Including the two measurements no listing publishes: how much floor it needs with the drawer open, and whether it clears your desk.
SMBy Scooter M.Published October 3, 2026Prices verified October 3, 2026
The short answer
A letter-size vertical is 14 to 16 in wide and 18 to 26.5 in deep. A lateral is 28 to 36 in wide and about 16 in deep. Both need about 32 in of floor depth with the drawer open. That last figure is the one no listing publishes and the one that decides whether a cabinet works in your room, because a filing cabinet's footprint is its body plus its open drawer plus somewhere to stand.
Standard sizes, and how standard they actually are
There is no enforced standard for domestic file cabinets, but letter and legal paper sizes constrain the drawers, so the formats cluster.
Typical dimensions by format
Format
Width
Depth
Height
Vertical, letter, 2-drawer
14 to 15 in
17.7 to 26.5 in
24 to 28.4 in
Vertical, letter, 3-drawer
14.3 to 18.4 in
15.3 to 21.7 in
26.8 to 41.8 in
Lateral, 2-drawer
28 to 36 in
15.7 to 16 in
27.9 to 29 in
Lateral, 3-drawer
28.4 to 36 in
15.7 to 16 in
39.8 to 40 in
Mobile pedestal
13.4 to 16.5 in
14.6 to 19.9 in
24 to 30.8 in
Certified fire box
15.5 to 16.6 in
13.5 to 13.8 in
14.1 to 14.3 in
Ranges from the published specifications of every cabinet in our set, 2026-10-03.
The measurement no listing gives you
A cabinet's published depth is not the floor it occupies in use. With a full-extension drawer out, the cabinet plus the drawer plus standing room is what you actually need.
Floor depth in use
Vertical, 18 in deep: body 18 in + drawer extension about 14 in = about 32 in
Vertical, 26.5 in deep: body 26.5 in + extension about 22 in = about 48 in
Lateral, 16 in deep: body 16 in + extension about 16 in = about 32 in
Add about 24 in to stand in: total clear floor of about 56 in for most cabinets
Our arithmetic, assuming full-extension slides, which both formats commonly publish. A 3/4-extension cabinet like the NuSparc needs less floor and gives you less reach into the drawer.
The practical consequence: a vertical and a lateral need about the same floor depth, which surprises people. The trade is wall width against capacity, not floor space, which is the central point of lateral vs vertical.
The one cabinet where this really bites is the 26.5 in deep Staples: about 48 in of floor depth before you stand in front of it. In a spare bedroom that is usually the walkway.
Desk apron clearance
If the cabinet is going under a desk, the measurement is from the floor to the underside of the desktop or its frame rail - not to the top of the desk. A standard 29 in high desk usually leaves 25 to 27 in of clear height, and carpet takes some of that.
Which cabinets fit under a desk
Cabinet
Height
Under a standard desk?
Omelaza mobile
24.02 in
Yes, comfortably
Staples 2-drawer vertical
24.1 in
Yes
SISESOL narrow vertical
24.6 in
Yes
SteeLoong vertical
24.8 in
Yes
BYNSOE vertical
25.39 in
Yes
VASAGLE 5-drawer pedestal
25.9 in
Yes
SISESOL rolling
26.1 to 27.5 in (listing disagrees)
Allow the larger figure
Staples 3-drawer vertical
26.8 in
Tight. Measure first
Letaya compact lateral
27.95 in
Tight, and the only lateral that fits
Staples mobile pedestal
27.76 in
Tight
Everything else
28.4 in and up
No
From the published specifications, 2026-10-03. Where a listing gives two different heights, we have shown both and recommend planning against the larger.
Paper sizes, which constrain everything
What the drawer has to accommodate
Paper
Size
Hanging folder width needed
Letter
8.5 x 11 in
About 12.25 in across the rails
Legal
8.5 x 14 in
About 15.25 in across the rails
A4
8.27 x 11.69 in
About 12.5 in across the rails
F4 / Foolscap
8.27 x 13 in
About 13.9 in across the rails
Folder widths are the nominal rail spacing for each format. This is why a legal-capable vertical cabinet is wider than a letter-only one, and why most laterals take all four on adjustable rails.
Converting dimensions into capacity
The number that actually matters is linear filing inches, and you derive it from the published dimensions.
The method, in full
Vertical: usable depth = published depth - 3 in shell allowance
Linear inches = usable depth x number of file drawers
Lateral: usable width = published width - 3 in shell allowance
Linear inches = usable width x number of file drawers
Example: Staples 3-drawer vertical, 18.9 in deep
(18.9 - 3) x 3 = about 47.7 linear filing inches
The 3 in allowance is DERIVED from the only cabinet in our set that publishes a drawer interior: the BIZOEIRON lateral at 32.44 in inside a 35.43 in exterior, a 2.99 in difference. No vertical cabinet publishes a drawer interior anywhere, so applying it to verticals is an assumption and we label it as one every time.
#
Product
Best for
Score
Price
01
Staples 3-Drawer Vertical File Cabinet, LetterThree drawers on ball-bearing glides in a 26.8 in high cabinet, at about 2.24 dollars per filing inch. The cheapest real capacity in this hub.
BIZOEIRON 2-Drawer Lateral File Cabinet, 35.43 in WideThe only cabinet in this hub that publishes its drawer interior, so its capacity is measured rather than estimated. Central lock, one drawer at a time, soft-close.
Letaya 2-Drawer Lateral File Cabinet, 28.35 in Wide28.35 in wide with full-extension precision slides and an interlock, at 105 dollars. The cheapest documented lateral here.
Scores are ours, from the published rubric on our methodology page. They are editorial judgments about published specifications, not test results — we have not handled these units.
01/Staples
3-Drawer Vertical File Cabinet, Letter
Best value in verticals
7.6/ 10
Three drawers on ball-bearing glides in a 26.8 in high cabinet, at about 2.24 dollars per filing inch. The cheapest real capacity in this hub.
Three drawers on ball-bearing glides in a 26.8 in high cabinet, at about 2.24 dollars per filing inch. The cheapest real capacity in this hub.
Published specification
Dimensions
26.8 in high x 14.3 in wide x 18.9 in deep
Staples published specification
Filing capacity
About 47.7 linear in (3 drawers x about 15.9 in usable depth)
Our arithmetic: published 18.9 in depth minus the 3 in shell allowance, x 3 drawers
Cost per linear inch
About 2.25 dollars at the price shown when written
Our arithmetic from the live price and the capacity above
Glides
Precision ball-bearing glides on every drawer
Staples published specification
Lock
Built-in keyed lock
Staples published specification
Capacity
Letter size hanging files
Staples published specification
Assembly
Partially assembled
Staples published specification
What the specs are good for
About 2.25 dollars per filing inch: the best value per inch of any vertical cabinet here and competitive with the laterals
Fifty percent more capacity than the 2-drawer model for 9 dollars more, which is the clearest upgrade decision in this hub
Ball-bearing glides specified on all three drawers, not just the file drawer
26.8 in high still clears a standard 29 in desk apron, so it fits under a desk
What they are not
Does not publish a weight, so you cannot judge tipping risk with the top drawer loaded and open
No interlock mentioned, and a 3-drawer vertical with two drawers out is a genuine tipping hazard
No warranty stated, unlike its 2-drawer sibling's 7 years
Skip this if
Skip this if it is going somewhere a child plays. A tall narrow cabinet with no interlock and no published weight is the configuration that tips, and Staples publishes neither the weight nor an anti-tip kit for this one.
Who it is for. Someone with a few years of paper who wants the cheapest honest capacity and has a wall to put it against.
The only cabinet in this hub that publishes its drawer interior, so its capacity is measured rather than estimated. Central lock, one drawer at a time, soft-close.
The only cabinet in this hub that publishes its drawer interior, so its capacity is measured rather than estimated. Central lock, one drawer at a time, soft-close.
Published specification
Dimensions
28.5 in high x 35.43 in wide x 15.75 in deep
BIZOEIRON published specification
Drawer interior
32.44 in wide x 13.98 in deep x 9.8 in high, both drawers identical
BIZOEIRON published specification
Filing capacity
64.88 linear in (2 drawers x the published 32.44 in interior width)
Our arithmetic from BIZOEIRON's published drawer interior — measured, not estimated
Cost per linear inch
About 2.00 dollars at the price shown when written
Our arithmetic from the live price and the capacity above
Weight
40 lb
Listing published specification
Lock
Central locking system, one lock for all drawers
BIZOEIRON published specification
Anti-tip
Only one drawer can open at a time
BIZOEIRON published specification
Slides
Ball-bearing, soft-close
BIZOEIRON published specification
Capacity
Letter and legal hanging files
BIZOEIRON published specification
What the specs are good for
Publishes the drawer interior. It is the only cabinet here whose capacity we did not have to estimate, and that alone earns it the top spot
64.88 measured filing inches from two drawers, more than double the 2-drawer verticals
A true interlock: only one drawer opens at a time, which on a 40 lb cabinet is the thing stopping it coming over
Soft-close ball-bearing slides, specified
Takes legal as well as letter
What they are not
35.43 in wide needs a 3 ft run of clear wall, which a small room may not have
40 lb is light for a lateral, and the interlock is doing real work as a result
Only 15 units in stock at the time of writing
Assembly required
Skip this if
Skip this if you do not have 3 ft of free wall. A lateral's whole advantage is width; in a narrow space it becomes an obstruction and a vertical is the right shape.
Who it is for. Anyone with a wall and more than a couple of years of paper. This is the cabinet we would buy.
28.35 in wide with full-extension precision slides and an interlock, at 105 dollars. The cheapest documented lateral here.
28.35 in wide with full-extension precision slides and an interlock, at 105 dollars. The cheapest documented lateral here.
Published specification
Dimensions
27.95 in high x 28.35 in wide x 15.74 in deep
Letaya published specification
Filing capacity
About 50.7 linear in (2 drawers x about 25.35 in usable width)
Our arithmetic: published 28.35 in width minus the 3 in shell allowance, x 2 drawers
Cost per linear inch
About 2.07 dollars at the price shown when written
Our arithmetic from the live price and the capacity above
Slides
Precision ball-bearing full-extension
Letaya published specification
Lock
Interlock system, one lock all drawers, 2 keys
Letaya published specification
Anti-tip
Anti-tilt mechanism stated
Letaya published specification
Capacity
Letter, legal and A4 hanging folders
Letaya published specification
Shipping weight
105 lb as listed, which is the packed weight rather than the cabinet
Listing published specification
What the specs are good for
27.95 in high clears a standard desk apron, so this is the only lateral here that fits under a desk
Full-extension precision slides, an interlock and an anti-tilt mechanism all specified at 105 dollars
Takes letter, legal and A4, all three named
28.35 in wide fits a 30 in gap
What they are not
Says "four deep and spacious drawers" on a 2-drawer cabinet — the same copy error as its 3-drawer sibling
The listed 105 lb is clearly a packed weight, so the cabinet's own mass is unknown and that is the tipping number
No drawer interior published
Skip this if
Skip this if you want the cabinet to be a surface as well. At 27.95 in it is designed to tuck under a desk, which means the top is not usable for anything.
Who it is for. A desk with a free 30 in bay underneath and a couple of years of paper to put there.
A letter-size vertical is 14 to 16 in wide and 17.7 to 26.5 in deep. A lateral is 28 to 36 in wide and about 16 in deep. Heights run 24 to 28.4 in for 2-drawer units and 26.8 to 41.8 in for 3-drawer.
How much floor space does a file cabinet need?+
About 32 in of depth with the drawer open, for both vertical and lateral, plus around 24 in to stand in. That drawer-out figure is the measurement no listing publishes and the one that decides whether a cabinet works in your room.
Will a file cabinet fit under my desk?+
If it is under about 27 in tall, usually. Measure from the floor to the underside of the desktop or its frame rail, not to the top of the desk, and measure on the carpet if there is carpet. Only one lateral in our set, at 27.95 in, clears a standard apron.
How deep is a legal size file cabinet?+
Legal paper is 14 in deep against letter's 11, so a legal-capable vertical is wider rather than deeper - about 18 in instead of 14 to 15. Most laterals take letter, legal and A4 on adjustable rails without a dimensional change.
How do I work out how much a file cabinet holds?+
Subtract 3 in from the published depth (vertical) or width (lateral) for the shell and hardware, then multiply by the number of file drawers. That gives linear filing inches, which is directly comparable to your own paper standing upright and measured.
Sources
Where these numbers came from
We have not handled any of these products. Every figure on this page is either the manufacturer's own published specification, named as such, or our arithmetic from those figures, shown so you can check it. Prices come from Amazon through our price layer and carry the date they were verified.
Amazon product listings, retrieved 2026-10-03
Published specifications, dimensions, materials and manufacturer claims were read from each product's own listing data. Prices and availability refresh daily and carry their verification date on the page.
The full published method, and an explicit statement of what a specs-only approach cannot tell you.
Our arithmetic: the 3 in shell allowance for filing capacity
Only one cabinet in our set publishes a drawer interior — the BIZOEIRON lateral, at 32.44 in interior inside a 35.43 in exterior, a 2.99 in difference. We round that to 3 in and apply it to every other cabinet's published external figure. It is derived from one lateral cabinet, so applying it to verticals is an assumption and we label it as one every time.
