Gridfinity for IKEA Helmer Drawers
This page sizes the Gridfinity planner and a split baseplate for your IKEA Helmer drawer. Check the IKEA label for 28x69 or 28x65, then use the matching links below.
What fits in a Helmer drawer
The 28x69 Helmer takes a snug 5 by 9 grid based on measured drawers. The 28x65 Helmer takes a 5 by 8 grid based on the inside dimensions listed by IKEA.
Gridfinity uses a 42 mm grid and 7 mm height units.
| Helmer | Inside size | Grid | Spare |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28x69 | 231 by 388 mm measured | 5 by 9, 210 by 378 mm | 10.5 mm on each side, 5 mm at the front and back |
| 28x65 | 220 by 370 mm | 5 by 8, 210 by 336 mm | 5 mm on each side, 17 mm at the front and back |
The size printed on the IKEA label tells you which row and which set of links to use.
Measure your drawer before printing
Measure your own drawer before printing, because Helmer units vary between production runs and IKEA gives no inside width for the 28x69 unit. IKEA lists that model as the HELMER drawer unit on castors, 28x69 cm, with 39 cm of inside drawer depth.
For measured 28x69 drawers, a 231 by 388 mm plate fits and is 5.5 units wide in half-grid mode. Open the sized 28x69 planner, then turn on half-grid mode and step the width up to 5.5 units to fill it. Without half-grid mode, the 5 by 9 layout leaves 10.5 mm on each side.
A first-time visitor gets this size as the empty starting layout. If you already have layouts, the tool keeps them.
Generate the split baseplate
The 28x69 baseplate is sized to 231 by 388 mm. Open the 28x69 baseplate generator to start with the correct drawer size.
Use the padding anchor to move the bins to the back, the front, either side, or the center. This lets you place the spare space in one strip where it works best for your drawer.
The generator automatically splits the plate into pieces that fit the print bed size set in the tool. With a 256 mm print bed, the 28x69 plate splits into 2 pieces and prints in 2 build-plate loads.
Plan the 28x65 Helmer
The 28x65 unit uses its own measurements and links. IKEA lists its drawers as 22 cm wide and 37 cm deep inside, giving a 220 by 370 mm planning area.
Open the sized 28x65 planner for a 5 by 8 layout with 5 mm of padding on each side and 17 mm at the front and back.
Open the 28x65 baseplate generator for the matching plate. On a 256 mm print bed, it splits into 2 pieces and prints in 2 build-plate loads.
Choose bin heights
Measure the inside height of your drawer to find the tallest bin that will fit on a plain baseplate. Subtract about 5 mm, then divide by 7 to convert the available height into Gridfinity height units.
Magnet holes in the baseplate raise bins about 2.5 mm, which can cost one height unit. The drawer calculator does the plain-baseplate math for you.
Build and print your layout
In the planner, you can drag bins onto the grid, stack layers, color-code bins by category, and get a print list. Bins are generated in your browser and export as STL, STEP, or 3MF. The tool is free and needs no account.
Browse the named drawer sizes, open the baseplate generator, or make individual parts with the bin generator. You can also find sizing pages for IKEA Alex, IKEA Kallax, and IKEA Malm.