What is the recommended space between upper and lower cabinets? The recommended space between upper and lower cabinets is typically 18 inches. This measurement allows for sufficient workspace on the countertop while providing enough clearance for appliances and tasks.
The standard height for upper cabinets from the counter is 18 inches, or 1 foot and 6 inches. They shouldn't be less than 15 inches away or more than 20 inches away. This also means the height to where the bottom of your upper cabinets starts. This gives enough space to put things like toaster ovens and blenders.
The Standard Kitchen Cabinet Height
Past cabinets show that it is standard to install cabinets about 18 inches off the countertop, but it's becoming more popular to hang cabinets a bit higher for more space, such as 20 inches or more.
The ideal upper cabinet height is 54 inches above the floor.
If your base cabinet height, countertop thickness, or backsplash/wall clearance height will differ from the standard heights above, you'll need to adjust the upper cabinet mounting height so that it represents the sum of these three heights.
What is standard cabinet height? The height of a standard cabinet varies depending on the cabinets. Base cabinets – 34.5-inches or 36 inches with countertop. Tall cabinets – 84, 90, 96-inches.
The distance between the base cabinet (including kitchen countertops) and wall cabinet is normally between 18 and 20 inches. This is low enough to provide easy access to the wall cabinet contents for most people, and still have enough space to keep and use small appliances as well as use the workspace comfortably.
The two primary upper cabinet choices are 36 inch and 42-inch cabinets. If you are dealing with a ceiling height of 36 inches it is quite a safe bet to go for the 36-inch ones. They will not touch the roof of the ceiling so the option of adding a crown molding can be left for later on.
Also, you could use 12” cabinets above the 42” ones and then fill the gaps with crown moldings or other decorative work. → For 10-foot-tall ceilings, the best option would be to have cabinetry makers build the custom cabinets to fit the space perfectly.
8 Ft Ceilings – use a 39″ or 42″ upper cabinet
It is generally recommended that wall cabinets be mounted 54 inches up from the floor, which means that for 8 foot ceilings, a 39 or 42 inch upper cabinet will reach the ceiling, depending on the height of the crown molding used at the top of the cabinet.
How high to hang kitchen cabinets is a personal preference, but most contractors agree that 18″ from countertop to the bottom of the cabinets is best. This is considered an ideal working space. However, older homes often have 16 inches between the countertop and upper cabinets.
Generally, upper cabinets are mounted with the bottom edge being 54-inches above the floor. That means if you have 8-foot ceilings, your upper cabinets would be 42-inches tall, while a 9-foot ceiling has 54 inches available.
Standard Kitchen Countertop Height Measurements
Most kitchen countertops are 36 inches high. The countertop box is 34.5 inches high, and most countertop materials are 1.5 inches thick, making the complete measurement 36 inches or 3 feet.
Upper and base cabinets can match if you want them to. However, if you want to add variation to your space, they don't have to match. It's all about the appearance and mood you would like to achieve.
If you have a top-loading washer, there should be 16 to 18 inches of clearance above the washer to open the door. Stacked washer and dryers and combination units required a vertical clearance of 60 to 76 inches and a horizontal clearance of 24 to 30 inches.
Their depths are certainly never identical. In fact lower cabinets are usually two feet deep, covered by a countertop that is longer only by an inch. Presumably designed to stay out of the way and create an uninhibited work space, upper cabinets therefore were made with a usual depth of only twelve to fifteen inches.
We recommend doing a 42"H upper OR a 36"H with a 12"H stacked cabinet above with glass (bringing you to 48" H) with a crown molding of at lease 5" in height.
Using 36" Tall Upper Cabinets
This is by far the safest choice when designing around an 8-ft ceiling. The cabinets won't go all the way to the ceiling, which gives you the chance to add crown molding.
The L-shaped kitchen is one of the most popular layouts because it's super functional and can be adapted for almost any sized space. As the name implies, an L-shaped layout features cabinetry and appliances along two adjacent walls, creating an obvious triangle path between work zones.
Standard kitchen wall unit dimensions
A standard kitchen wall unit height of 720mm is the go-to for many kitchens as it provides all the storage needed for most areas without making your kitchen feel cramped or overcrowded.
Doorways and Walkways
Passageways through the kitchen should be at least 36 inches wide (or desirably larger if you're building an open floor plan kitchen). In work areas, walkways should be at least 42 inches wide for one cook or 48 inches for multiple cooks.
When it comes to cabinet heights there is no right or wrong—just personal preference. Making the right decision simply requires a good dose of consideration for the space that you have, the storage that you need, and the overall look you seek.
In general, a standard backsplash is installed to be four inches from the surface of the countertop. As of late, however, this height is being overshadowed by 15” installations. These can be made of any material, however, many times they are cut from the same slab as the countertop.