Drawer box template
Drawer Box Cut List Template
Use this drawer box cut list template to plan plywood drawer boxes before cutting. It lists the sides, front, back, and bottom with sizes and quantities, and it explains the slide clearance math that makes drawers fit the first time.
A simple drawer box plan
A drawer box is four walls and a bottom: two sides, a front, a back, and a captured bottom panel. The number that matters most is the inside cabinet opening minus slide clearance, because most undermount and side-mount slides need a fixed gap on each side. This template assumes a 24 inch deep cabinet with side-mount slides needing 1/2 inch clearance per side, giving a 21-inch-wide box. Adjust the opening to your cabinet and the clearance to your slide brand, then keep the structure.
Drawer box parts list (one box)
Material: 1/2 in plywood (walls), 1/4 in plywood (bottom)
Kerf allowance: 1/8 in between cuts
Slide clearance: 1/2 in per side (check your slides)
Box width = opening - 1 in total clearance
Part | Size (in) | Qty
------------+---------------+----
Side | 22 x 4 | 2
Front/back | 20 x 4 | 2
Bottom | 20-1/2 x 21-1/2 | 1The bottom sits in a groove 1/4 inch up from the bottom edge, so it is cut slightly larger than the inside dimension to seat in the grooves. Multiply this list by the number of drawers, and batch identical parts so they cut in one setup.
Fit multiple drawer boxes on a sheet
Drawer parts are small and repeat a lot, so they pack tightly once the bottoms are placed. The bottoms are the large parts; the walls fill the strips between them. When you build a bank of drawers, the sheet count depends mostly on how the bottoms nest. To check the layout for a full set, run all the parts through the plywood cut calculator at once with your kerf value.
Save the project in the CutList app so a bank of identical boxes stays organized. For a beginner walkthrough, read the drawer box plywood cut list guide.
Cut order and accuracy tips
Cut one full box first and dry-fit it in the cabinet with the slides before cutting the rest, because a small clearance error repeats across every drawer. Once one box fits, batch the sides, then the fronts and backs, then the bottoms. Keep grain direction consistent on visible boxes. For the kerf and clearance math behind accurate parts, read saw kerf explained and how to read a cut list.
For more sheet-good projects, try the kitchen cabinet cut list template or the bookcase cut list template.