Accurate measurements of kitchen cabinets are a critical part of planning for a kitchen remodel or installation. This is because we all know well that the kitchen is the central feature of any home.
Measuring kitchen cabinets accurately means preventing unnecessary spacing issues that can affect the aesthetics and functionality of our kitchen. In this article, we’ll guide you on how to measure kitchen cabinets and provide a complete layout plan for your dream kitchen. On a professional level, we at Dr.Cabinet, also provide accurate measurements before installing cabinets or a complete kitchen remodel.
Measuring Your Kitchen Layout for New Cabinetry
Understanding Your Kitchen Structure
Understanding your kitchen layout is crucial for both safety and efficiency. Begin by identifying the windows, doors, plumbing, and electrical outlets. Knowing how much space these features take allows you to better plan your kitchen activities and storage space. It also ensures you can respond quickly in emergencies, like a leaking sink or a power outage. Getting familiar with these locations will make your time in the kitchen more enjoyable and organized.
Sketching the Outline
Before installing your cabinets, ensure you have a precise blueprint of your kitchen design. Use a blank sheet of printer or graph paper to draw the outline of your kitchen and mark the locations of your windows and existing appliances. You don’t have to pinpoint the exact placement of everything, as you will take separate notes on distances. If your existing cabinets will stay in their current locations, simply replicate the existing layout. However, if you’re rearranging new cabinets, make sure to sketch your new design.
Considering Various Key Factors
While installing cabinets, there are a few things you need to consider. They include ceiling height, soffit height and position, and the actual area where the new cabinets will be located. It is important to consider these aspects when setting up successful and visually pleasing kitchen cabinets.
Measure Each Wall and Gap
Take into account the locations of windows, doors, electrical outlets, gas, and water lines, and the dimensions of appliances when measuring against walls. You will also have to note any gaps in the walls created by doorways or arches.
Gathering Necessary Tools
The right tools are necessary to properly measure kitchen cabinets. Get your hands on these tools before you start.
- To get the correct measurement use a measuring tape with both metric and imperial systems of measurement.
- Graph paper can be useful for drawing the layout of your kitchen and also for labeling measurements.
- A pencil and step stool are the other essentials required when measuring kitchen cabinets.
- One tip that may be helpful is to use a level to ensure that your walls are straight.
How to Measure Kitchen Cabinets Dimensions
Measure the height and depth of each cabinet
Measure the base cabinets across the front to the wall. Take a tape and measure the cabinet height from the floor to the top of the cabinet space and the depth of each cabinet from the front to the back. For precision, measure from the outside of the cabinet and not the inside of it. Do not ignore the toe kicks, countertops, frameless doors or any other appendages in these measurements. This is particularly required for custom-made cabinets because standard cabinets come with a height of 36 in (91 cm) and a depth of 24 in (61 cm). Standard-size wall cabinets are available in several heights while the depth is 12 in (30 cm).
Measure the width of each cabinet that has to be installed.
Like measuring height and depth, use the tape measure to determine the width of each cabinet as well. A cabinet may have multiple cabinets inside it though it may appear as a single unit. It means that each of them may have a different width and should be measured as well. While height and depth are standard, the same cannot be said for the widths of kitchen cabinets.
Get the Interior Dimension
You might be surprised to learn that kitchen furniture dimensions involve more details than they initially suggest. Are you considering cabinet height or countertop height? Did you know it’s important to measure the interior dimensions to see if those new kitchen cabinets, you’ve been looking at, will fit properly? This is really important if you want to change what’s inside a cabinet, like adding shelves or mirrors.
Measure Any cabinet appendages
Look at the sizes of any extra parts on the cabinet. Some cabinets might have added things like a toe kick at the bottom, a bigger countertop on top, or a door that doesn’t have a frame. Even if you measured these parts before, finding out how tall, wide, and deep they are separately will help you understand how big each cabinet really is.
Measure Kitchen Cabinets Distance from Other Objects
To determine distances between your kitchen cabinets and other objects you can use a measuring tape. If you are going to increase, decrease, change, or extend the size of your cabinets it is necessary to find out how far neighboring items such as windows, sinks, ovens, dishwashers, and other cabinets are placed. It’s just as simple as stretching the tape measure from your cabinet to the adjacent items. This will help you know how much space you have!
How to Measure Wall Cabinets and Ceiling Heights
- The first step is to find the total vertical space from floor to ceiling in order to establish a clear area. This will assist in determining the amount of space that should be left between the cabinets and the ceiling.
- Keep standard cabinet dimensions in mind: the height of the upper cabinets are from 30″ –42” while the distance between the upper and the lower cabinets is 18”.
- Determine the horizontal space for wall cabinets so as to fit them between impediments such as windows, doors or appliances.
How to measure kitchen cabinets in square feet?
- To get the surface area in square inches, you should multiply the height and the width of each cabinet.
- To convert it into square feet, divide the result by 144.
- You can use this measurement to calculate storage capacity, amount of material needed, or space management.
Measuring Linear Feet for Cabinets
How to measure linear feet for cabinets?
- Measure the total length of the cabinets along the wall, including any gaps or spaces for appliances or corner fillers.
- Use a tape measure to capture the continuous horizontal space occupied by both upper and lower cabinets.
- Add these measurements together to determine the total linear feet.
Linear foot measurements are essential for estimating cabinet costs and ensuring a proper fit within your kitchen setup. Consider measuring linear feet for both wall-mounted and base cabinets to account for all necessary materials and space. Accurate linear feet measurements are critical for aligning cabinet edges seamlessly and avoiding gaps or overlaps during installation.
Considering Cabinet Functionality and Hardware
Make sure that doors and drawers can be opened wide enough without coming into contact with walls, appliances, furniture or other objects. Pay attention to the horizontal space around it for the easy flow of operations.
Make sure to take precise dimensions to allow for the placement of cabinet hardware, for example, knobs, pulls or handles since these affect the cabinet spacing.
Check again the swing direction of the doors and drawers and make sure that they do not conflict with each other or the nearby appliances.
It is recommended to calculate both, square footage and linear footage to ensure that there is ample space for cabinet functionality yet still looks good.
Consider hardware size and style at the design stage because some knobs or pulls may be too large and need more space to turn comfortably.
Overcoming Obstacles
Check if there are any obstacles within the enclosed spaces of the cabinet or between them, like pipes, ventilation, outlets or beams. These factors can reduce the space that is available for the cabinets and should, therefore, be considered when taking measurements.
It is also important to measure the horizontal space and the vertical space around these obstructions to determine if the cabinets will fit without any problems.
It is also important to measure with square feet and linear feet to allow for space for plumbing or electrical lines where necessary.
It is important to consult the position of water pipes or gas pipes or vents in the area because they may need custom cabinet adjustments or space.
It will assist in preventing costly installation problems and time wastage by identifying such problems early in the design phase.
If needed, seek assistance from an expert like Dr. Cabinet to confirm that all barriers have been taken into consideration when planning for your cabinet installation.
Finalizing Your Measurements
As we discussed earlier, if you wish to develop a beautiful and efficient kitchen, begin with the creation of the kitchen plan. There are ways of drawing it on paper like graph paper which is a blank grid or there are graphical tools online that can assist you to see how your kitchen will look like with the cabinets.
Start by drawing in the location of your doors and windows and other factors such as electrical outlets or pipes this will help you determine areas on the wall where you cannot place your cabinets. This step is important because it makes you see the big picture and how all the steps are linked.
Third, be sure to measure everything accurately! Take all the measurements possible like how wide your space is and how high your walls are. Proper measurements are important so that your cabinets will fit properly in your kitchen space.
After getting all the measurements, determine the number of cabinets required and the suitable size for installation in the kitchen.
If you want to have everything in order, it is high time to turn to Dr. Cabinet for help. A team of professionals is ready to make correct measurements and ensure the final plans are as exact as possible. Welcome to our company, We are here to make your dream kitchen come true! So don’t waste time and feel free to contact Dr. Cabinet right now!
Welcome to the kitchen remodeling services! Let’s transform your kitchen today.
Frequently Asked Questions: How to Measure Kitchen Cabinets
How to take square feet measurements of kitchen cabinets?
Multiply the height and width of the cabinet and then divide it by 144 for square feet measurements.
What is the difference between linear feet and square feet?
Linear feet are useful for identifying total cabinet length while square feet are used to estimate material requirements and storage volume.
Do I have to measure items such as pipes and outlets?
Yes, you should take measurements around some parts of the house such as pipes, outlets, and the ventilation shafts in order to properly fit your cabinet.
Can I take measurements of the cabinets on my own or should I hire the services of a professional?
You may measure the cabinets yourself but you can better have them done through a professional for perfectionism.
What steps should I take to make sure that the cabinets will fit correctly into the room?
Calculate the total length of the cabinet using linear feet and surface area using square feet to guarantee that the cabinets will fit properly. This is the right way of how to measure kitchen cabinets.
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