below the box top, and any box height from 2 to 12 3/4 in is cut to the 1/32 inch.
How many spice jars fit in a divided drawer?
Divide the inside width of the box by about 2 in per jar, then multiply by the rows. The box widths below follow the undermount rule for Blum style runners with 5/8 in sides, box width equals the opening minus 13/32 in (10 mm, often written 3/8 in), so the inside width is the box width minus 1 1/4 in. The rows assume a 21 in deep box: three lateral dividers make four rows 4 3/4 in deep for jars lying flat, and six make seven rows 2 19/32 in deep for jars standing up.
| Cabinet | Opening | Box width | Inside width | Jars per row | Flat, 4 rows | Standing, 7 rows |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 IN | 13 1/2 in | 13 1/8 in | 11 7/8 in | 5 | 20 | 35 |
| 18 IN | 16 1/2 in | 16 1/8 in | 14 7/8 in | 7 | 28 | 49 |
| 21 IN | 19 1/2 in | 19 1/8 in | 17 7/8 in | 8 | 32 | 56 |
| 24 IN | 22 1/2 in | 22 1/8 in | 20 7/8 in | 10 | 40 | 70 |
Jars 1 3/4 in across fit one more per row. With side mount slides the box is 1 in narrower than the opening instead of 3/8 in, which rarely changes the count. In a 20 in deep box the rows are 4 1/2 in flat and 2 15/32 in standing. The spec line under the live 3D preview states the row count and the size of each row before you order.
Where should a spice drawer go?
Beside the range, within reach of the cooktop: the top drawer if the jars lie flat, the second drawer if they stand. A top drawer in a base cabinet is usually a 3 to 4 in box, exactly what flat jars need, and you read every label with the drawer half open. Spices keep better cool, so if one side of the range runs warmer, choose the other.
A grid that fits round and square jars
A row sized to the biggest jar takes every smaller one, round or square, because the jars line up along the row rather than sitting in cells. Square jars never roll; round jars lying flat stay put once the row is full. Two touches make the grid better: a lower divider height for standing jars, 2 1/2 in dividers in a 6 in box, which leaves the top half of every label in view, and removable dividers, which slide straight up and out of their dados so a spill of paprika is a wipe, not a project.
A few tall bottles get one deeper row at the back; that is custom spacing. Type the row depths from the front in the layout notes, or email a sketch to Sales@gritlyusa.com with your order number, and we contact you if anything is unclear. The divider layout guide has the compartment math.
What we do not build, and what to do instead
We do not build tiered or stepped spice inserts, angled trays, or racks on the drawer front. A flat divided grid with the dividers in dados does the same job with no wasted rim and nothing that slides around.
| Instead of | We build | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| TIERED STEPS | Rows one jar deep with lower dividers | Every label in view from above |
| ANGLED TRAY | Flat rows, lids toward you | Reads from above and uses the whole box |
| DROP IN SPICE TRAY | Dividers built into the box, removable if you like | Nothing shifts; lift the dividers out to wipe |
| DOOR RACK | A drawer beside the range | Jars at hand and out of the light |
The honest comparison of built in dividers against every kind of insert is on built in dividers vs drawer inserts.
What to pick in the configurator
Both builds are for an 18 in frameless cabinet with a 16 1/2 in opening on 21 in Blum TANDEM runners from our undermount slides shop, with T51.1901 locking clips from clips and brackets. Field and choice names are exactly as the custom divided drawer box page prints them. For side mount slides, leave “Notching” on “None”, enter the depth in “Custom Depth (Inches)” and make the box 1 in narrower than the opening.
| Field | Flat rows, top drawer | Standing rows, second drawer |
|---|---|---|
| “WIDTH (INCHES)” | “16” Dovetail Drawer Box” | “16” Dovetail Drawer Box” |
| “WIDTH FRACTION” | “1/8″” | “1/8″” |
| “HEIGHT (INCHES)” | “3” Inches (H)” | “6” Inches (H)” |
| “HEIGHT FRACTION” | “1/2″” | “0/0 (No Adjustment)” |
| “NOTCHING” | “Notched & Drilled For Undermount Slides” | “Notched & Drilled For Undermount Slides” |
| “SLIDE BRAND/MODEL” | “Blum TANDEM plus BLUMOTION 563” | “Blum TANDEM plus BLUMOTION 563” |
| “DEPTH SELECTION” | “21” Inches (D)” | “21” Inches (D)” |
| “CLIPS” | “Blum T51.1901 Clips” | “Blum T51.1901 Clips” |
| “LATERAL DIVIDERS (SIDE TO SIDE)” | “3 lateral dividers” | “6 lateral dividers” |
| “AXIAL DIVIDERS (FRONT TO BACK)” | “0 axial dividers” | “0 axial dividers” |
| “DIVIDER STYLE” | “Removable in dados (slide out)” | “Fixed in dados” |
| “DIVIDER THICKNESS” | “1/4″ thick dividers (our standard)” | “1/4″ thick dividers (our standard)” |
| “DIVIDER HEIGHT” | “Standard (1/8″ below box top)” | “Custom divider height”, then 2.5 in “Custom divider height (inches)” |
| “DIVIDER SPACING” | “Equal spacing” | “Equal spacing” |
| SPEC LINE UNDER THE PREVIEW | 4 compartments about 14 7/8 x 4 3/4 in, 28 jars | 7 compartments about 14 7/8 x 2 19/32 in, 49 jars |
The configurator opens with one front to back divider, so set “Axial dividers (front to back)” to “0 axial dividers”; the preview redraws the rows as you go. A custom divider height taller than the box allows shows a red warning and holds Add to cart until you fix it.
Have your numbers? Build your spice drawer and watch the price update with every choice, with a red warning that stops any box we cannot build. Not sure about a measurement? Send us a photo and your measurements and we work out the rows with you.
Spice drawer questions
How tall does a spice drawer need to be for jars lying flat?
A box 3 1/2 to 4 in tall. A jar lying on its side is only as tall as it is wide, about 1 3/4 to 2 in, and our rule for any drawer is a box about 1 1/2 in taller than the item in it. That is why the shallow top drawer beside the range, usually a 3 to 4 in box, is the natural spice drawer. Jars standing up need a 6 in box instead.
How many spice jars fit in a divided drawer?
About 28 lying flat or 49 standing up in a drawer for an 18 in cabinet. The box is 16 1/8 in wide for undermount slides and 14 7/8 in inside, which holds 7 jars of 2 in per row. In a 21 in deep box, three lateral dividers make four rows 4 3/4 in deep for jars lying flat and six make seven rows 2 19/32 in deep for jars standing up. A 24 in cabinet holds about 40 flat or 70 standing.
Should spice jars lie flat or stand up in a drawer?
Lie flat in a shallow top drawer, stand up in a drawer 6 in or taller. Flat jars with the lids toward you show their labels from above and fit the 3 to 4 in drawer most kitchens have beside the range. Standing jars hold almost twice as many in the same footprint, but they need a 6 in box, which usually means the second drawer, and lower dividers so you can read the labels.
Can I mix jar sizes in one spice drawer?
Yes. Give the tall bottles their own row and keep the other rows at the size of your common jar. Choose custom spacing and type the row depths from the front in the layout notes, for example 4 1/2, 4 1/2, 4 1/2 and 5 1/2 in a 21 in deep box, or email a sketch to Sales@gritlyusa.com with your order number. Rows one jar deep take round and square jars alike.
Do the dividers need to match the jar width exactly?
No. The rows run side to side and the jars line up along them, so a row only has to be deep enough for the jar: about 1/4 in more than its length lying flat, or its diameter standing up. A row 2 1/2 in deep takes any jar up to about 2 1/4 in across. The width of the drawer sets how many jars fit in each row, not the dividers.
Do you build tiered or stepped spice drawer inserts?
No. We build flat divided grids with the dividers set in dados in the box walls, not stepped or angled inserts. To get what a tiered insert offers, every label in view, use rows one jar deep with lower dividers: in a 6 in box, 2 1/2 in dividers hold the jars upright and leave the top half of every label showing.
Can I get a spice drawer in one of your standard sizes?
Yes, if an upright grid suits you. The standard divided drawer box comes in eight widths for 13 1/2 to 34 1/2 in openings, 21 in deep and 3 1/4 to 6 1/4 in tall, and its three row layouts make rows about 6 13/32 in deep, so jars stand two or three deep. For rows one jar deep or jars lying flat, build the custom product with three or six lateral dividers.
Related reading
- Drawer divider layouts: lateral vs axial, the L/A code and the compartment math.
- Fixed vs removable drawer dividers: how each divider style is held in the box.
- Standard size divided drawers: eight widths, four heights, seven layouts, ready to order.
- Divided drawer cost: what the box, the dividers and each option cost.
- Divided drawer configurator guide: every field and choice, step by step.
- Divider drawers: the landing page for everything we build with dividers.
Every jar in view, in a drawer built to order
Enter your box size and your rows, and we build the dividers into a dovetailed Baltic Birch or Hard Maple (Select Grade) box in our Las Vegas shop, with a lifetime warranty on the wood box and free retail shipping. For a layout the configurator cannot draw, describe it on the instant quote.