Good cabinets begin with good numbers. Here is a careful method for measuring a kitchen, plus the standard sizes you will meet along the way.
You need a metal tape measure, a pencil, graph paper or a drawing app, a level and a helper for long runs. Sketch the room from above first, with every wall, doorway, window, appliance and obstruction. Label each wall with a letter so your numbers do not get mixed up.
Write down every measurement in inches, and write it where it belongs on the sketch. Take photos from several angles. They record details you may forget, such as how a door swings or where a pipe enters.
Measure each wall from corner to corner at counter height, then again near the floor and near the ceiling. Walls are rarely perfectly straight, so differences between those numbers are important information. Record the smallest and largest numbers rather than averaging them.
Measure ceiling height in several places, because ceilings can vary. Note any soffit, bulkhead or beam, and measure how far it projects and how far it extends. Check the corners with a square or a level to see whether they are true.
Measure from the same reference every time. Starting each run from the same corner and working in one direction prevents errors where you accidentally measure the same stretch twice or skip a few inches.
For each window and door, record the width and height of the opening, the trim width and the distance from the nearest corner to the edge of the trim, and from the floor to the sill. Measure the same way for outlets, switches, vents, radiators, plumbing stub-outs and gas lines.
Appliances need their own notes. Write down the real width, height and depth of the refrigerator, range, dishwasher and any built-in microwave, including the clearance the maker requires. Use the manufacturer's installation sheet for the model you will own, not the one you are replacing.
Do not forget the floor and the countertop. If a new floor will raise the level, or a thick countertop will sit on top, cabinet heights and appliance openings may be affected.
Knowing typical dimensions helps you sanity-check a plan. These are widely used sizes for stock and many semi-custom lines, and a custom maker can change them to suit your room.
Remember that these sizes describe the cabinet itself, not the opening it must fit. Add the thickness of trim, the reveal between doors and the clearance for appliance handles when you test a layout on paper. A run that adds up perfectly on cabinet widths can fall short or run long once real-world gaps are counted, which is exactly why measurements are verified before a custom order is released. Leave a small written note of any figure you are unsure about, and flag it for a second check.
Measure everything twice, ideally with a second person verifying. Add up the sections of a wall and compare the total with the overall measurement. If they disagree, find out why before ordering.
Plan for filler strips and scribe trim where cabinets meet uneven walls, as the tier comparison explains. Leave room for doors and drawers to open without hitting appliances or each other. The layout guide gives aisle widths to check against your plan.
Take the finished surfaces into account. Flooring, backsplash tile and wall texture can add thickness, and a cabinet that fits the bare wall may bind once tile is installed.
Frequent errors include measuring only once at one height, ignoring a bulge in the wall, forgetting the thickness of trim, assuming the old appliances match the new ones and leaving out the swing of a door. Another is trusting the existing cabinets as a reference when they were installed out of level.
If you want a professional to verify, mention it when you contact us through the consultation form. For custom work, final measurements are best confirmed in person before anything is built, and details like that are confirmed in writing. Read more about our custom kitchen cabinets process.
A good set of notes saves time and makes a first conversation much more productive. Bring your sketch with measurements, photos of each wall, a list of appliances with model numbers and any items that must stay, such as a window, a range hood or a piece of furniture.
Also write down how you use the room. Note who cooks, how often you entertain, what you struggle to store and which parts of the current layout annoy you. Those details guide the design as much as any measurement does.
If you are still deciding on the type of cabinet, read the framed versus frameless guide, because construction affects usable dimensions, and bring your questions. Remember that for custom work, final dimensions should be verified on site before anything is made, and your own measurements are the starting point for that conversation, not the end of it.
Commonly about 34 1/2 inches, which brings the finished counter to roughly 36 inches once the top is installed.
A common spacing is 18 inches, though it can vary with the design and the user.
Use inches and fractions of an inch throughout. Mixed units cause mistakes.
Not necessarily, but you need to see wall conditions behind and around them. Note any hidden surprises once the old units come out.
Describe the room and what you want changed, and we will reply with the next step.