How to Measure for New Cabinets
Your kitchen is often the room in your home where you spend the most time (other than your bedroom) and is often a place where people congregate when guests are visiting. Having a comfortable and inviting kitchen space is the dream and desire of many homeowners. When looking to renovate your kitchen, you will likely be focusing on an update to the cabinetry and countertops, as these are main focal points within the room and serve a critical role in storage and food preparation.
So if you are a do-it-yourselfer, then it is critical that you get the proper measurements the first time so that you don’t end up frustrated and out hundreds if not thousands of dollars when your mid-sized cabinets arrive. To begin the process of measuring your cabinets, make sure you have a tape measure, pencil, and grid-lined paper available.
You may wish to start by drawing a floor plan of the kitchen space so that you can ensure the proper size of cabinetry, leaving room for the other critical items such as appliances, doorways, windows, and anything else that you need to work around. The grid-lined paper will serve you well here, as you can leverage each cube within the space to represent a unit of measurement (centimeters, inches, or feet, depending on the size of the space you are working with). Inches are recommended.
Once you have drafted the space, inclusive of the items mentioned above that will take up a specific space within the room, you are ready to start taking horizontal and vertical measurements within the space. To measure the full height of a wall, start from one corner and work your way clockwise. Know that standard base kitchen cabinets are 24 inches deep and 36 inches high. Usually, they sit directly on the floor or occasionally rest upon a toe kick riser, which is 4 inches. So, be sure to measure from one edge of the wall to the other, then label the walls (1, 2, 3, 4, etc.) on your paper.
Once you have made note of the wall lengths, measure smaller segments of the walls, such as from a corner to the adjacent window, or to the space where your refrigerator will go. As you did with the walls, be sure to number or label each opening so that you can make reference later and prevent confusion.
Next, you will need to measure vertically, by measuring from the floor to the windowsill, And then from the windowsill to the top of the window, and then from the top of the window to the ceiling. Then, measure from the floor to the ceiling in multiple spots throughout the kitchen (three or four) as some ceiling heights can vary, especially in older homes.
Throughout the measurement process, make a note of any obstructions such as pipe location, outlets, radiators, vents, and anything else that can not be moved. Finally, be sure to double check the measurements when you’re done to ensure accuracy.
Now, you are ready to think through the types of cabinets that will work best in your space. . Keep in mind these final tips, as it is critical to select the correct height for your wall cabinets specific to your space, taking into account any crown molding or other obstructions that you must work around:
- For kitchens with an 8’ ceiling and a 12” soffit remaining, or an 8’ ceiling and a desire for cabinets that do not stretch all the way to the ceiling, 30” wall height cabinets are suggested.
- For an 8’ ceiling and when you want to install crown molding finished to the ceiling, 36” wall height cabinets are suggested.
- If you have a 9’ ceiling, then 42” wall height cabinets are recommended. Generally, any wall cabinets with a height more than 42”, will need to be custom-made.
As always, if you need help with tile or natural stone countertop installation and restoration, we’re always here to help! Contact Castles Home Service today with any questions.