Horizontal gola profile: 5 profiles & fitting

A horizontal gola profile is the finger channel under the worktop and between drawers. The L profile goes directly under the worktop, and the C profile where two rows of fronts meet. The profile sits in a notch in the front edge of the carcass side, and the front is made lower by that amount. Notch sizes and front deductions are not the same across manufacturers, so the cutting list is drawn up only once the profile has been chosen.

L and C profiles: which is which

• —L profile (top, single-sided) sits between the worktop and the first front. The grip is from above: your fingers go in over the top edge of the front.
• —C profile (middle, double-sided) sits between two fronts, for example between the first and second drawer. One profile serves both the front above and the front below.
• —Wall unit profiles are a third, separate family. In a handleless kitchen, wall units usually open with push-to-open, or the door is extended below the carcass, so they are not covered here.

The profile is bought by the metre or in full lengths, and cut to the inside width of the run. It comes with brackets or angle brackets, end caps and, for kitchen corners, 90° corner connectors.

Five horizontal gola profiles that fitters in Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina can source most easily

As with the vertical profiles, this is not a sales ranking. These are profiles stocked by several suppliers in the region, for which the manufacturer publishes a cross-section or instructions. Dimensions are taken from the manufacturers' drawings, checked on 29 October 2026.

1. Europrofil GL-028 (L, under the worktop)

Europrofil's Serbian web shop currently lists the LED version, with a 51.7 × 21.4 mm section and a chamber for LED strip up to 12 mm wide. It comes in 3 m lengths. The profile is mounted with RU U GL ugao metal angle brackets (art. 2767), sold separately; in our kitchens there are two per channel. Europrofil does not publish how much lower the front is. The workshops we work with cut the front under GL-028 30 mm lower than the carcass, and that is a workshop figure to check on a test piece. Europrofil GL-028.

2. Europrofil GL-029 (C, between drawers)

The LED version is 74.2 mm high, in 3 m lengths, and it is mounted the same way, with angle brackets. In the workshop, every joint between two rows of fronts takes 36 mm off the total front height. Check calculation for a 720 mm carcass with three drawers: 720 - 30 - 2 × 36 = 618, so each drawer front is 618 / 3 = 206 mm. The same carcass with a single door: 720 - 30 = 690 mm. Europrofil GL-029.

3. Volpato G38 (L, under the worktop)

G38 is 48.2 × 17 mm, in 4200 mm lengths. In Serbia it is sold by Schachermayer, as part of the Volpato Clap'n'Fit system. The carcass side gets a notch 48.7 mm high and 25.5 mm deep, measured from the underside of the worktop, with an r5 radius. The 81/G38.A13 bracket is screwed to the inside face of the side panel with two screws 16 mm apart, at 37 and 53 mm behind the front edge of the side, and the profile clips onto it. The whole system uses only two profiles for the entire kitchen, and G38 also works as the vertical lateral profile. Volpato opening systems catalogue (PDF).

4. Volpato G39 (C, between drawers)

G39 is 66.4 × 17 mm, the notch in the side panel is 66.8 × 25.5 mm, with r5 on both corners, and the bracket is the same, placed in the middle of the notch. The front above and the front below both partly overlap the notch, so the visible gap between the fronts is not 66.4 mm. Volpato calculates front height with the formula "carcass height - channel height - gaps", but check it for your carcass on a test piece before cutting the whole batch. Do not copy the profile from another manufacturer's drawing with the same height, because the notch is different.

5. Emuca Gola-E (top and middle)

In Serbia, Emuca Gola-E is stocked by TIS, and in Croatia by several hardware shops. The top (L) profile is 57.5 × 24.3 mm and the middle (C) one 70 × 24.3 mm. Brackets A and B need a Ø10 mm hole in the side panel, 15 mm (A) or 19.7 mm (B) from the edge of the notch. The alternative is an angle bracket with an expansion screw (89235), fitted with two screws. For built-in appliances Emuca gives a rule: carcass height + leg height must be at least the appliance height + 58 mm when the top profile runs above the appliance. Emuca Gola-E top profile, instructions (PDF).

In the region you can also find the Häfele horizontal C profile (126.00.576, 64 × 23 mm) and Volpato's classic G12C/G13C (notch 57 × 25 and 72 × 25 mm). J profiles (J-pull), which are screwed onto the front itself, are a different kind of solution and are not covered in this article.

How to calculate front heights

The formula is always the same; the numbers depend on the chosen profile:

• —one front under the worktop: carcass height - L profile deduction;
• —several fronts stacked: (carcass height - L profile deduction - number of joints × C profile deduction) / number of fronts;
• —the 4 mm gap is not added to the profile deduction; the deduction already replaces the gap at that point.

The Europrofil example is in the diagram above: 720 mm, three drawers, 206 mm per drawer. With Volpato and Emuca the numbers are different, so do not copy a table from another kitchen. The drawer box follows its front: when the front is lower, the box has to be lower too.

Installation, step by step

• —Choose the profile before cutting. The notch, front deduction and brackets all depend on the profile code.
• —Cut the side panel notch to the manufacturer's drawing: on the CNC or with a jig, identical on the left and right sides.
• —Assemble the carcass and check that the notches on all carcasses are in line. A 1 mm difference shows on a long profile.
• —Fit the brackets or angle brackets at the spacing given in the instructions, plus at the ends of the run and next to every carcass joint.
• —Cut the profile to the run length. A 90° corner connector goes in the kitchen corner, and an end cap on the open end.
• —Fit the LED strip before the profile closes off the end of the run, if the profile has an LED chamber.
• —Fit the worktop, then the fronts. Check the grip on every front and that the channel does not interfere with hinges or drawer runners.

Gola and built-in appliances

At the dishwasher and the oven there is no carcass, but the line of the channel has to carry on. The dishwasher front is measured according to the appliance instructions, and with Emuca the rule is carcass height + legs ≥ appliance height + 58 mm. For more on carcass height and the dishwasher, read gola profile and the 772 mm carcass.

Most common mistakes

• —A notch cut to one manufacturer's drawing and a profile from another: the profile does not sit properly, or the front hits it.
• —The 4 mm gap added to the profile deduction, so the fronts come out too short.
• —Carcass notches not in line, so the profile "waves" along the run.
• —The drawer box left as high as it would be without gola, so it hits the profile.
• —Edge banding on the front edge that goes into the channel: the edge is visible and collects dirt, and it is usually left without banding.

Related articles

For tall units, read vertical gola profile: 5 profiles and fitting. A general overview is in handleless kitchen and the gola profile.

Frequently asked questions

How much lower is the front with a gola profile?

It depends on the profile. With Europrofil GL-028, workshops cut the front 30 mm lower under the worktop, and every joint with GL-029 takes off 36 mm. With Volpato and Emuca, read the deduction from the drawing and check it on a test piece.

Does a gola profile need a special carcass?

It needs a notch in the front edge of the side panel and lower fronts. The carcass height can stay the same, but check the working height and the space for built-in appliances.

Can an LED strip be fitted in a gola profile?

Yes, if the profile has an LED chamber. The Europrofil GL-028 and GL-029 LED versions take strip up to 12 mm wide, and diffuser covers are available for them.

Which profile goes in the corner of the kitchen?

The same profile, with two pieces joined by a 90° corner connector from the same manufacturer. An end cap goes on the open end of the run.