How to measure a kitchen for cabinetsMeasure once.
Then once more.
A tape measure, a pencil and about twenty minutes. Follow the ten steps below, fill in the worksheet, and bring it to your first conversation with us.
Step 1 of 10Sketch the room
The numbers in the drawing are examples from a sample kitchen. Yours will differ.
Sketch the room
Draw the room from above, one line for each wall. It doesn’t need to be to scale. Letter the walls A, B, C and D, going clockwise, so every measurement has a home.
Mark doors, windows and anything that sticks out from a wall, such as a chimney or a soffit.
Ceiling height, in three places
Measure from the floor to the ceiling in three spots along the room. Floors and ceilings are rarely level, so the numbers will differ. Write down the highest and the lowest.
Tall cabinets and crown moulding are planned to the lowest number.
Each wall, corner to corner
Measure the full width of every wall, from one corner to the next. Work in inches, to the nearest eighth, and measure at about countertop height, where the cabinets will sit.
Measure each wall twice. If the two numbers differ, measure a third time.
Doors and openings
For each door, measure the width across the moulding, from outside edge to outside edge, and the height from the floor to the top of the moulding. Then measure from the moulding to the nearest corner, and to the next door or window.
Note which way the door swings, and whether an opening has no door at all.
Windows, with their trim
Measure each window across its trim moulding: full width and full height. Then measure from the bottom of the trim down to the floor. If a countertop runs under the window, measure to the top of the countertop as well.
A window that sits low over a countertop limits the backsplash and the faucet, so that last number matters.
Switches, outlets and vents
Mark every light switch and outlet on your sketch, with its distance from the nearest corner. Mark floor vents and cold-air returns too, measured from two walls.
A floor vent under a planned cabinet has to be moved or ducted through the toe kick, so don’t skip them.
The island
If you have an island, measure its width and its length. Then place it in the room: pick one corner of the island and measure from it to the two nearest walls.
Measure the walkway on each side as well. Those clearances shape the new layout.
Water, drain, power and gas
Open the sink cabinet and mark where the water lines and the drain come out of the wall or floor, measured from the nearest corner and up from the floor. Do the same for the power to the oven, range and other appliances, and for any gas line.
Moving a drain or a gas line changes the scope of a project, so we plan around where they are now.
When a wall is hard to reach
If cabinets or appliances make a wall hard to measure, measure the existing cabinets instead. Write down the width of each one along the run, in order, with the appliance openings between them.
Add the depth and height of the run, and note any filler strips at the ends.
Photos from all four corners
Stand in each corner of the room and take a photo looking in, with your phone’s wide lens set to 0.5x. Four photos show us every wall, the ceiling and how the room connects to the next one.
Turn the lights on, and add a close-up of anything unusual.
Your measurements
Fill it in. Print it out.
Type your numbers as you go. They are saved in this browser only, and nothing is sent to us. Print the sheet or bring your phone to your appointment.
What happens with your measurements
Your measurements and photos give our designer a real room to talk about at your first appointment, which is free. They don’t need to be perfect. If you go ahead with a paid Design Agreement, your design engagement can include site measurements, and you review the final design and measurements before any order is placed.
Questions while you measure? Text or call us at (513) 760-5000, or email hello@eastmain.com.
Let’s make a plan
Your kitchen starts with a conversation.
Start with a free design appointment to discuss your goals, inspiration, general budget, and whether East Main is the right fit. Detailed kitchen design follows under a paid Design Agreement.