1'' (25.4 mm)

1-Inch (25.4 mm) Drill Center: Spec, Measurement, and Where It Fits

What the 1-inch spec means and how to measure it

One inch equals exactly 25.4 mm — the precise center-to-center distance between the two mounting holes drilled into a drawer front or door. To verify an existing installation, set a steel rule across both screw heads and measure from center to center; the 1-inch reading sits close to several adjacent dimensions, so confirm carefully before ordering. Below this size is 7/8 inch (22.2 mm); above is 1 1/8 inch (28.6 mm). The 1-inch spec sits at the threshold between specialty hardware and the smallest standard pull sizes, which is why the catalog — while offering 70-plus options — concentrates on a narrower range of forms than mid-range drill centers. That overlap with the lower end of the bin and cup pull categories is unsurprising: both categories produce a 1-inch variant primarily for traditional inset cabinetry with narrow drawer fronts. For conventional drawer boxes, the practical jump skips the intermediate sizes entirely and lands at 3 inch (76.2 mm), the de facto entry point for standard pull sizing.

Applications and hardware forms at this center distance

The 1-inch drill center is most at home on inset cabinet doors with very narrow stiles, small drawer fronts in built-in furniture — particularly jewelry storage and watch winders — and edge pulls where the hardware sits flush along the door edge. Specialty applications include under-counter wine refrigerators and beverage centers built into custom millwork, as well as inset bath storage drawers in vintage and reproduction bathrooms where the drawer face runs below typical residential scale. On cabinetry built before the 1950s, 1 inch occasionally turns up as the original spec under removed hardware, making it a relevant size for restoration work. Hardware forms at this dimension run to finger pulls, small edge pulls, and miniature backplate hardware. Finishes lean toward the traditional and specialty range: antique brass, oil-rubbed bronze, and brushed nickel carry most of the selection at this dimension. **FAQ** **Q: What is a 1-inch drill center in millimeters?** A: One inch equals exactly 25.4 mm. A 1-inch drill-center pull requires two mounting holes spaced 25.4 mm apart, center to center. **Q: How do I measure the drill center on existing hardware?** A: Place a steel rule across both screw heads and measure from the center of one hole to the center of the other. Because 22.2 mm (7/8 inch) and 28.6 mm (1 1/8 inch) read similarly at a glance, confirm the measurement before ordering. **Q: What drawer or door width suits a 1-inch drill center?** A: This spec is best matched to very narrow drawer fronts and inset door stiles — typically small-scale specialty cabinetry rather than standard residential drawer boxes, which generally step up to 3-inch (76.2 mm) pulls.

Browse all cabinet pulls or see the cabinet hardware sizing guide.