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32mm Increments

All 32mm system components are located multiples of 32mm apart and sized in increments of 32mm. More often than not, increments are a multiple of 32mm plus or minus a constant (32m +/-). The constant provides needed/desired clearances between components.

Following are a number of example increment tables and formulas. Inch equivalents are rounded to the closest 1/16". Divisibles (/d) are handy when you want to divide a space equally.

Multiples of 32mm

All 32mm system hardware is located some multiple of 32mm apart and has mounting holes some multiple of 32mm apart. All modular cabinets have a height/width dimension that is a multiple of 32mm. The exterior dimensions of modular full overlay boxes are some multiple of 32mm tall and wide. The vertical and horizontal centerlines of all half overlay and railed inset box componets are some multiple of 32mm apart. The centerline of all full inset horizontal gaps are some multiple of 32mm apart. All components not sized in multiples of 32mm are sized in increments of 32mm (multiple +/- constant).

While 32n (32 x n) would probably be more correct, I've been using 32m (32mm multiple) to describe dimensions that are a multiple of 32mm.
m32minch/dm32minch/dm32minch/d
41285-1/1621548018-7/83,52683232-3/42,13
51606-5/16 1651220-3/162,4,827864343,9
61927-9/162,31754421-7/16 2889635-1/42,4,7,14
72248-13/16 1857622-11/162,3,6,92992836-9/16
825610-1/162,41960823-15/16 3096037-13/162,3,5,6,10,15
928811-5/1632064025-3/162,4,5,103199239-1/16
1032012-5/82,52167226-7/163,732102440-5/162,4,8,16
1135213-7/8 2270427-11/162,1133105641-9/163,11
1238415-1/82,3,4,62373629 34108842-13/162,17
1341616-3/8 2476830-1/42,3,4,6,8,1235112044-1/165,7
1444817-5/82,72580031-1/2536115245 3/82,3,4,6,9,12,18

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Overlay Faces

All overlay door and drawer front heights and widths (and full inset heights) are always some multiple of 32mm tall minus the gap you want between the faces. Neither the panel design (True32, System32, etc.), or the amount of overlay (half to full), change this. A 3mm (~1/8") gap is typical.

m32m-3inch m32m-3inch
4125mm4-15/16"15477mm18-3/4"
5157mm6-3/16"16509mm20-1/16"
6189mm7-7/16"17541mm21-5/16"
7221mm8-11/16"18573mm22-9/16"
8253mm9-15/16"19605mm23-13/16"
9285mm11-1/4"20637mm25-1/16"
10317mm12-1/2"21669mm26-5/16"
11349mm13-3/4"22701mm27-5/8"
12381mm15"23733mm28-7/8"
13413mm16-1/4"24765mm30-1/8"
14445mm17-1/2"25797mm31-3/8"

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Overlay Hinge Hole Placement

Like overlay face height, this applies to full or half overlay and full inset cabinet styles. When using system registered faces, hinge cup holes are always a multiple of 32mm (32m) + 16mm - 1/2 gap from the top and bottom of the door. When using shifted registration, hinge holes are always 32m - 1/2 gap from the top and bottom of the door. The example uses a typical 3mm gap.

msystem 32m + 16 - 1/2gshifted 32m - 1/2g
146.5 32 + (16 - 1.5)30.5 32 - 1.5
278.5 64 + 14.562.5 64 - 1.5
3110.5 96 + 14.594.5 96 - 1.5
5142.5 128 + 14.5126.5 128 - 1.5

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Railed Inset Faces

Railed inset door and drawer front heights/widths (and full inset widths) are always some multiple of 32mm tall minus a constant. The constant is two times the gap you want between the faces and the rails (and panels) plus your panel/rail thickness (PT). If the rails center on system holes (VS between/shifted), and we travel from system hole to system hole, its 1/2 PT + gap + face height + gap + 1/2 PT = a multiple of 32mm (32m). The math is 32m - ((2 x g) + PT) = face height

The table is based on 19mm (3/4") PT and 3mm (~1/8") gaps. The math is 32m - ((2 x 3) + 19) = face height/width, i.e. 32m-25.
m32m-25inchm32m-25inch
4103mm4-1/16"15455mm17-15/16
5135mm5-5/16"16487mm19-3/16
6167mm6-9/16"17519mm20-7/16
7199mm7-13/16"18551mm21-11/16
8231mm9-1/8"19583mm22-15/16
9263mm10-3/8"20615mm24-3/16
10295mm11-5/8"21647mm25-1/2
11327mm12-7/8"22679mm26-3/4
12359mm14-1/823711mm28
13391mm15-3/824 743mm29-1/4
14423mm16-5/825 775mm30-1/2

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Railed Inset Hinge Placement

The hinge cup hole location for system registered faces is a multiple of 32mm (32m) + 16 - (1/2PT + gap) from the top and bottom edge of the door. Shifted registration is 32m - (1/2PT + gap). The chart is based on 19mm (3/4") PT and 3mm (~1/8") gaps.

msystem 32m + 16 - (1/2PT + g)shifted 32m - (1/2PT + g)
135.5 32 + 16 - (9.5 + 3)19.5 32 - (9.5 + 3)
267.5 64 + (16 - 12.5)51.5 64 - 12.5
399.5 96 + 3.583.5 96 - 12.5
4131.5 128 + 3.5115.5 128 - 12.5

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Drawer Box Heights

Drawer box heights can vary by panel design and slide/personal choice, but they are always sized in increments of 32mm. While many drawings show drawer height to the closest multiple of 32mm (32m) +/- a constant, this example shows drawer box height as the face multiple minus a constant. A number of the example drawings have these 32m - 51 (AKA 32m - 13) heights, they work with overlay (full and half) and railed inset layouts.

mface 32m-3inchesbox 32m-51inches-12 bott*
4125mm4-15/16"77mm3-1/16"65mm
5157mm6-3/16"109mm4-5/16"97mm
6189mm7-7/16"141mm5-9/16"129mm
7221mm8-11/16"173mm6-13/16"161mm
8253mm9-15/16" 205mm8-1/16"193mm
9285mm11-1/4"237mm9-5/16"225mm
10317mm12-1/2"269mm10-9/16"257mm
11349mm13-3/4"301mm11-7/8"289mm


*Minus 12 is a hack for undermount slides that allows better full overlay drawer layouts by making the bottom drawer boxes 12mm smaller.
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Overlay Balanced Panel Depth

Balanced panel depth is when system rows are some multiple of 32mm apart and 37mm from the front and back of the panel. Balanced panel depth is optional, only the front 37mm row spacing is important. Balanced panel depth has drawbacks, e.g. neither 586 (23-1/16, too shallow for appliances) or 618 (24-5/16, too wide for efficient use of material) are ideal for kitchen base cabinets*.

37 + (n x 32) + 37, i.e. 32m + 74 or m+74, = balanced panel depth
mpanel m+74 inchrows 32minch mpanel m+74 inchrows 32m inch
21385-7/16642-1/21349019-15/1641616-3/8
31706-11/16963-3/4 1452220-9/1644817-5/8
42027-15/161285-1/161555421-13/1648018-7/8
52349-3/161605-5/161658623-1/1651220-3/16
626610-1/21927-9/161761824-5/1654421-7/16
729811-3/42248-13/16 1865025-9/1657622-11/16
83301325610-1/161968226-7/860823-15/16
936214-1/428811-5/162071428-1/864025-3/16
1039415-1/232012-5/82174629-3/867228-7/16
1142616-3/435213-7/82277830-5/870427-11/16
1245818-1/1638415-1/82381031-7/873629

*Using a 3/4" full overlay back would boost the 586mm/23-1/16 depth to ~23-13/16". Using a 1/4" FO back and external 3/4" nailer/spacer strips would put the overall depth real close to 24" (uppers would be 12" with a 1/4" FO back and internal nailers). Using 49" stock (e.g. melamine), 618mm/24-5/16" panels can be doable (depends on stock edge quality).
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Half Overlay and Railed Inset Panels

While modular full-overlay boxes are always a multiple of 32mm tall/wide, half-overlay and railed-inset cabinets are always a multiple of 32mm plus panel thickness on the outside and a multiple of 32mm minus panel thickness on the inside, i.e. all panel (and rail) center-lines are a multiple of 32mm apart. The measurements apply to cabinet width and/or height (width only for full inset). Inside panel lengths apply to any panel that goes between through running/outside panels, either vertically or horizontally.

Example panel thickness (PT) is 19mm (~3/4").
9.5 + (n x 32) + 9.5, i.e. 32m + 19 or m+19, = box height (and width)
moutside m+19inchinside m-19inch/dmoutside m+19inchinside m-19inch/d
1240316-7/836514-3/82,3,4,62375529-3/471728-1/4
1343517-1/839715-5/8 247873174929-1/22,3,4,6,8,12
1446718-3/842916-7/82,72581932-1/478130-3/45
1549919-5/846118-1/83,52685133-1/2813322,13
1653120-7/849319-7/162,4,82788334-3/484533-1/43,9
1756323-3/1652520-11/16 289153687734-1/22,4,7,14
1859523-7/1655721-15/162,3,6,92994737-5/1690935-13/16
1962724-11/1658923-3/16 3097938-9/1694137-1/162,3,5,6,10,15
2065925-15/1662124-7/162,4,5,1031101139-13/1697338-5/16
2169127-3/1665325-11/163,7 32104341-1/16100539-9/162,4,8,16
2272328-7/1668526-15/162,11 33107542-5/16103740-13/163,11

3903_HO_and_RI_Increments_19.pdf 1-78 increment table for 19mm panels (32.6KB)
3903_HO_and_RI_Increments_16.pdf 1-78 increment table for 16mm panels (32.6KB)
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Full Inset Panel Heights

Full inset (shared panel) cabinet heights are always a multiple of 32mm plus gap plus 2 x panel thickness on the outside and a multiple of 32mm plus gap on the inside, i.e. the center of all gaps is a multiple of 32mm apart. Cabinet widths (and all interior components) are the same as half overlay and railed inset cabinets.

If we travel from the top to the bottom of the box (or vice versa), its PT + 1/2 gap + (n x 32) + 1/2 gap + PT (PT + gap + face + gap + PT).

Example panel thickness (PT) is 19mm (~3/4") and gap (g) is 3mm (~1/8).
Outside panel length / box exterior height is 19 + 1.5 + (n x 32) + 1.5 + 19, i.e. 32m + 41 or m+41
Inside panel length / box interior height is (n x 32) + g, e.g. m+3
.
moutside m+41inchinside m+3inch/dmoutside m+41inchinside m+3inch/d
1242516-3/4387 2,3,4,62377730-9/16739
1345718419 2480931771 2,3,4,6,8,12
1448919-1/4451 2,72584133-1/8803 5
1552120-1/2483 3,52687334-3/8835 2,13
1655321-3/4515 2,4,890588335-5/8867 3,9
1758523-1/16547 2893736899 2,4,7,14
1861724-5/16579 2,3,6,92996938-1/8931
1964926-9/16611 30100139-7/16963 2,3,5,6,10,15
2068126-13/16643 2,4,5,1031103340-11/16995
2171328-1/16675 3,7 32106541-15/161027 2,4,8,16
2274529-5/16707 2,11 33109743-3/161059 3,11

Example image is a 20 increment box (20 x 32 + 41 = 681) with four five increment faces (20 / 4 = 5, one of the /d options in the chart). While not evenly divisible, 23 increments (777mm/30-9/16") is as close as you'll get (w/o tweaking reveals/breaking modularity) to a standard American base cabinet box height (30.5") and 5,6,6,6 / 5,9,9 increment drawer layouts are nice.

4335_FI_increments_19_3.pdf 1-78 increment table (30.7KB)
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