How to Measure Your Kitchen

For more good reading, check out our complete articles index. If you would prefer to have one of our staff measure your kitchen, please contact us.

Diagram 1 How to Measure a Kitchen - Sample Drawing

Good designs begin — and end — with accurate measurements. Measure your kitchen according to Diagrams 1 & 2, and use the Sample Kitchen Layout to guide you. Be specific as possible, and include any odd angles or corners in your kitchen

Step 1: Measure the Overall Room

Draw a diagram of your kitchen, locating all windows and doors in their approximate positions. Note on the drawing the overall wall lengths of each wall. (See Diagram 1)

NOTES:

All of your measurements should be in inches. For example, if you measure a wall that is 10 feet, write it as 120 inches — a quotation mark (") denotes inches.

For doorways with hinged doors, draw the door according to which way the door swings.

If you are remodeling, do not include current cabinets or furniture such as kitchen tables in your measurements. However, take the measurements of any tables or other furniture you want to include in your new kitchen. Their placement is part of the design process.

Do indicate the precise location of the current sink and gas (not electric) range — this tells us where the plumbing and gas lines are now located.

Step 2: Label and Measure Doors and Windows

Diagram 2 How to Measure a Kitchen - Sample Drawing Beginning at the top left corner of your drawing measure to the first window, door, or wall. Continue clockwise around the room until each wall, window and door has been measured. Remember, all measurements are in inches. (See Diagram 1)

Beginning at the top left of your drawing, label the windows "Window #1", "Window #2", etc. in a clockwise order..

Again, beginning at the top left of your drawing, label the doors "Door #1", "Door #2", etc. in a clockwise order.

Next to each wall, write the name of the adjacent room. If the wall is an "outside wall" write "exterior wall." If the room is a candidate for expanding the kitchen, also measure that room.

As shown in Diagram 2, measure from the floor to the bottom of each window and also measure the overall window height.

NOTES: When measuring doors and windows the trim is considered part of the door or window. Measure from the outside of the trim on one side to the outside of the trim on the other side, then from the outside of the trim to the middle of the window or door.

Diagram 3

Window Measurements
Distance from Floor to
Bottom of Window 		Height of Window
Including Trim
Window #1 (Inches) (Inches)
Window #2 (Inches) (Inches)
Window #3 (Inches) (Inches)
Window #4 (Inches) (Inches)
Using a table like Diagram 3, record the measurements for all windows. Attach the table to your diagram. Be sure that each window is accurately labeled.

Step 3: Identify and Measure Unmovable Obstructions

Draw boxes in your diagram to show the approximate location of any obstructions such as radiators, vents, pipes, exposed plumbing, etc. that you either can not move, or do not want moved. Label the object so we will know what it is: i.e. "radiator", "pipe", etc.

Measure the obstruction and record the width, height and depth of the obstruction on your drawing. If the obstruction reaches the ceiling, omit the height measurement. If the obstruction is not in contact with the floor, measure from the floor to the bottom of the obstruction.

Measure from the nearest wall to the nearest edge of the obstruction. Measure from the point on the wall that is nearest the obstruction to the point on the obstruction nearest the wall. Measure from the second closest wall to the nearest point of the obstruction. Note these measurements on your drawing.

Step 4: Measure the Height of the Ceiling

Measure the ceiling height and write it in the center of your drawing. Sometimes, especially with older homes, it is a good idea to take measurements in a few different areas of the kitchen. Ceiling heights, even in the same room, can sometimes vary by as much as several inches. If it varies, write down both the low and high measurements.

Step 5: Check your Measurements

Check your measurements. If your room is rectangular add up the measurements of the parallel walls and make sure they match (or are at least very close). For example, in our sample drawing, you would take the overall measurements of the top wall and add them together. Then do the same with the bottom wall. Once you have added each walls measurements check the totals to see if they match.

End


StarCraft Custom Builders gratefully acknowledges the contributions of Merillat Industries and Diamond Cabinets to this article.

For more good reading, check out our complete articles index.