Gridfinity: The Ultimate Guide to the Modular Storage System

If you own a 3D printer and have ever looked at a messy drawer full of screws, electronic components, or craft supplies and thought "there has to be a better way," then Gridfinity is about to change your life. It is the most popular 3D printed organizational system ever created, and once you start printing your first baseplates and bins, you will never stop.

Gridfinity is an open-source, modular grid storage system designed specifically for 3D printing. Created by YouTuber and maker Zack Freedman and released in April 2022 under the MIT license, it has grown from a clever idea into a massive ecosystem with thousands of community-designed modules covering every organizational need imaginable.

How Gridfinity Works

The genius of Gridfinity is its simplicity. The entire system is built on two components: baseplates and bins that snap into them.

Baseplates are flat grid panels made up of 42mm x 42mm squares. Each square has a raised profile that bins lock into. Baseplates can be printed in any rectangular size — 1x1, 2x4, 4x6, or whatever fits your drawer or shelf. You place them on a flat surface, inside a drawer, on a shelf, or mounted to a wall, and they become the foundation for your storage system.

Bins are modular containers that sit on top of the baseplates. They come in every imaginable size and configuration: 1x1 squares for tiny screws, 2x3 rectangles for tools, deep bins for batteries, shallow trays for SD cards, and everything in between. The standard height increment is 7mm, so bins come in heights like 14mm (2 units), 21mm (3 units), 42mm (6 units), and so on.

The connection between baseplates and bins uses a simple lip-and-groove system. Bins drop into the baseplate grid and are held in place by gravity and a slight friction fit. They can be easily lifted out and rearranged whenever your needs change. No glue, no screws, no permanent commitment.

This modular approach means you can start small — one baseplate in a desk drawer — and expand infinitely as you print more pieces. Every bin from every designer in the Gridfinity ecosystem is compatible with every baseplate, because they all follow the same 42mm grid standard.

Why Gridfinity Took Over the Maker Community

Gridfinity is not the first 3D printed storage system, but it succeeded where others failed for several reasons:

Open source and free. Zack released Gridfinity under the MIT license, meaning anyone can design, modify, sell, and distribute Gridfinity-compatible parts without restriction. This removed all barriers to community contribution and led to an explosion of designs.

Dead-simple standard. The 42mm grid with 7mm height increments is easy to understand, easy to design for, and easy to remember. There are no complex interlocking mechanisms or proprietary connectors.

Immediately useful. Unlike many 3D printing projects that are cool but not practical, Gridfinity solves a real problem that every maker, hobbyist, and homeowner faces. The moment you print your first baseplate and a few bins, your desk or workshop gets measurably more organized.

Infinitely extensible. The community has designed Gridfinity modules for everything — soldering iron holders, battery dispensers, USB hub mounts, paint bottle organizers, drill bit trays, LEGO sorting bins, and thousands more. If a specific module does not exist, the standard is simple enough that you can design your own in an afternoon.

Essential Gridfinity Components to Print First

If you are just getting started, here is the recommended print order:

1. Baseplates

Start by measuring the inside of your target drawer or shelf space. Then print baseplates to fill that space. The standard baseplate is available in multiple sizes, and most people print several smaller ones rather than one huge plate (easier to print and more flexible).

The official Gridfinity baseplates are available on Printables and other platforms. Many community versions add features like weighted bases (using coins or magnets for stability), screw holes for mounting, and rubber feet for non-slip placement.

Magnet baseplates are a popular upgrade. These have small recesses for 6mm x 2mm magnets that help hold bins more securely. This is especially useful for wall-mounted setups or baseplates that might get bumped.

2. Standard Bins

Print a variety of bin sizes to start. The most universally useful sizes are:

• 1x1 bins in 2-3 height increments — perfect for small hardware like M3 screws, nuts, and washers
• 2x1 bins — great for electronics components, pen holders, or small tools
• 2x2 bins — good for larger items, cable storage, or as general catch-alls
• 3x1 or 4x1 bins — excellent for screwdrivers, files, or craft supplies

Many bins include optional features like internal dividers, label tabs on the front lip, and scoop cutouts that make it easier to grab small items with your fingers.

3. Specialty Modules

Once you have the basics covered, explore the community's specialty designs:

• Battery dispensers that hold AA, AAA, CR2032, and other sizes in organized rows
• SD card holders with individual slots for each card
• Tool holders shaped for specific items like calipers, hex keys, or pliers
• Paint bottle racks sized for Citadel, Vallejo, or Army Painter bottles
• Soldering station organizers with spots for the iron, sponge, flux, and solder

Where to Find Gridfinity Models

The Gridfinity ecosystem is spread across multiple 3D model platforms. Here are the best places to find designs:

Printables — The single largest collection of Gridfinity designs. Search "gridfinity" and you will find thousands of results, from basic bins to highly specialized modules. The community actively rates and reviews designs, making it easy to find well-tested options.

MakerWorld — Bambu Lab's platform has a rapidly growing collection of Gridfinity models, many with pre-configured print profiles for one-click printing on Bambu printers.

Thangs — Good for cross-platform searching when you want to cast the widest net.

3DSearch — The fastest way to find Gridfinity models across all platforms simultaneously. Search once, see results from Printables, MakerWorld, Thingiverse, and more without checking each site individually. When you are hunting for a very specific module — say, a Gridfinity bin sized for 18650 batteries — searching everywhere at once saves significant time.

The Gridfinity unofficial wiki is also an excellent resource that catalogs designs, generators, and community tools.

Customization Tools and Generators

One of Gridfinity's greatest strengths is how easy it is to create custom bins without being a CAD expert. Several online and offline tools exist for generating Gridfinity-compatible designs:

Gridfinity Rebuilt in OpenSCAD — A parametric OpenSCAD library that lets you specify exact dimensions, divider counts, label positions, and other features. Great for users who are comfortable with code-based CAD.

Fusion 360 parametric models — Several community members have created Fusion 360 files with user parameters you can edit. Change the grid size, height, and divider count in the parameter table, and the model updates automatically.

Online generators — Web-based tools let you input specific dimensions and preferences like box size, height, and features such as label tabs or rounded edges, and download a ready-to-print STL. These are perfect for users who want custom sizes without learning CAD software.

TinkerCAD — For simple modifications like adding dividers to an existing bin or combining two designs, TinkerCAD's browser-based interface is approachable for beginners.

If your needs are highly specific — say, a bin that holds exactly 12 nozzles for your 3D printer, with each one in its own labeled slot — learning basic Fusion 360 or OpenSCAD to create custom Gridfinity modules is one of the most rewarding skills you can develop as a maker.

Print Settings for Gridfinity

Gridfinity parts are functional items that need dimensional accuracy. Here are the recommended settings:

Material: PLA is the most common choice. It is rigid, dimensionally accurate, and cheap enough to print large quantities. PETG works well if you need slightly more heat resistance or durability. ABS or ASA are good for garage or workshop environments where temperatures might fluctuate.

Layer height: 0.2mm is the standard for Gridfinity. You do not need fine layers since these are functional parts. Going to 0.28mm can speed up prints significantly with no meaningful quality loss for bins.

Walls: 2-3 wall lines is typical. Bins do not need to be structurally overbuilt unless you are storing heavy items.

Infill: 10-15% is sufficient for most bins. Baseplates benefit from slightly higher infill (15-20%) for rigidity.

Supports: Well-designed Gridfinity parts should print without supports. If a design requires supports, look for a different version — there is almost certainly a support-free alternative available.

Print time: A standard 2x2 bin takes roughly 1-2 hours. A 4x4 baseplate takes 3-5 hours. Budget for significant print time if you are outfitting an entire workshop, but remember — you can print bins continuously while using the ones you have already finished.

Gridfinity Beyond the Desk

While Gridfinity started as a desk and workshop organization system, the community has expanded it far beyond its original scope:

Kitchen drawers. Utensil organizers, spice containers (with lids), and junk drawer dividers all work beautifully with the Gridfinity grid.

Garage and workshop. Tool walls with mounted baseplates, parts bins for every fastener size, and mobile toolbox inserts.

Art and craft rooms. Paint bottle storage, brush holders, bead organizers, and sewing notions trays.

Electronics workbench. Component bins for resistors, capacitors, and ICs. USB cable organizers. Test equipment holders.

Vehicle trunk. Some users have created Gridfinity baseplates sized for their car trunk, keeping emergency supplies, tools, and cleaning products organized during transport.

LEGO sorting. The overlap between 3D printing enthusiasts and LEGO fans is enormous, and Gridfinity bins sized for specific LEGO piece categories are among the most popular community designs.

Advanced Tips

Print baseplates in a contrasting color to your bins. This makes it visually obvious where empty slots are and looks cleaner overall.

Use magnet baseplates for any wall-mounted setup. Gravity works against you on walls, and the magnetic hold keeps bins secure without making them hard to remove.

Label everything. Many bins include a label tab on the front lip. Use a label maker or print small label inserts. Future you will thank present you when looking for that specific M4x16 screw at 11 PM.

Print spares. When you print a useful bin, print two or three. You will inevitably want more, and batching prints is more efficient than running one-offs.

Consider weighted baseplates for desktop use. Designs that include pockets for steel washers or coins add mass that keeps the baseplate from sliding when you grab bins with one hand.

Finding the Perfect Gridfinity Module

The Gridfinity ecosystem now includes thousands of designs across multiple platforms. The challenge is no longer "does this exist?" but "where is the best version?" This is where 3DSearch becomes invaluable — search for any Gridfinity module and see results from every major platform in one place. Compare designs, check community ratings, and find exactly the right module without opening five browser tabs.

Final Thoughts

Gridfinity is one of the best examples of what the 3D printing community can achieve when someone creates a simple, open standard and lets the community run with it. Zack Freedman's original design was clever, but the ecosystem that has grown around it — thousands of specialized modules, parametric generators, mounting systems, and creative applications — is what makes Gridfinity genuinely transformative.

If you own a 3D printer and have not tried Gridfinity yet, start with one drawer. Measure it, print baseplates to fit, print a handful of bins for whatever is currently making that drawer a mess, and see how it feels. You will not stop at one drawer.