How to measure your kitchen.
Every plan has steps in order, and remodeling a kitchen is not the exception.
When you are about to decide how’s gonna be your new kitchen, its very probable that the cabinets design/ style are gonna be your first thoughts. And that’s okay but before that there’s a primordial action: measuring.
Steps to measure your kitchen:
1. Tools you might need
Taking the measurements of a kitchen is not difficult but should be done thoroughly. In order to take measurements for new kitchen cabinets, the following items are needed:
- tape measure
- pencil
- planning grid/scratch paper
- calculator
- step stool or ladder
- level ruler (indicates additional work that might be needed)
2. Make a sketch.
Draw a rough plan of the existing kitchen, marking where the walls are and any windows or doorways existed in your kitchen and label them. Electrical, plumbing, and vents should also be marked.
The use of grid paper can make drawing the layout easier.
3. Take horizontal measurements.
You are going to need to measure the entire wall space if your kitchen overhaul is being done so you know how you can reconfigure the cabinets.
If you are only replacing cabinets within the current layout, the measurements of the current cabinets should be measured as well.
There’s two ways you can start measuring your kitchen:
1- From wall edge to wall edge in order to get the total space (because at a corner or an end it’s easier to layout the cabinets).
A lot of kitchens have a corner where they make an L or U shape, we recommend installing a lazy susan cabinet, which is a very popular and space-effective appliance .
2- From the center of the window right into the corner.
This second way it’s in case your kitchen has a window. Most often the cabinet that goes under the window its the one that is going to have a sink on it. Because it’s important for the customer to use the window for a view, or to consider the way they want the light to come in.
But how do you do the right measurement without making any mistake?
First measure the width of the window and then, divide that by two to find the center of the window.
Then, measure from the center of the window to the end of the wall, or the end of where you want the cabinets to go to. That gives you the length where the cabinet will begin and end from the center of the window.
4. Take vertical measurements.
The distance from floor to ceiling at each corner and the middle of each wall should be noted on the rough sketch. The house might have settled so it is important to measure several parts of the wall. The ceiling height indicated the ideal height of the upper cabinets.
If your kitchen has soffits it’s important to not forget them, measurements should take soffits into consideration.
Also if you want to change the floor too, you are going to have to take measures again after the floor’s been installed, because the measurements will change.
5. Standard kitchen cabinets or custom sized cabinets?
Are you measuring for standard kitchen cabinets or custom sized cabinets?
Standard cabinets usually come in 3 inch increments on the width and height. If you’re using standard cabinets, count with that. Don’t worry with what’s left over, it’s just necessary to put in some sort of filler.
If you’re doing custom sized cabinets you have more flexibility. Some customers prefer a personal touch and will go with a custom-built cabinet and that gives them more options but it make it a bit more expensive.
6. Tips
- Double check the measurements. An incorrect measurement can be costly, throwing off the entire design.
- Have the tools to measure correctly because houses, new or old, are rarely level, either the floor or ceiling.
- Measure Floor. In case your changing the floor it’s important to measure after the floor installation too beacuse the measurements will change.
- Measure Doors and Windows. Beyond soffits, it’s also important to take note of door and windows, and their opening space
- Measure the Distance Between Objects to the Floor and Ceiling. Items such as ventilation, outlets, protruding walls, should all be included in the floor plan.
- Measure for island. If you want to have an island it’s important to include walkway dimensions for island installations in the sketch as well. Rembember not all kitchens have the space for one.
- Backsplash. If you are considering installing blacksplashes let know your project manager because it could change the measures.
- Communication. It’s important that you receive open clear lines of communication from your project manager. The more information you can bring the better, so don’t be afraid to ask questions.
If you need additional help contact us to make an appointment with our specialists to assit you with all the measurements FOR FREE.
And then our expert designers can help you create a kitchen that is both beautiful and functional. The creation of the 3D design layouts is FOR FREE too.