Guides / Cabinets and counters · Updated
Standard counter height and depth
Stock cabinet sizes from KraftMaid and Wolf. Custom cabinets can be any size, so measure yours.
Short answer
Standard kitchen counter height is 36 in from the floor to the top. That's a 34½ in base cabinet with a 1½ in top on it. Standard counter depth is 24 in of cabinet, and the top hangs past the doors a little, so the countertop itself runs deeper.
Kitchen counter dimensions
| What | Standard size | Measured |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen counter height | 36 in | Floor to the top of the counter |
| Base cabinet | 34½ in tall | Floor to the top of the cabinet box, toe kick included |
| Countertop | 1½ in thick | What the top adds on the cabinet |
| Toe kick | 4½ in tall | The recess at your feet |
| Counter depth (cabinet) | 24 in | Wall to the front of the cabinet box |
| Countertop depth | 25⅝ in (IKEA KARLBY) | Wall to the front edge of the top |
| Bar height | 42 in | Floor to the top of a raised bar |
| Table height | 30 in | Floor to the top of a table or low counter |
Toe kick height is from Wolf's cabinet drawings. Countertop depth is one real stock top, since makers don't agree on a single number.
How the 36 in adds up
Stock base cabinets come 34½ in tall. KraftMaid and Wolf both build them that way. Add a 1½ in top and you're at 36 in.
A thicker top raises the counter by the difference. So does a floor that goes in after the cabinets. If your counter comes out taller, check your range. Samsung says to set its range on a heat-resistant base if the counter is over 36¾ in, so the cooktop sits about even with it.
Standard counter depth
Base cabinets are 24 in deep, front of the box to the wall. KraftMaid also makes 12 in shallow bases and 27 in deep ones.
Standard countertop depth is more than the cabinet, because the top overhangs the doors and drawer fronts. IKEA's KARLBY top is 25⅝ in deep, which leaves 1⅝ in past a 24 in box. Measure your own from the wall to the front edge before you buy anything that's meant to sit flush with it.
That goes double for fridges. A counter-depth fridge still sticks out past a standard counter. Our counter-depth fridge dimensions guide measured how far.
Bar height and island height
Most islands are counter height, 36 in. A raised bar is 42 in and a table is 30 in. Those are the three seating heights NKBA plans for.
Each one needs a different overhang for your knees. NKBA wants 15 in at a 36 in counter, 12 in at a 42 in bar and 18 in at a 30 in table. The stools are different too. See bar stool vs counter stool height.
Accessible counter height
A 36 in counter is too high to work at from a wheelchair. The ADA standards put work surfaces at 28 to 34 in, and a sink rim at 34 in max.
In a house you don't have to drop the whole kitchen. NKBA asks for one stretch of counter at least 30 in wide that's 34 in high or less, or adjustable from 29 to 36 in, with knee space under it.
Where the numbers come from
- KraftMaid cabinet sizes for base height, top thickness and depths
- Wolf Classic cabinet specs for base height and toe kick
- IKEA KARLBY countertop for countertop depth
- Samsung NE63A6511SS range specs for a range next to a tall counter
- NKBA Kitchen Planning Guidelines for seating heights, knee space and the accessible counter
- 2010 ADA Standards, sections 606.3, 804.3.2 and 902.3