Bold, Solid Brass Black & Gold Knurled Cabinet Pulls use two mounting posts. Mark their centers from the exact pull rather than assuming that overall length equals hole spacing.
You can lay out a cabinet pull without a ready-made template, but you still need an accurate method. The danger is not the absence of plastic. It is transferring an assumption to a finished cabinet front and discovering the mistake after drilling.
For a few conventional face-mounted pulls, a rule, square and careful measurements may be enough to establish the positions. For a whole kitchen, an appropriate jig can make a verified layout easier to repeat. Neither method is inherently more refined; the right one helps you place the actual hardware accurately.
Confirm that this is a through-hole cabinet-pull installation
The method here concerns conventional pulls with fixing posts on the cabinet face and screws passing through from behind. Bold cabinet pulls are an example of a two-post form. Read the exact product's fixing details before choosing bits or fasteners.
Other forms need other preparation. Frond, Verge and Curve are edge pulls, so a generic face-drilling layout should not be applied to them. Their flange, fixing positions and surrounding clearance need to be considered separately.
The material matters too. This is not a guide to drilling glass, stone or another specialist front. Consult its maker and an appropriate installer rather than assuming that tape and a different drill bit make a wood-cabinet method suitable.
Set out the pull before marking the holes
For a drawer, decide how the pull relates to the whole front: centered horizontally, then at a considered vertical position. A Shaker front may suggest a relationship to its top rail, while a deep slab drawer gives you different options. There is no single distance from an edge that suits every front.
For a door, establish the opening side and intended relationship to the stile or corner. Check paired doors together. Hold the actual pull or a full-size paper outline in place, then stand back to assess the arrangement before measuring the fixing points.
Tuxedo cabinet pulls and Tuxedo cabinet knobs can play different roles within one scheme. A knob's single fixing and a pull's two-post layout should each be planned deliberately rather than sharing an arbitrary mark.
Measure from reference edges you can repeat
Use a straight, accurate rule and a square appropriate to the cabinet. Determine the drawer front's centerline from its actual width. Establish the selected horizontal line separately, measuring from the same reference edge each time.
On a symmetrical two-post pull, position the mounting centers on either side of the intended centerline according to the specified spacing. For an asymmetrical form, use its actual mounting drawing. Overall length is not a substitute for hole spacing.
Make fine, readable marks using a method safe for the finish. If you use low-tack tape, confirm compatibility and remove it as directed; newly finished surfaces can be vulnerable. Tape is a marking aid, not a guarantee against chipping or finish damage.
Check the layout against the physical hardware
Compare your marks with the exact pull before drilling. Verify the spacing in the same units used in the specification, and check the placement from both relevant edges. Do not round a metric spacing to the nearest familiar inch size.
This matters just as much with a slim Arch pull as with the more visually substantial Rail cabinet pull. Their appearance does not change the need for accurate mounting centers.
Open adjacent doors and drawers with the proposed position in mind. Look for collisions at corners and inadequate hand clearance. Correcting the plan now is easier than trying to hide a misplaced hole under a different piece of hardware.
Prepare for controlled drilling
Use the hole diameter and fastener specification required by the product and cabinet construction. A through-hole for a machine screw is not automatically the same as a pilot hole for a screw biting into wood. Follow the intended fixing system rather than choosing a bit simply by eye.
Secure and support the work. A suitable backing piece can support the exit surface when drilling a wooden front, but the arrangement must suit the material and finish. Keep hands clear of the drill path and follow the tool manufacturer's safety instructions.
Test the complete process on appropriate scrap first where possible. Confirm that the hole positions, diameter and fasteners work together. If you cannot control the drill square to the surface, use suitable guidance or ask an installer to handle the preparation.
Fit one pull and test it before repeating
Seat the pull without dragging its bases across the finish. Start the compatible fasteners carefully, then tighten in a controlled way so the piece sits securely without crushing the front or damaging the threads. A screw that bottoms out is not evidence of a secure installation.
Check the actual thickness the screws pass through. A drawer box behind a decorative front changes the required fixing path. Confirm the appropriate screw length instead of forcing a supplied screw that is unsuitable for that assembly.
Open and close the finished drawer. Assess the grip, alignment and relationship to neighboring fronts from a normal viewing distance. Once the trial is correct, repeat the measured method or transfer it to a suitable jig. Recheck different-sized fronts rather than copying blindly.
Recessed door pulls require a different preparation
A recessed pull is not installed by following the two-post cabinet-pull method above. Its body needs a correctly prepared recess, and its application, door thickness and fixing details must be verified. The image below shows that difference; it is not an alternative drilling template.
If a restrained cabinet detail is your aim, browse edge pulls with their own installation requirements in mind. For conventional face-mounted options, the cabinet pull collection provides a separate starting point.
Is a template less accurate than measuring by hand?
A suitable, correctly set template can be very accurate. Either approach can repeat an error if its dimensions and reference edges are wrong.
Can a misplaced hole be made invisible?
Not always. Repair depends on the cabinet material and finish. Do not assume that filler and touch-up paint will disappear on stained wood or a factory-finished surface.
Do you need to remove every door?
That depends on access and the installation method. The work must be stable, supported and safe, with adequate access to both sides where required. Convenience should not compromise control of the drilling.
Related reading and resources
- 10 Modern Kitchen Cabinet Ideas and the Details That Make Them Work
- How to Measure Cabinet Handles: Hole Spacing, Length and Clearance
- How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets: Preparation, Coating and Reassembly