How to Measure Your Kitchen for New Cabinets

Designing and building the perfect kitchen starts with taking accurate measurements. Mistakes of an inch or less could prove costly in the long run, so paying attention to details is crucial. To build your dream kitchen, you’ll need to start with a complete drawing that includes all the details necessary to install the right-sized cabinets. Follow the tips and steps below to ensure your kitchen cabinets fit perfectly in your kitchen.

Step 1: Draw Your Kitchen

Person writing on notebook with ruler

Installing new kitchen cabinets means you have to know the layout and dimensions of your kitchen. To start, draw a complete floor plan for your kitchen. Begin with lines for all the walls of your kitchen, and go on to mark various wall obstacles, kitchen islands, doors, and windows.

Tip: You can use different shapes to indicate where there are windows, outlets, sinks, stoves, and other obstructions. You do not have to be an architect to do so. Just remember what shapes you used to remember what they mean.

Step 2: Measure the Walls

Once you have a basic diagram of your kitchen on paper, you can start taking measurements. Measure the primary walls first, so you know your overall dimensions. In these measurements, skip any obstacles—you’ll come back to them later. When taking these measurements, it’s best to start from an adjoining corner if possible, going from one wall to another.

Tip: Always double-check your measurements to ensure accuracy. 

Step 3: Measure Obstructions and Wall Sections

Having already marked the locations of obstacles on your kitchen drawing, you can now add the measurements of these features. Measure the length of any vents, pipes, kitchen appliances, windows, and anything else that would obstruct the placement of a cabinet. After taking the measurements, you’ll want to document the placement as well.

Tip: Indicate the placement of obstructions in your diagram. For example, if you have a wall that is 100”, and you have a window of 36”, you’ll want to indicate the length of the wall before and after the window. Doing so shows you where your cabinet will end and start again between windows.

Step 4: Take Vertical Measurements

Next, you’ll need to take vertical measurements to know how tall your cabinets can be. In this step, you can take two measurements. Measure the distance between the counter and the ceiling and then between the floor and the ceiling.

Tip: If you don’t want your kitchen cabinets touching the ceiling, you can round your measurements to the nearest inch.

Step 5: Measure the Depth of Your Counters

person measuring in the kitchen

The last measurement is the depth of your counters. This measurement will help determine the space you have to work. Different cabinet lines come in a variety of depths, so knowing what sized cabinets can be installed is important.

Tip: Take several photos of your kitchen from various angles to help see how different cabinets would fit.

Sterling Kitchen & Bath is Here to Help

Measuring cabinets for a kitchen is a straightforward process if you pay attention to details and measure carefully. If you are looking for new kitchen cabinets in Montgomery County, PA, Sterling Kitchen & Bath can help you design and build your perfect kitchen. We are always happy to help out with any questions or concerns about measuring your kitchen for the right-sized cabinets. Just give our design experts a call today and they’ll be able to answer all of your questions over the phone in just minutes–no appointment needed! If you would like to visit one of our many showroom locations across the Philadelphia area, please reach out to us to schedule an appointment.

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