Renovating a kitchen is a major but exciting undertaking, especially when it involves installing brand-new cabinets. Cabinetry plays an essential role in storage. These fixtures are also eye-catching – and you’ll want to get them just right so that they’re noticeable for all the right reasons.
Have you assumed any cabinet will work in your upgraded kitchen? What are standard kitchen cabinet sizes anyway? Since Current Cabinetry specializes in manufacturing and designing kitchen cabinets in Baltimore, MD, we’ve provided a quick guide below to explain how to properly size your kitchen cabinets for maximum utility.
How To Accurately Measure Kitchen Cabinets
Sometimes, homeowners simply want to replace their wall cabinets with newer models because the units are approaching the end of their lifespan (ten to 15 years of continuous use). Measuring the cabinet exteriors may be enough to ensure the replacement cabinetry is the same size as the outdated storage. However, total kitchen remodeling projects involving wall and base cabinets may be less straightforward.
Making a mistake with cabinet measurements can affect the entire kitchen blueprint. So, in this case, property owners must, at the very least, take accurate measurements for:
- Cabinets
- Window and door placements
- Gas and electrical lines
- Plumbing
Base cabinets that sit low to the floor and support countertops require measurements that start from floor level to about 34.5 inches high (36 inches if you include the counter). When determining the size of wall cabinets that sit above counters, cooktops, and sinks, the height of the ceiling counts. Remodeling professionals will also determine the ideal depth and width of the cabinets to ensure everything fits neatly in perfect alignment.
Base or Bottom Cabinet Sizes and Dimensions
What are standard kitchen cabinet sizes for base units? Usually, base cabinets are 34.5 inches tall, which might seem too short for tall people but ideal for most. When accounting for thick countertops or counter underlays that rest on top of these storage solutions, the height goes up to 36 inches.
When it comes to depth, base cabinets usually stop at 24 inches. Anything more than that will make accessibility to the unit's contents too difficult. Unless your cabinetry upgrades include pull-out drawers for easy accessibility, it's best not to make base cabinets too deep.
Although base cabinets usually have the same depth and height, these widths can vary. Standard measurements are from nine to 48 inches, depending on:
- What items you intend to store inside them
- The size of the countertops they'll support
- What kind of cutlery drawers you decide on
For instance, does your kitchen only have a single basin sink? The base cabinet below it will likely have a 30-inch width. A double sink needs a base cabinet width of 36 inches or more.
Your new cabinetry will have widths in three-inch increments, making those dimensions fully customizable to accommodate any kitchen. The units also include toekicks that sit directly on the floor and are about 4.5 inches tall.
Upper Cabinet Sizes and Dimensions
Your kitchen cabinet sizes and dimensions for wall cabinets may differ from those closest to the floor. Usually, there's more space above counters than below them, so the average dimensions for your upper cabinets are likely to be:
- Height: 30, 36, or 42 inches
- Width: 9 to 36 inches
- Depth: 12 to 24 inches
Since wall cabinets don't have to support countertops or sinks, they are often slimmer than base units. From a design perspective, upper cabinetry that extends beyond lower cabinetry creates an unattractive misalignment. The sizing and mounting also need to be accurate to ensure they can accommodate dishware, canned goods, and everything else.
What are standard kitchen cabinet sizes for wall units above refrigerators? Typically, the dimensions for upper cabinets over refrigerators are 12 to 15 inches tall, 24 inches deep, and 12 to 36 inches wide. Professionals like Current Cabinetry will match the appliance's depth as much as possible for cohesiveness and accessibility.
If you have trouble determining where to place wall cabinets in relation to the lower half of the kitchen, just remember that the space between the base cabinet with counters and the bottom of the upper cabinets is 18 inches. You can leave space above the upper cabinets for exposed storage and decor. You could also install tall cabinets that reach the ceiling and soffits to give the cabinetry shape while hiding pipes, wiring, and unusable space.
Tall Cabinet Sizes and Dimensions
Will your tall kitchen cabinets leave a lasting impression on guests? Absolutely, especially when the room has high ceilings, and you want to maximize the cabinetry’s storage.
Most tall cabinets have a 90-inch height, but they can go as high as 96 inches or as short as 84 inches. Depth ranges from 12 to 24 inches, while widths are usually available in 12, 24, and 36 inches. You can even use these tall cabinets as an alcove or pantry.
Suppose your kitchen has an 8-foot ceiling. In that case, installing a 96-inch cabinet will create a floor-to-ceiling unit that will serve well as a pantry.
If you’re adding tall features, you still want to ensure your cabinets maintain a cohesiveness that enhances the kitchen's functionality as well as its attractiveness. Clean lines and perfect symmetry will help with that goal. For instance, an 8-foot-high ceiling with some 30-inch-tall cabinets takes an 84-inch-tall cabinet to create even lines for the tops of the upper cabinets and the tall pantry unit.
When it comes to width, the options vary. Even a 12-inch-wide cabinet can hold a substantial amount of food. Yet, if you want your cabinets to include pull-out drawers, installing a unit at least 36 inches wide is ideal to accommodate the necessary hardware.
Average Sizes and Dimensions for Utility and Oven Cabinets
Like pantry cabinets, utility storage can be floor-to-ceiling, giving you lots of space to store brooms, mops, and other household essentials. The average height for these units is 96 inches, up to 24 inches deep, and 12 to 36 inches wide.
For oven cabinets, the widths are usually between 30 and 33 inches. The latter is the most common size because it can accommodate most ovens on the market. These dimensions vary to match the depth of standard base or kitchen island cabinets.
How To Make the Most of Your Kitchen Storage
What are standard kitchen cabinet sizes? The above dimensions would be a good start, but remember that there truly isn't a one-size-fits-all solution. No two kitchens will be identical because every household has different needs, cooking habits, and interior designs.
Standard kitchen cabinetry is always customizable. You can also fully customize the kitchen's storage to perfectly fit the room's dimensions, which is especially helpful for spaces with unique layouts. Taking this route means you can opt for extra cabinetry features to optimize your storage availability and accessibility like:
- Lazy Susans for tight corner cabinets
- Carousels
- Extra pull-out drawers for base cabinets
- Racks in over-the-stove cabinets
Let Current Cabinetry Help You Transform Your Kitchen
It doesn’t matter whether you're replacing your base cabinets or the ones on your wall to spruce up your kitchen. Current Cabinetry can build the perfect fit for any kitchen size, layout, and design. We're a premier manufacturer in Baltimore, Maryland, without a middleman, so expect superior products, outstanding materials, and competitive prices.
Still asking, "What are standard kitchen cabinet sizes?" Leave it to Current Cabinetry’s professionals to handle everything from accurate measurement to precise cabinet knob placement. Call (410) 609-7077 today for a consultation!