Updated 2026-09-05 · 6 min read
Gridfinity for beginners
Quick answer
Gridfinity is a storage system built on a simple 42 mm square grid. A flat baseplate lines your drawer, and bins snap onto it so nothing slides around. Start with one baseplate and a few bins, then add more over time. Bins from any maker fit any baseplate built to the same spec. Tell us your drawer size and we plan the baseplates and bins to fit it.
Upload your file and get one printed for you.
If your drawer is a pile of loose stuff sliding around every time you open it, Gridfinity is built to fix exactly that. It is a storage system, not a single product, and it is simpler than it sounds.
The two parts of Gridfinity
A baseplate is a flat panel covered in a grid of 42 mm squares. It lines the bottom of your drawer or desk. Bins are small boxes sized in whole numbers of those squares, and they snap onto the baseplate so a small lip holds them in place.
Because the grid is a published, open spec, a bin built to it fits a baseplate built to it, no matter who printed either one.
Do you need magnets?
No, not in a drawer. Gravity plus the baseplate lip holds every bin in place on its own. Magnets only start to matter when a bin rides in something that moves, like a rolling cart or a toolbox in a van.
| Part | Size |
|---|---|
| One cell | 42 mm square, about 1.65 inches |
| Height unit | 7 mm tall, bins come in a few multiples of this |
| Magnets, optional | 6 mm by 2 mm discs, up to 4 per cell |
Gridfinity, the basic numbers.
Getting started in four steps
Step 1
Measure your drawer
Find the inside width, depth, and usable height with the drawer closed. Our guide on measuring a drawer for Gridfinity walks through it.
Step 2
Pick a starting point
Start small. One baseplate and a handful of bins is plenty to learn the system.
Step 3
Build your kit
Tell us your drawer size in our Gridfinity kit builder, or start from one of our ready made starter kits at /kits/gridfinity. We plan the baseplates and bins to fit, in the colors you pick.
Step 4
Add more later
Bins you buy later still fit the baseplates you already have, because the grid never changes.
Worth knowing
What to know before you start
Almost no drawer divides evenly into 42 mm squares, so there is almost always a small gap left along one edge. That is normal, not a mistake. And a bin only fits perfectly when it is built to the real published spec, so stick with parts built to the standard grid.
- Do I need to buy the whole drawer set at once?
- No. Start with one baseplate and a few bins. Add more whenever you want, and the grid still lines up.
- What if my drawer size does not divide evenly by 42?
- That is normal for almost every drawer. Our kit builder plans the baseplates to fill the space and leaves the small leftover gap along one edge.
- Can I buy Gridfinity already printed?
- Yes. Tell us your drawer size and what you want to store, and we print the bins and baseplates to order and ship them to you.
- Is Gridfinity only for drawers?
- No. Drawers are the most common use, but a baseplate can also sit flat on an open desk or a shelf. Anywhere small parts need a home works.
Common questions
- Do I need to buy the whole drawer set at once?
- No. Start with one baseplate and a few bins. Add more whenever you want, and the grid still lines up.
- What if my drawer size does not divide evenly by 42?
- That is normal for almost every drawer. Our kit builder plans the baseplates to fill the space and leaves the small leftover gap along one edge.
- Can I buy Gridfinity already printed?
- Yes. Tell us your drawer size and what you want to store, and we print the bins and baseplates to order and ship them to you.
- Is Gridfinity only for drawers?
- No. Drawers are the most common use, but a baseplate can also sit flat on an open desk or a shelf. Anywhere small parts need a home works.
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