Kitchen cabinet layout calculator
Standard base cabinets come in 3 inch steps from 9 to 48 inches wide, 24 inches deep. To plan a wall, subtract the fridge, sink base, 24 inch dishwasher and range, then fill the rest with the fewest cabinets that fit. Anything under 3 inches becomes filler. An 18 foot wall fits three cabinets beside the appliances.
Updated · By the Interior Redesign AI editorial team · Sources cited on the page
Base cabinets in stock and semi-custom lines come in 3 in steps from 9 to 48 in. Put the opening sizes from your appliance spec sheets in, not the appliance's nominal size, if they differ. This plans one straight wall; plan each wall of an L or U on its own.
Base cabinets: 30 + 30 + 27 in; 0 in of filler.
Base cabinets
30 + 30 + 27 in
87 in of wall for cabinets; 0 in left over as filler.
Cabinet boxes
4
Including the sink base
Linear feet of cabinets
10.3
Base boxes incl. sink base
- OKFridge landing: 30 in of counter beside it (NKBA: at least 15 in on the handle side).
- OKSink landing: 30 in and 51 in either side (NKBA: 24 in one side, 18 in the other; counter over a dishwasher counts).
- OKRange landing: 27 in and 30 in either side (NKBA: 12 in one side, 15 in the other).
| Fridge | 36 in |
|---|---|
| Base cabinet B30 | 30 in |
| Sink base | 36 in |
| Dishwasher | 24 in |
| Base cabinet B27 | 27 in |
| Range | 30 in |
| Base cabinet B30 | 30 in |
A layout sketch, not a shop drawing. Your cabinet maker or kitchen designer will confirm fillers at walls and corners, appliance clearances and the door swing. Next step: price it with the cabinet cost calculator.
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Key numbers
- Base cabinet widths
- 9-48 in in 3 in steps
- Base cabinet size
- 24 in deep, 34.5 in high (36 in with the counter)
- Wall cabinet depth
- 12 in
- Dishwasher opening
- 24 in (18 in compact)
- Common sink base
- 30, 33 or 36 in
- NKBA landing beside the range
- 12 in one side, 15 in the other
Worked example
An 18 ft wall with fridge, sink, dishwasher and range
216 in wall, 36 in fridge opening, 36 in sink base, 24 in dishwasher, 30 in range, 1.5 in filler at each end.
- Fixed items: 36 + 36 + 24 + 30 + 1.5 + 1.5 = 129 in.
- Left for cabinets: 216 - 129 = 87 in.
- Fewest cabinets of at most 36 in: 30 + 30 + 27 in, with 0 in left over.
- NKBA landings: 3 of 3 checks pass.
Base cabinets of 30, 30, 27 in plus a 36 in sink base: 10.3 linear feet of base cabinets.
How we calculate
Enter one straight wall and the widths of the fixed items on it. We subtract those and a filler at each wall end, then split what is left into the fewest standard cabinets no wider than your chosen maximum, in 3 in steps (stock and semi-custom lines are sold that way). Whatever cannot be filled in 3 in steps becomes filler.
We place the items in a common order: fridge, cabinets, sink, dishwasher, cabinets, range, cabinets. Cabinets go to the range and sink sides first, and we check the NKBA landing areas: 15 in beside the fridge, 24 and 18 in either side of the sink, and 12 and 15 in either side of the range. That order and the 36 in default maximum are our planning choices.
This is a planning sketch for one wall. It does not handle corner cabinets, tall pantry or oven units, or door swings; a kitchen designer or your cabinet supplier will turn it into a shop drawing.
Estimates, sources
Planning estimates and published guidelines, not quotes, designs or code rulings. Local prices, your home and your jurisdiction's adopted code decide the real answer: get local bids and check with your inspector.
- Cabinet specifications catalog (standard sizes) (Jarlin Cabinetry, 2026): base and wall cabinets in 3 in width steps (9-48 in); base 24 in deep, 34.5 in high; wall 12 in deep
- Kitchen Planning Guidelines with Access Standards (National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA), 2015): work triangle 26 ft max, legs 4-9 ft; aisles 42 in (one cook) / 48 in (two); walkways 36 in; seating clearance 32/36/44 in; knee space 24 in wide; landing areas; 150 cfm ventilation; storage frontage
How runs fill with standard widths
Examples of open wall space filled with the fewest standard base cabinets of at most 36 in, and the filler left over. Fillers of 1-3 in are normal; they are trimmed on site.
| Open space | Cabinets | Filler |
|---|---|---|
| 24 in | 24 in | 0 in |
| 40 in | 21 + 18 in | 1 in |
| 63 in | 33 + 30 in | 0 in |
| 87 in | 30 + 30 + 27 in | 0 in |
| 100 in | 33 + 33 + 33 in | 1 in |
Layout rules that save rework
Give the range counter on both sides. On a 168 in wall the same appliances leave only 39 in for cabinets, and the range ends up with no landing on one side, which NKBA guidelines advise against.
Put a filler where a cabinet meets a side wall or a tall unit so doors and drawers can open past the handles. Keep the dishwasher within 36 in of the sink, and keep the sink base centered under a window if there is one.
- Measure the wall at counter height and at the floor; walls are rarely straight.
- Use the appliance's cut-out size from its spec sheet, not its nominal size.
- Fewer, wider cabinets cost less per foot than many narrow ones.
How to use this tool
Measure the wall
Corner to corner at counter height, in inches or centimeters.
Enter the fixed items
Fridge, sink base, dishwasher and range widths; 0 for anything not on this wall.
Read the run
Cabinet widths, filler, a to-scale plan and NKBA landing checks.
Price and preview
Price the run with the cabinet cost calculator, then try finishes on your own kitchen photo.
Questions
What are standard kitchen cabinet widths?
Base and wall cabinets come in 3 in steps from 9 to 48 in in most stock and semi-custom lines. 12, 15, 18, 24, 30 and 36 in are the most common.
How deep are standard base cabinets?
24 in deep and 34.5 in high, which makes a 36 in counter height with a 1.5 in top. Wall cabinets are usually 12 in deep.
What is a filler strip in kitchen cabinets?
A narrow board, usually 1 to 3 in, that closes the gap between cabinets and a wall or appliance. It lets doors and drawers open past handles and absorbs walls that are not straight.
How much counter space do I need next to the range?
NKBA guidelines call for at least 12 in of landing area on one side of the cooking surface and 15 in on the other.
How big is a dishwasher opening?
24 in wide for a standard dishwasher and 18 in for a compact one. NKBA guidelines place it within 36 in of the sink.
Can this plan an L-shaped or U-shaped kitchen?
Plan each wall separately, then let your designer handle the corner, which needs a blind corner or lazy Susan cabinet that takes extra width on both walls.
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