How to Measure Drawer Pulls

How to Measure Drawer Pulls

Drawer pulls are an amazing addition not only to drawers but also to cabinets in various areas of your home. It is designed to allow for fast and easy access to the things that are stored inside drawers and cabinets. They come in different sizes and shapes.  

Whether you plan to add drawer pulls to your kitchen cabinet space or replace one for your old drawer, it is important to get the measurements right. After all, you would not want a small pull for a bigger drawer or have an oversized pull for a small drawer. This is what you can get out of this guide. Learning how to measure drawer pulls will help you save time, and get the task right.

What You Need

  • Screwdriver
  • Measuring tape or ruler

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1 – Measure the Length

In measuring drawer pulls, it is important to get three important measurements – length, projection/depth, and center-to-center distance. When working with knobs, focus your attention on projection/depth value, because most knobs will not be especially wide or tall.

If you need to start from scratch, with no actual hardware to measure, it is recommended to measure the width of the drawer. The length of the drawer pull is vital since you would need it to be proportional to the size of the drawer. The recommended pull is not longer than ½ of the overall drawer width. If your drawer is exceptionally long, you may want to use two pulls, with one on every side, making it much easier to open.

Step 2 – Measure the Projection/Depth

The projection, or depth, is the distance between the pull and the cabinet. This describes the space where you hold the cabinet pull or knob. The bigger the projection is, the more space your hands will have in fitting between the cabinet and the pull handle.

Take into consideration how much comfort you expect your hands to feel while pulling the drawer handle. If you have arthritic or huge hands, a bigger project is recommended. To look for the projection of hardware, make sure to look into the section “Weights and Dimensions” on the product page.

As you determine the best projection for a cabinet pull, make sure that your cabinets are open, seeing how close they are as they swing towards each other, including other surrounding objects in the kitchen. If the cabinets end up swinging close together or to a different object, you can take into consideration a smaller drawer pull that will reduce the risk of damage that comes as a result of the swing impact.

Step 3 – Measure the Center-to-Center Distance

If you need to replace the hardware of your cabinet and you already have some pre-drilled holes in your drawer, it is essential to get new pulls that feature a similar center-to-center distance with your old pulls. To do so, you can use a screwdriver in removing the old pulls. Next, use a measuring tape or ruler to get the measurement from the middle of a screw hole to the other middle of the other screw hole.

To locate the distance for the center-to-center on a new pull, make sure to check out the product page, under “Weights and Dimensions”. This will help in making sure that you are getting the right measurement according to what is needed for the specific drawer pulls.

Step 4 – Some Tips to Consider

If you are measuring in millimeters and require to get the inches for the dimensions, get the total number of millimeters, dividing the value by 25.4. This means that if the center-to-center distance that you have acquired is at 64 mm, you can divide the value by 25.4, looking for a pull that comes with a 2.5-inch center-to-center distance.

If the newly purchased drawer pulls do not fit into the older screw holes, there is no need to worry! There is always a possibility of filling the old holes using a putty or wood filler, sanding it down, and repainting or restaining the drawer. Then, you can opt to drill new holes using the appropriately sized drill bit that will fit the new pulls.

Conclusion

Whether you are simply considering a replacement for your old pulls or working your way up, it is very important to learn how to measure drawer pulls and get the right size. As you buy a new pull or get one for a new drawer, the overall output depends on whether you got the right measurements the first time. Once you get the right measurements, you can get a drawer pull that will serve its purpose. Avoid guessing the measurements and sit down to calculate the exact figures.

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