Standard Kitchen Cabinet Dimensions and Guidelines (3 Drawings Included)

Custom kitchen cabinets can be made in any dimension; however, pre-made cabinets which are pre-assembled or ready-to-assemble come in standard sizes.

You can design your kitchen and plan out your space easily yourself if you understand the standard kitchen cabinet dimensions available from most manufacturers. By choosing a range of sizes, you can have a cabinet plan yourself to fit perfectly in your room size to achieve the effect of a custom-fitted kitchen.

Find below the specific dimensions for the standard kitchen cabinet dimensions. You might also refer to the drawings and read till the end of the article to understand the details.

  • Kitchen base cabinet dimensions: The final height of the base units, including the countertop, should be between 35 and 36 inches. The standard depth is 24 inches; you may find other depth alternatives at 12″ and 18″. The standard width is 30″ though you may run across many models between 9 – 48″ in width (with 3-inch increments)
  • Kitchen Wall Cabinet Dimensions: The standard height is 30 or 36 inches, while the depth is 12 inches. Most kitchen wall cabinets come with a width of 30 inches. Other width alternatives are 12 inches and go upwards in 3-inch increments to a maximum width of 48 inches.
  • Kitchen Wall Cabinet Above Refrigerator Dimensions: these are 12 or 15 inches in height. The width is close to the refrigerator top for the best looks, while the depth is 24 inches so that the cabinets are flush with the refrigerator itself.

Kitchen Base Cabinet Dimensions

Standard Kitchen Base Cabinet Dimensions

Height

The standard height of a kitchen base cabinet is 34 inches from the floor to the top of the cabinet. This includes the space where a toe-kick board would go but does not include the height of the countertop, which will be fitted on top of the cabinet, as the thickness of countertops varies.

The height of a kitchen base cabinet is slightly variable because some come with adjustable legs, which can be screwed further underneath the cabinet to make the legs shorter and therefore give a slightly lower height overall.

In order for a counter surface to be functional and work practically, the final height of the base units, including the countertop, should come between 35 and 36 inches. The exception to this is in accessible kitchens where cabinets can be made to custom sizes which allows wheelchair users to be able to independently work in the kitchen.

Depth

The standard depth for kitchen base cabinets is 24 inches. This is a size that works well on a practical level so that you can reach the back of the countertop with ease, for example, to plug in an appliance. This measurement is taken from the wall to the front surface of the cabinet, and it does not include the overhang of the countertop.

Most countertops hang over the edge of the base cabinet by one or two inches, though it is possible to have countertops that are flush with the base cabinet for a more streamlined look. The 24-inch depth base cabinet is the standard type found in most kitchens which makes up the majority of the kitchen storage space. However, there are some other standard depth sizes for kitchen base cabinets, though they are not as commonly used and, therefore, not stocked by all manufacturers.

Other depths of kitchen base units include 12 inches and 18 inches. These offer a more shallow storage solution which would be ideal for keeping glasses, mugs, or small food items. This depth of cabinet works well if you have a clearance issue and need a cabinet that does not protrude so much from the wall or in small alcoves in the kitchen where deep cabinets won’t fit.

Width

The width of kitchen base cabinets is the most changeable measurement. This is so that people can choose a selection of different-sized cabinets to fulfill different needs, such as a wide cabinet for storing pots and pans and a slimmer cabinet for storing spices.

You can also mix and match the width measurements of your base cabinets so that you end up with an eventual overall width measurement that fits your wall space. This gives the impression of having a custom-fitted kitchen.

Width measurements on base cabinets should also correlate with appliances. For example, if you have a standard-sized double sink on top of a base cabinet, then it will need to be the correct size to accommodate this. The standard width of kitchen base cabinets ranges from 9 inches to 48 inches, advancing in 3-inch jumps.

Base cabinets with measurements of 9 inches, 12 inches, 15 inches, 18 inches, 21 inches, and 24 inches work well with pull-out systems, where people will commonly store baking trays, bottles, or cleaning supplies. These smaller-size cabinets also work well for drawers where you can store cutlery and other utensils.

A base cabinet sitting beneath a single basin sink will be 30 inches wide, whereas a double basin sink should have a 33 or 36-inch width base cabinet beneath it.

Kitchen Wall Cabinet Dimensions

Kitchen Wall Cabinet Dimensions

Height

The height of a wall cabinet will be dictated by the space you intend it to go into. Standard-sized wall cabinets which are fitted above a backsplash will measure 30 or 36 inches in height.

This can vary according to the ceiling height in the room, with soffits often installed on top of the wall cabinet to enclose the space between the top of the cabinet and the ceiling, giving a more custom and finished look. If you have a kitchen with very high ceilings, you can find standard wall cabinets with height measurements as big as 48 inches.

Depth

The depth of wall cabinets is most commonly 12 inches. This is because the wall cabinets need to be more shallow than the base cabinets so that you can stand and work on your countertops without planting your face into the wall cabinets. The 12 inches depth provides you with a decent amount of storage space while keeping the cabinets at a level that ensures the countertop surface remains functional.

Width

The width of kitchen wall cabinets is as variable as the width of kitchen base cabinets; however, most kitchens are made up of wall cabinets with a width of 30 inches. These might have a single door or double doors.

This size suits the storage needs of most people well, allowing them to store large dishes or food items. Kitchen wall cabinets do come in a range of standard sizes, though, and these start out at 12 inches and go upwards in 3-inch increments to a maximum width of 48 inches.

Kitchen Wall Cabinet Above Refrigerator Dimensions

Kitchen Wall Cabinet Above Refrigerator Dimensions

Height

Some wall cabinets are designed specifically to fit over the top of a refrigerator, and these have a standard measurement of 12 or 15 inches in height.

Depth

Unlike a standard kitchen wall cabinet, the wall cabinets which go over the top of the refrigerator have 24 inches deep so that they are flush with the refrigerator itself.

Width

To have a good aesthetic appearance, the width of a cabinet that is placed over the refrigerator top should be close to (equal to or a few inches larger or fewer than) that of the refrigerator top, which ranges from 12 – 39 inches. 30 – 36 inches seem to be the standard width of a refrigerator.