07 · Completion · Lesson 02 of 05
How to Make a Drilling Template
The first handle establishes a position. The next twenty reveal whether that position was recorded well. A template carries the decision from one matching front to another, including any error left in the setup. Its value lies in the care taken before repetition begins.
What information must the template carry?
The template needs the exact hole spacing, the specified drill size and fixed reference edges that exist on every matching front. Installers call that reference a datum. A position agreed from the top and side of a drawer should be reproduced from those same edges. Labels for top, face and left or right orientation prevent a correct pattern from being used backward.
How is the setup proven before the finished cabinetry is drilled?
A rigid, durable jig holds its position more reliably than a flexible sheet used for visual planning. Holes drilled in scrap should accept the exact pull without forcing the screws or shifting the piece. One agreed representative front then confirms the appearance and operation. Upper doors, base doors and drawers may need separate setups; fronts that look similar can still have different reference dimensions.
What keeps an error from spreading?
Settings and wear deserve periodic checks during a long installation. At the first mismatch, the jig comes out of use while the spacing, orientation and every affected front are inspected. A bad hole needs an agreed repair before work resumes. The corrected template should replace a clearly disabled old version, pass another scrap test and carry its product, spacing, reference edges and revision for future service.
Sources and further reading
Apply the lesson
Installation and handover notes
Prove the first condition before repeating it.
Reviewed September 2026 · Inspire Hardware