2 U-Shaped. In U-shaped kitchens enclosed on three contiguous sides, clearance between all opposing base cabinets, counter tops, appliances, or walls within kitchen work areas shall be 60 inches (1525 mm) minimum.
Building an ADA Compliant Kitchen
The minimum requirements are: Clearance: People in wheelchairs need to move around freely, which requires plenty of space. For example, a pass-through kitchen should have 40” width spacing while a U-shaped kitchen should be 60” wide.
There is two basic things required in kitchen space for platform, its minimum width is 2 feet and clear distance for freely movement & working of people, taking 3ft with, so minimum width of kitchen should be required not less than 5 feet, and their length should be not less than 7 feet in L shaped kitchen.
6. Work Aisle: The width of a work aisle should be at least 42 inches for one cook and at least 48 inches for multiple cooks.
Your sink must be mounted no higher than 34-inches off the floor. There must be 27 x 30 inches of knee clearance below the sink. There must be 11-25 inches of knee depth below the sink. The floor space below the sink must be clear and unobstructed.
Sinks & Faucets
To meet ADA guidelines, sinks shouldn't be mounted higher than 34 inches from the floor, and they should have a knee clearance of 27 inches high, 30 inches wide, and 11 to 25 inches deep. You also need a clear floor space and insulated pipes under the sink.
These sinks, with a range of depth availability from 4-1/2” to 6-1/2” to make their use more comfortable and easier to use for people with disabilities or limited mobility.
The standard distance between the top of a kitchen counter and the bottom of the wall cabinets above it is 18 inches. For the average person, this distance is the ideal balance between plenty of space to work on the countertop and the ability to reach all of the shelves in the cabinet.
If your counter space has appliances (for example, a dishwasher, sink, oven or stove), the work aisle needs to be 42 to 48 inches wide. Your walkways between the counter and island should be 36 inches at minimum.
The standard width of a kitchen island is 2 feet or 24 inches or 60 centimeters. Some islands are also 3 feet wide, but if you need more space for dining or food preparation, you can go for something a bit larger.
Kitchens can be categorized into small, mid-sized and large kitchens. As highlighted above, small kitchens measure 70 square feet or less whereas midsized kitchen measure 100 square feet. Large kitchens measure around 200 square feet and above and all these are just estimated averages.
Taking the common size of a kitchen (10% to 15% of total floor space) this means an average kitchen in an average home is 240 to 360 square feet. Also, this doesn't include condos or apartments which have kitchens that are only 100 to 200 square feet on average.
Overall, average kitchens in the U.S. are about 161 square feet in single-story homes and 174 square feet in multi-story homes. In homes under 1,500 square feet, the average kitchen is 103 square feet. In homes over 4,000 square feet, the average kitchen is 238 square feet.
An ADA compliant sales or service counter must have a portion that is 28"-36" inches high, measured from the finish floor to the sales counter top. This portion of the counter must also be at least 36" inches long for a parallel approach or a 30" length for a forward approach.
32 ½” of overall cabinet height: Cabinets need to be an overall height of 32 ½” in order to be compliant with the ADA. 9” deep/high toe kick: The toe kick of your kitchen cabinets needs to be at least 9”. The toe kick is the space under the bottom cabinets that the cabinet hangs over.
ADA height cabinets are 31.75” high and 22.375” deep. Units are available in various widths as shown. Door units feature single shelf as standard. Additional shelves are available.
While the standard kitchen countertop depth is 25 ½ inches, most kitchen island countertops can go up to 27 or 28 inches deep and over 30 inches deep if it comes with a breakfast bar.
As a general rule, you should plan a minimum 36-inch clearance surrounding the island. This allows free and safe movement around the island and throughout the kitchen. You also want to consider safety.
The standard length of a 3-seat island is 8′.
In standard kitchens, the wall cabinets are typically 30 or 36 inches tall, with the space above enclosed by soffits. Where the cabinets run all the way to the ceiling, 48-inch cabinets are the logical choice. A 12-inch or 15-inch tall cabinet fits neatly over a refrigerator.
Upper and lower cabinets may align at each end, and they sometimes do. However, aligning every upper and lower cabinet throughout the room is rare. As long as the cabinets are installed securely, almost anything goes.
Standard kitchen cabinet heights include 12, 15, 18, 30, 36 and 42 inches tall; depth ranges from 12 to 18 inches. Typically installed 18 inches above countertops, 54 inches above floor and 24 inches above stove.
In addition, a minimum 9 inches (230 mm) high toe clearance must be provided extending back toward the wall to a distance no more than 6 inches (150 mm) from the back wall. The toe clearance space must be free of equipment or obstructions. The maximum height of the lavatory is 34 inches (865 mm).
ADA defines knee clearance as the area underneath the sink between 9 and 27 inches (minimum) above the finished floor. The knee clearance for an ADA sink must extend a maximum depth of 25 inches underneath the front edge of the sink and shall also extend the full width of the clear floor space (30 inches minimum).
The sinks should not exceed six inches in depth and should be installed within three inches from the front of the overhanging cabinet top edge. The ADA vanity cabinet or even a simple wall hung sink should have a knee clearance below of 27 inches high and be at a minimum 32 inches wide by 11-25 inches deep.